The exceptionally diverse Molex workforce, with employees in more than 40 countries, is crossing international borders to provide help to communities on a wide scale. To support these efforts, Molex is deepening employee engagement by supporting activities that are core to its culture and values—and expanding opportunities for giving back.

In early 2021, Molex launched an ambitious global community engagement program driven by local community ambassadors. The program provides centralized resources and support for initiatives within four focus areas: education, innovation, health and wellness, and community empowerment.

Working with regional leaders, their communities and one another, these ambassadors identify opportunities to make a difference. After all, for any global vision to succeed, it must first be assessed at the micro level, based on the insights of those who live and work in the area. The notable outcomes of this type of ground-up approach prove effectiveness of the strategy.

The Pandemic Set New Priorities

With the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear in many countries that the greatest need—and where Molex teams could have the greatest impact—would be in supporting health and wellness.

The response to this challenging situation was enthusiastic collaboration between community ambassadors and Molex corporate human resources and compliance personnel, proving incredibly rewarding for communities around the globe. Multiple teams got to work fighting the impact of COVID-19, yet each did it in a unique, locally relevant way. “The scale and impact of disruptions caused by COVID were unimaginable. They taught us to be creative and innovative in pooling resources and dealing with the situation,” offered the region’s director of human resources, Ivan D’Souza. “It was amazing to see how employees rose to the occasion and did their best to support each other and their local communities.”

Malaysia Transforms a Town Hall into a Vaccination Center

When the local government in Penang, Malaysia requested additional support from the community to help ensure a safer environment, the Molex team stepped up its game. Consulting with medical advisors, employees determined that the town hall area within their facility could become a vaccination hub.

In less than a week, Molex volunteers transformed the space into a vaccination center that could serve 10,000 people. They set up waiting rooms, vaccination cubicles, areas for consultations and observation, and even a sick bay, following strict health guidelines.

When the governing National Security Council came to inspect the space, the officers were astonished that the team had met every requirement, especially in such a short period of time. “Ours was the first site in Penang to open its doors for people outside the company to be vaccinated,” said community ambassador and Molex Human Resources Director, Faisal Khairudin.

Before long, the site was serving Molex employees and those of surrounding companies. Faisal added, “There are no words to describe the feeling when we were able to make a difference in people’s health and safety. We felt connected to people that we never met before, and the relationship continues after the event.”

China Volunteers Aid Vaccination Drives

As vaccines became available across China, community health centers asked for help managing demand. Molex community ambassadors recruited volunteer teams in Shanghai and Zhuhai to streamline the process and accelerate uptake in their communities.

After receiving training, volunteers spent weekends providing vital support. They provided guidance, assisted with registration and social distancing, checked QR codes and temperatures, and served in whatever capacity they were needed.

Thailand Supplies Equipment for Hospitals and Health Workers

As COVID-19 infections surged and hospitals in Thailand ran out of space for new patients, field hospitals were built with speed and furnished with corrugated cardboard beds to manage the influx of patients.

The local community ambassador knew precisely how Molex could help. First, the team collected and donated 600kg (1,300+ lbs) of clean boxes that were meant to be recycled, so they could make new beds. Next, volunteers helped assemble the beds for use in the field.

In addition, Molex Thailand donated 10,000 surgical masks to a nearby hospital to help protect health care workers from the virus.

India Offers Essentials for Families and Health Care Workers

Responding to urgent requests from local officials, the community ambassador in Bangalore set out to support nearby hospitals and villages. Partnering with Vidyaranya, a non-profit organization that provides holistic engagement and empowerment programs to children, women and the elderly to foster dignified and healthy lives. Molex volunteers began assembling 1,500 kits for families affected by the pandemic. Appreciative residents of nearby villages greeted the volunteers as they distributed the necessities directly to those in need. Each kit contained more than 10 kg (22 lbs) of flour, lentils, sugar, oil and other staples, as well as soap, sanitizer and more. The goal? To provide enough staples for two meals each day for a month.

In addition, the nearby government hospital had a shortage of life-saving oxygen concentrators, which are medical devices that provide extra oxygen for those who have trouble breathing. The Molex team responded by working with Vidyaranya to procure and donate 40 of these devices, along with thousands of gloves and N95 masks, cardiac monitors, solar water heaters, and other items critical to safe patient care.

“Our people showed good teamwork, irrespective of their functions and roles,” expressed local community ambassador, Ravikiran Nagaraju, who is also a Molex senior engineer. “I’m really satisfied with the role I played, and the opportunity for the team to extend hands of support during the pandemic.”

Bringing Positive Impacts Across Our Communities

As they continue to seek thoughtful ways to have a positive effect during the pandemic, Molex volunteers are building on their long and rich history of helping their communities. These timely and critical activities add to a long list of notable acts including providing printers for children learning remotely, teaching in orphanages and arranging activities for the elderly. Molex is proud of the energy and ambition these caring teams have shown during this critical time and remains committed to Creating Connections for Life by providing ongoing support to aid local communities for the good of all.