VMware : We Are Citizen Philanthropists – Demonstrating Our Collective Strength

For more than 10 years, VMware's Citizen Philanthropy approach to giving has given our people a platform to amplify contributions of their time, talent, and resources to the nonprofits that matter to them most. With this approach, we ensure equal access to VMware Foundation Programs no matter where people are based or what cause areas matter to them. This month we checked in with our colleague Honoka Tsutsui, Sales Operations Analyst based in Tokyo, who is an active Citizen Philanthropist.

Honoka joined VMware in April 2020 as a new graduate, and swiftly set to work, diving into VMware Foundation programs and helping her teammates in Japan get more involved as well:

"I wanted to align my values with my work, and since I first joined VMware, I was intently looking for ways to give back to the community through the company. VMware Foundation is perfectly matched with my passion to serve the people and community.

Serving communities has taught me that even small beginnings can make a big and meaningful impact in the long run. Also, working for great causes led me to feel belonging because serving has provided me with valuable connections with my VMware team members and the people we serve." -

Honoka Tsutsui, Sales Operations Analyst

In addition to our year-round programs, the VMware Foundation was proud to continue the tradition of a year-end giving initiative in December 2021, where every full-time employee was able to direct $50 Gift of Connection from VMware to the nonprofit of their choice. After a period of continuous change on many levels, and with many people still working remotely, this was an opportunity to come together as a VMware community and celebrate our interconnectedness in the global community.

Honoka led the effort for our 1,000 employees across Japan, creating a guide to help her teammates choose a nonprofit to which they could direct their Gift of Connection. By the end of December, Honoka and her teammates in Japan had directed more than 750 individual grants.

Globally, more than 27,000 VMware employees directed a Gift of Connection to their nonprofits of choice in December. We reached 8,354 individual nonprofits around the world with this initiative, demonstrating the breadth and variety of VMware people's interests, which Citizen Philanthropy enables us to support and amplify.

"The year-end initiative is important since it encourages colleagues to explore nonprofits available on the VMware Foundation portal and hopefully find an organization that they want to commit to even after the campaign - this is a great opportunity for Japanese colleagues to understand and experience VMware's culture of service and to feel proud of being part of our community." - Honoka Tsutsui, Sales Operations Analyst

As part of this initiative, we also recognized new connections and long-time connections among our colleagues, and we emphasized gratitude as a form of giving with more than 6,000 e-cards sent among our colleagues with notes of thanks and appreciation to teammates.

As we continue into 2022, we are inspired by the many ways our VMware community consistently supports each other, while using our time, talents, and resources to serve the global community as well.

Inspired by what you've read? You can learn more about the VMware Foundation and see Citizen Philanthropy in Action here.