61 

2005 

IBM announces plans to open its first global Wireless Center of Excellence, at the company's 

site in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The Center, a multi million dollar investment, will mimic a 

variety of workplace environments to demonstrate wireless technology in applications ranging 

from offices to warehouses. 

Corporate Citizenship 

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on European Affairs, IBM calls for support of 

consistent worldwide accessibility standards so that everyone, especially people with disabilities 

and the aging population, can have easy access to information technology and the Web. 

IBM announces it will help address the critical shortage of math and science teachers by 

enabling some of its most experienced employees to become fully accredited teachers in their 

local communities upon electing to leave the company. The IBM Transition to Teaching program 

will begin as a pilot with as many as 100 U.S. employees in various areas across the country. 

Each employee will be able to participate in both online course work and more traditional 

courses, including online mentoring while remaining at the company and student teaching for up 

to three months in order to meet state certification requirements. IBM will reimburse participants 

up to $15,000 for tuition and stipends while they student teach. 

The company receives the Freedom to Compete Award from the U.S. Equal Employment 

Opportunity Commission in recognition of its innovation and dedication to recruiting 

underrepresented university minorities, women and people with disabilities through its Project 

View programs. 

Early in the year, IBM provides technology and services valued at just over $3 million (and 

employees donate another $1.2) million to assist the victims of the tsunami that devastated parts 

of Asia in December 2004. In September 2005, IBM makes a $3.2 million donation of services 

and technology in support of relief and recovery operations following Hurricane Katrina in the 

United States. An IBM Crisis Response Team in Baton Rouge, La., provides technical assistance 

to state and federal officials, and IBM s Corporate Community Relations team works with local 

governments and not for profit organizations throughout the affected area. In October, IBM and 

its employees support a humanitarian relief effort following a devastating earthquake in South 

Asia. An IBM Crisis Response Team donates technology, equipment and consulting expertise, 

and IBM employees across the world open their wallets to support the disaster's victims in 

Pakistan.  

# # # 

1406HHX