Eli Lilly and Company's new global service programme, Connecting Hearts Abroad, is set to launch. Through the programme, the company is sending 200 Lilly Ambassadors to assist people and communities that often lack basic resources. While serving others, the Ambassadors will also gain a deeper, more intimate understanding of different cultures and see first hand the complex problems and opportunities associated with improving human health in developing areas. The goal: to help others and spark employees' innovative ideas that will make Lilly a better company.

The first of 200 Lilly Ambassadors start their two-week assignments in New Delhi, India, on April 2.

“Lilly has a long tradition of being both innovative and caring,” said John C Lechleiter, PhD, Lilly's chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Our unique Connecting Hearts Abroad programme combines these two passions. We're taking a novel approach to helping others. At the same time, we're giving our employees life-changing, eye-opening experiences that will make them more passionate and knowledgeable citizens of the world. This is an investment in developing communities, in our employees and in Lilly's future.”

Two hundred Lilly employees from 38 countries were selected to participate in the Connecting Hearts Abroad programme in 2011. The Ambassadors will provide assistance in developing communities in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. No specialized skills or expertise (for example, a medical background) were required — just a passion for making a difference. Lilly Ambassadors with various levels of expertise and experience will work together to create personal connections with people and communities that face difficult challenges in health care and beyond.

Lilly Ambassadors will provide hands-on support in the following four categories: In health care, observing and assisting local health professionals, working with people affected by HIV/AIDS, caring for the elderly, infants and children, and people with disabilities, assisting teachers of special education, teaching children and teaching conversational English, sharing professional skills and experience, working toward women's empowerment.

The Ambassadors will share their experiences with Lilly's 38,000 employees while on assignment and when they return through internal blogs and other communication channels. The goal is to start conversations and involve the entire organization in the experiences of the Ambassadors to spark new ideas about how Lilly can better meet people's needs — now and in the future.

More than 1,800 Lilly employees from 52 countries applied to Connecting Hearts Abroad; 200 were selected in February for the inaugural year of the program. Each service assignment will have 8 to 9 Lilly employees from a variety of global business functions — including lab technicians, marketing associates and manufacturing specialists. Ambassadors include management, hourly and salaried non-management employees.

“Connecting Hearts Abroad is another step toward Lilly's vision of improving global health in the 21st century,” said Lechleiter.

Lilly is partnering with Cross-Cultural Solutions, an international not-for-profit organization that operates short-term volunteer programmes in 12 countries. CCS is a recognized leader in the field of international volunteering with a strong track record of supporting volunteers in developing countries and creating professional, safe, life-changing experiences.

“CCS and Lilly have strikingly similar missions — to serve and to improve lives,” said Steven C Rosenthal, founder and executive director of Cross-Cultural Solutions. “Lilly's commitment to send 200 employees on service assignments is bold and unprecedented. It represents the largest corporate partnership to-date for CCS, and the largest launch of an employee volunteer program at an international scale like this. Through the CCS volunteer programs, Lilly employees will touch lives and, in return, have one of the most memorable experiences of their lives.”

Lilly is shifting its corporate responsibility focus and will increasingly concentrate its resources in areas where society's needs intersect with the company's areas of expertise and focus — a concept known as “shared value.”

Lilly's main area of focus will be on improving health for people in need around the globe — specifically, people in low- and middle-income countries who lack the resources to obtain quality healthcare.

Connecting Hearts Abroad has the potential to play an important role in these efforts. “We know that our best solutions to difficult health challenges will likely come from the innovative ideas generated by our employees,” said Robert L Smith, senior director of corporate responsibility and president of the Lilly Foundation. “To foster this kind of innovation, we want to expose employees to different cultures and environments. By changing our frame of reference, we increase the probability of generating breakthrough ideas.”

Added Smith: “Like many companies, Lilly historically viewed corporate responsibility largely as a financial commitment. That's changing — and for the better. While traditional CR activities — like philanthropy — have a role to play, they alone won't generate the long-term solutions required to address society's most challenging problems. We know we can have a greater impact if we focus our efforts and expertise to create shared value — for society and Lilly.”

Beyond Lilly's primary focus in health care, the company is also investing in efforts to improve public education in the United States, specifically K-12 in Lilly's home state of Indiana. Lilly also supports people and local communities through the United Way and other similar efforts, and is committed to being a good steward of the environment.