MSC USA honoured for ‘Spreading Smiles’

MSC USA has become the proud recipient of an award for its dedication to one particular charity commitment.

At a gala dinner in New York attended by the likes of actress Kate Hudson, MSC USA’s President, Fabio Santucci and his team were presented with the Operation Smile Corporate Humanitarian Award.

The New York headquarters of MSC USA first became involved with the global charity Operation Smile late in 2010, when MSC’s Global Chief Operating Officer Claudio Bozzo – then President and CEO of MSC USA – was introduced to the founders of the organization.

Operation Smile has been running since 1982, and was conceived by Dr William Magee and his wife Kathleen. The couple were inspired by a trip to the Philippines, where they were attending alongside other medical volunteers to repair children’s cleft lips and cleft palates.

The charity has now provided free surgery to thousands of children and young adults who were born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other deformities.

Since 2011 MSC has made Operation Smile the key beneficiary of its corporate social responsibility activity, typically raising around $250,000 every year through golf tournaments and other smaller scale charitable efforts.

MSC USA were informed ahead of May’s gala dinner that they would be receiving the accolade, an accomplishment which puts the business in the company of the likes of Johnson and Johnson, who won the award for 2015.

“We were absolutely delighted and surprised to hear that we would be receiving the award at the event,” said Fabio Santucci.

“It was completely unexpected but is a wonderful acknowledgment for the energy and enthusiasm which our staff in the United States throw behind this particular charity.

“Every year we ask each USA office to put on a golf tournament and invite their clients to raise money for the children which Operation Smile supports. The passion for the cause across our business is enormous and everyone is committed to doing all we can to help change lives in such a positive way.”

Not only do the USA staff stage their charitable events every year in aid of the organization, but they also go a step further in the effort to ensure they fully understand what the charity is for and why the money is so important. Typically, two members of staff will visit a ‘mission’ every year and witness the requirements of the beneficiary children first hand.

MSC USA plans to stage two missions this year, with employees to be picked in a ballot.

If you would like to help MSC continue its great work for Operation Smile, please go to operationsmile.org/donatemsc

Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Wire Image for Operation Smile