DENVER - As a result of a May workplace giving campaign, employees at CH2M HILL contributed $229,000 to non-profit agency Water For People to help bring clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene education to people in 10 developing countries. For eight years, CH2M HILL has hosted an annual workplace giving campaign across its global operations to encourage employees to contribute to Water For People. The effort has steadily grown, and the company's 2009 campaign set new records for workplace giving.

"For the last two years, CH2M HILL employees have set the record as one of our largest workplace giving campaigns," said Water For People CEO Ned Breslin. "The people of CH2M HILL understand and share our mission. They provide valuable leadership and volunteer technical support in addition to vital funding to help us reach our goals."

According to Water For People staff, the cost of providing someone in a developing community with clean water or improved sanitation is $42. In 2008, Water For People provided clean water to 91,722 beneficiaries, sanitation to 92,983 beneficiaries, and hygiene education to 153,843.

"A large portion of our work is in the water and sanitation business, and we've chosen Water For People as a strategic partner to help achieve a shared vision of a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation and no one suffers or dies from a water- or sanitation-related disease," said CH2M HILL Water Business Group President Bob Bailey. "Our people are extraordinarily passionate about this cause."

Elisa Speranza, CH2M HILL's Operations and Maintenance Business Group president, currently serves as president of the Water For People board of directors. Employees from 165 CH2M HILL offices participated in its 2009 workplace giving campaign, including 20 offices outside of North America.