ACE strongly believes in supporting the local communities in which we do business, with our philanthropic focus mostly targeted at children, health and safety and environmental projects.

Our community work includes a long established employee/company charity matching scheme, through which the company matches funds raised in support of various registered charity projects. To celebrate ACE's 25th anniversary in 2010, we also held a Global Day of Service on 22 October, which saw employees across the world dedicating a day of voluntary service to local community charities and other worthy local causes.

Areas of Support

Previous donations have been made to charities in the following categories:

• Cancer
• Heart & stroke
• Asthma & arthritis
• Mental conditions
• Cerebal palsy
• Physical handicaps
• People with learning difficulties
• Elderly people

However, we also value and will consider supporting projects and charities outside these categories that encourage good citizenship, help disadvantaged people and generally add value to ACE's local communities.

Our preferred method of support to these charitable activities will be through cash donations; however, other methods of support may be considered subject to the circumstances of the request, such as donation of redundant equipment.

Areas we will not consider supporting fall generally into the following categories:

• Medical research/industrial research using animals
• Political campaigns – political activities
• Causes to support warring factions
• Blood sports activities
• Religious sects

Community Support Policy Criteria

All applications for support must:

• Fall within the policy criteria
• Be documented in writing (in-house applications should be made using the appropriate form) and give details of the aim and objectives of the requesting organisation/event/project
• Give details of how and on what specifically the funding will be spent
• Confirm what other funding has already been secured for the request

Additional criteria include the following:

• Funding for the same event can only be repeated for up to three years
• A maximum of $5,000 funding will be levied for an individual request
• We reserve the right to request a copy of any applying organisation’s most recent annual report and accounts

• We reserve the right to communicate internally and externally any support we have provided to a project/event/charity

Applying for support

A group of six to eight employees from different locations and business functions across Europe make up our Community Support Selection Group and communicate regularly to consider requests for sponsorship/donations.

Applications for support should be made by completing the ACE European Group Community Support Application Form and this should be sent by email, fax or post to:

Gaile Toms
Secretary ACE Europe Community Support Group
Kent House, Romney House
Maidstone
Kent ME15 6LT
Fax:  +44 (0)1622-403 045
e-mail: Gaile.Toms@acegroup.com