At the AIChE Foundation, partnerships with corporate allies are essential to advancing transformative initiatives and expanding opportunities within the chemical engineering profession. Richard Baidal, Senior Corporate Relations Manager, plays a key role in cultivating and strengthening these relationships.
We recently caught up with Richard to learn more about his work, the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility, and how partnerships are driving real change for the future of chemical engineering.
To start, can you tell us about your role at the AIChE Foundation and how you work with corporate donors to advance the mission of the Doing a World of Good initiatives?
In my role as Senior Corporate Relations Manager on the AIChE Foundation team, I engage with the Foundation’s more than 200 corporate partners whose dedication and steadfast support help shape the Foundation’s Doing a World of Good initiatives and elevate the prominence and positive impact of the chemical engineering profession. My primary focus when interacting with our partners is to gain an understanding of each organization’s corporate social responsibility objectives, as these relate to Doing a World of Good’s five transformative priorities, to discover alignment opportunities that can support common goals.
What is great about cultivating and advancing partnerships in this industry sector is that most (if not all) companies are committed to building an innovative, inclusive, and more sustainable future where communities can thrive and where everyone can have access to quality STEM education – which ultimately create pathways toward a more robust STEM talent pipeline.
What trends are you seeing in corporate social responsibility or STEM philanthropy that excite you about the future of our partnerships?
Presently, we are seeing CSR become more integrated into companies’ business operations, which is creating opportunities for new kinds of collaboration. For example, we are seeing companies demonstrate a greater interest toward employee engagement activities such as corporate volunteering, workplace giving programs, and virtual engagement.
We see this interest firsthand on initiatives like the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI), where FOSSI partners actively invite their employees to serve as mentors, participate as presenters (both in-person and virtual), and as concurrent personal contributors alongside their company’s FOSSI sponsorship efforts. For the Foundation’s Annual Gala, some corporate sponsors are also encouraging their employees to volunteer their time and expertise through the Rising Star leadership virtual workshops.
This multifaceted approach is exciting to see as our partners can participate in Doing a World of Good initiatives broadly while providing their respective employees and industry leaders with ways to more directly engage with scholars, educators, and their local communities.
Can you share a success story where a corporate donor’s support made a significant impact on an AIChE program or initiative?
One success story that we’re especially proud of involves CF Industries – a leading global manufacturer of low-carbon ammonia and ammonia-derived fertilizers – and their team’s interest in becoming involved in FOSSI. The company’s investment and generous support for ten FOSSI scholars in the 2024 class was just the beginning.
Over the past year, CF Industries has swiftly led mentorship efforts, launched internships and co-ops, and welcomed seven FOSSI scholars to its Summer Career Exploration program. Through this program, scholars have opportunities to explore STEM careers at CF, experience corporate and plant environments, and develop valuable leadership and professional skills. Currently, the company is already planning to host additional scholars for its 2025 summer program.
CF Industries exemplifies what can be accomplished through good collaboration, active involvement and a commitment to building a future workforce that is open to all.
Thanks to the active involvement and generosity of the more than 80 corporate partners that participate in FOSSI, we are changing the course of lives and, to date, have been able to secure support for over 860 FOSSI scholars, a collective investment surpassing $40 million. This places FOSSI ever closer towards our goal of supporting 1,000 scholars.
What advice would you give to companies that want to deepen their engagement with the chemical engineering community through the AIChE Foundation?
I would encourage companies and foundations to consider a partnership with the AIChE Foundation if they are: committed to building and sustaining a safe and ethical practice; dedicated to protecting the environment through responsible operations; want to help transform our industry by providing a robust talent pipeline that brings not just diversity of race and ethnicity, but diversity of thought and perspective; or wish to explore ways to create a positive and enduring change in their communities.
By aligning with the AIChE Foundation, organizations can join a well-connected community of corporate allies who are collectively making a positive impact on the global landscape and shaping the chemical engineering profession for decades to come.
Learn more about the AIChE Foundation and 10 years of Doing a World of Good.