Medtronic—More than Technology

By Joan Leotta

Medical technology leader Medtronic's main mission is to create "instruments or appliances that alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life." The company offers products and solutions for conditions that range from aneurysms to spinal disorders. But Medtronic's success also rests on its ability to fulfill other aspects of its mission statement: "to recognize the personal worth of employees," including especially those with disabilities, and "to maintain good citizenship as a company."

Logo from Medtronic

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Medtronic has pursued all aspects of its mission since its inception in 1949. Serving more than 32,000 employees and participating in over 120 communities in which it does business, Medtronic has made a difference in more ways than just producing reliable equipment. To provide a voice for employees, Medtronic has established employee groups such as ABLED (Awareness Benefiting Leadership and Employees about Disabilities) and a Parents of Children with Special Needs network. In addition, the company has backed up its commitment to good corporate citizenship with more than $220 million in giving through the Medtronic Foundation.

Inside Medtronic

Outstanding among Medtronic's internal programs to encourage individual growth are two programs operating in the firm's Minneapolis headquarters.

In 1996, the company recognized a need to reach out to employees who had children with disabilities and formed the Parents of Children with Special Needs group. Karen Quammen, Project Coordinator in the Office of Workplace Inclusion, explains that the group was formed with the assistance of the Medtronic Employee Assistance Program staff. "It began as a support network of parents who all had something in common: the unique demands in parenting children with disabilities," she says. "The group held on-site training sessions over the lunch hour on how to navigate the special education system, life planning, assistive technology and more. The group also purchased books with positive stories about people with disabilities and donated those books to local elementary schools."

As the parents' group became more active, it gave seed to another employee network. Formed in 2004, the Awareness Benefiting Leadership and Employees about Disabilities, or "ABLED," focuses on mentoring students and providing disability awareness in workplaces and in the community. Employee members of ABLED often volunteer for non-profit organizations in their communities. For example, ABLED members at all of the Medtronic Minneapolis locations sell roses for the local ARC. ABLED members also volunteer with a group called Courage that sponsors a "Walk-n-Roll." This family-friendly event gives Medtronic employees the opportunity to get together with co-workers and their families at the Minnesota Zoo. The outing raises money for children's programs.

Quammen notes that ABLED also works to develop leadership among children with disabilities. "ABLED has recently begun a mentoring program" for such students, she explains. "The program matches the students with Medtronic employee mentors who help them work on career development goals. As a part of ABLED, they held their first Career Day in January 2004. Eighty students came to Medtronic."

Building on the success of that event, in October 2004 Medtronic hosted a broader career fair, pairing up with other Minneapolis-St. Paul employers including 3M and state and federal agencies, and welcoming about 150 participants. Says Quammen, "The Career Day is an event for students and job seekers with disabilities to explore careers, develop mentoring relationships, network, and talk to business representatives about career opportunities." In 2005 the program expanded, with a greater number of employers welcoming 300 participants. At the 2005 event, Senior Executive Dick Ploetz, Medtronic VP of Global Business Solutions, noted that people with disabilities represent a significant, largely untapped pool of potential in a tightening employment environment. "Everyone benefits when we reach out to people with disabilities and encourage them to consider careers with Medtronic," said Ploetz.

National Disability Mentoring Day 2006 is slated for later this year at Medtronic's Minneapolis headquarters. In addition, Quammen reports that an ABLED Resource has begun at Medtronic's Memphis location.

From the Inside Out

By partnering with the community on Disability Mentoring Day, ABLED is continuing what has been a longstanding tradition: generosity through the Medtronic Foundation, which since its 1978 formation, has lead and managed corporate giving efforts, with the goal of enhancing the communities in which the firm is located.

The Foundation provides support for community-based partners through monetary gifts and in-kind donations, in addition to volunteer hours provided by employees. The company continues to give at an overall level of two percent of domestic profits. Says Richard Fisher, Public Relations Manager, "Giving has been a long-standing tradition at Medtronic. In fact, it is a key element of our company's mission statement. We give because we believe sharing our resources within our communities is the right thing to do. By working in partnership with our communities, we make our commitment real and help people enjoy healthy productive and enhanced lives."

Medtronic selects as community partners those groups whose alliance will help make positive contributions in the areas of health, education, and community building. This includes relationships with local or national groups that represent persons with chronic diseases or disabilities. At present, Medtronic works with more than 50 organizations worldwide to educate, support and advocate on behalf of such groups.

The Foundation has close ties with the National Spinal Cord Injury Association. Says NSCIA CEO Marcie Roth, "Medtronic supports us and provides opportunities for us to get better, so we can grow NSCIA." Through its mission and strong commitment to quality of life, and through the many ways Medtronic works so hard to support many groups including those that focus on patient-centered healthcare such as the 24 patient associations that are a part of the Foundation's "Patient Link." Roth continues, "We have benefited greatly from the leadership development they have provided and the direct approach they offer to strengthen non-profits."

Roth is also grateful for the ways in which Foundation support helps individual NSCIA constituents: "They touch our 16,000 members by lending support which allows us to offer the eNews and provide educational materials to our constituency," she explains.

The Medtronic Foundation often targets specific projects when budgeting for corporate giving. Tari Susan Hartman-Squire of NSCIA's Board credits the company with helping NSCIA incubate a project for those with violently-acquired spinal cord injuries. Foundation funds also supported a resource document that helps NSCIA members navigate the insurance maze. Notes Hartman-Squire, "Medtronic and the Medtronic Foundation are certainly among the greatest of NSCIA's friends. With their unwavering support, NSCIA has accomplished more than our own resources would ever allow—but we are grateful far beyond their financial support. Their spirit of collaboration and commitment to our shared constituency and their belief in our potential has vastly extended our ability to improve the quality of life for millions with spinal cord injuries and diseases."

Awards and Outlook

Medtronic's commitment to community has resulted in several awards, including a Recognition Award from US Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and the Minnesota State Council on Disability's Employer of the Year recognition. Medtronic also received the Distinguished Community Service Award from ARC.

Medtronic's passion to provide medical equipment and devices is the company's public face. But equally important is its private identity: a company that believes in investing in the lives of its employees and in projects that enhance the health and welfare of communities. The Foundation website sums up the outlook for the company's future: "In the years ahead we look forward to maintaining our strong presence and bringing our passion for community citizenship to life."

Edited by Mary-Louise Piner.