Investing in Communities

Our Focus Areas
Altria and its operating companies invest in Success 360°​ (Positive Youth Development & Education), Contributing Together (Employee Community Engagement​), Workforce & Economic Growth, Environment and Inclusive Community & Culture​.​
Our Focus Areas
Altria and its operating companies invest in Success 360°​ (Positive Youth Development & Education), Contributing Together (Employee Community Engagement​), Workforce & Economic Growth, Environment and Inclusive Community & Culture​.​
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  Green Right
  Blue Right
  Red Right
Investing in communities is deeply rooted in our culture and business. 
What began as an idea to support local nonprofits more than 60 years ago has evolved into a tradition of giving and community partnership that continues as a robust part of our culture. Today our company is filled with community-minded employees who are proud to carry on that work.​
Over the last 10 years, we have worked hard to address important issues like preventing underage tobacco use while also contributing to efforts that help our communities thrive. We're proud of the progress that’s been made and the partnerships we've built with community partners, nonprofits and neighbors who share many of the same goals.
A lot can change in a decade, too. The U.S. tobacco industry has entered a dynamic period, driven by changing consumer interests, an evolving regulatory system and new technologies that have opened up new categories of non-combustible, nicotine-containing products.​​ ​
In 2018, we thoroughly evaluated our corporate giving portfolios leading to an update of our strategic focus areas for giving and community engagement. Because there is always more work to do, this refresh enables our resources – both human and financial – to continue making our strongest impacts where they matter most.​​
One of our primary business challenges is to address current trends in underage e-vapor use. While use of traditional tobacco products among those under 18 years old is at historic lows​, underage e-vapor use has increased sharply. In order to contribute as much support as possible to address these trends, from 2019-21 we are dedicating more than half of our charitable giving to our signature program - Success 360° - which focuses on positive youth development primarily for middle and high schoolers.
See a list of Altria Group and its companies’ 2018 grantees​​​​.
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​To align our investments with changing community needs, employee interests and business priorities, Altria focuses our community investment in these five areas:​​​​​​

National  Programs​
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Success 360​°
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Success 360°
Our Goal: 
Help reduce underage tobacco use and other risky behaviors of middle- and high-school age young people served by partners' programs.
Underage Tobacco Prevention
Underage use of our companies’ products is not good for our business or society. Investing in the evidence-based, proven effective solutions of national-scale youth development partners helps youth avoid a wide range of risky behaviors.​
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​Strategies:​
Support leading n​ational evidence-based youth development organizations to:​

  • Deliver proven-effective programs to youth, their parents and other influential adults​
  • Improve youth-serving organizations’ capacity to deliver high-quality services and collaborate to better coordinate efforts and increase youth impacts
  • Deliver proven- effective prevention and cessation programs to youth

Support innovative and transformative programs to enable greater reach through established and new partner organizations. May include activities to:​

  • Engage new partners to explore approaches to help youth avoid risky behaviors​
  • Work with existing partners including direct service organizations, field-building partners, academic experts and other funders to identify strategies addressing social access
  • Expand geographic reach and impact of prevention and cessation programming to areas of highest need​​

Learn more about Success 360°

Contributing Together
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Contributing Together
Our Goal:
Increase employee engagement in programs, including new program participation, new employees and new geographies; support leadership growth and inclusive behaviors among employees.
Employee volunteering and giving strengthens our employees' connection to their communities, provides engaging leadership experiences that increase inclusive behaviors and deepens our connections to our work.
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​Strategies:
Engage employee purpose and develop skills through transformative volunteering​​

  • Support employee volunteering activities that include flexible options to align with employee interests​
  • Use volunteering time strategically to strengthen leadership and inclusion skills and build teams
  • Offer incentives to recognize and reward volunteering

Support employees who choose to make financial contributions to nonprofits​​

  • Enable and incentivize employees to give their financial resources collectively to build group impact and strengthen team and enterprise shared values​
  • Support workplace culture initiatives for team-building and relationship connection​
  • ​Support individual charitable giving through Matching Gifts​​
Operating Company Community Programs​
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Workforce & Economic Growth
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Workforce & Economic Growth
Goal:
Expand the local pool of qualified and diverse candidates for professional, hourly and skilled-trade opportunities at Altria's companies and in the manufacturing sector generally.
Businesses and communities must work together to sustain a healthy economic climate and develop a talent pipeline that meets current and future employment needs. Investing in workforce development helps attract new businesses, expands job opportunities and contributes to economic growth.
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​Strategies:​
Help communities build a middle- and high-school career pipeline​​

  • Increase awareness of high-paying and high-demand careers that don't require 4-year degrees​
  • Support K-12 training and education that leads to certifications, associate degrees, dual degrees and other credentials to meet regional skilled-trade workforce needs equitably
  • Increase career exploration opportunities through Career Technical Education (CTE), out-of-school time and apprenticeship programs

Support veterans, military service members and their spouses in job access and transition

  • Increase access for service members to translate skills to private sector opportunities​

Prepare unemployed or underemployed adults

  • Support training and education that leads to certifications, associate degrees, dual degrees and other credentials to meet regional workforce needs equitably​

Attract high-quality talent

  • Support HR efforts to attract a diverse set of qualified applicants for current and future company positions.​
  • Help create a healthy economic climate for business expansion and attraction
  • Support selected initiatives that make the region a desirable location to start, relocate or expand a business​​
Environment
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Environment
Goal:
Help reduce the environmental impacts of our businesses; steward and conserve natural resources on which our businesses and communities depend for sustainability.
Responsible environmental business practices and viable supply chains promote long-term business success and sustainability of natural resources.
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​Strategies:
  • Support water conservation and quality initiatives that help our companies achieve our water neutrality goals and storm water management priorities in both our operating and tobacco and wine growing communities
  • Invest in sustainable agriculture initiatives that help our companies reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions and support good agricultural practices in our tobacco and wine growing communities
  • Help our communities prevent cigarette litter and maintain attractive public spaces
  • Support reforestation and air quality initiatives that help reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions within our supply chains and replenish​​
Inclusive Community & Culture​
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Inclusive Community & Culture
Goal:
Help attract, retain and engage vibrant, diverse talent for our businesses and communities through strong, relevant and sustainable community cultural assets; build inclusive access to opportunity by contributing to basic social stability that helps communities thrive.​
An inclusive, vibrant community and positive quality of life for all residents benefits the entire community and strengthens our business’ ability to attract, retain and engage top talent.
 
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​Strategies:​
Help build more inclusive opportunity in communities​​

  • Support initiatives that foster an inclusive local culture and promote diversity​
  • Support select local projects that build community connectivity, civic engagement and collective work toward shared goals

Support arts and culture

  • Sponsor major cultural attractions that draw diverse audiences, create leading environments to retain talent, and generate new interest in local culture​
  • Support community access to arts and culture programming

Support basic social stability

  • Support essential services to help families at or below the poverty line access economic opportunity​
  • Help provide access for families to consistently high-quality, nutritious food​​
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*Includes $22.9 million in strategic tax reform-related giving​​