At Waters, we strive to make a positive, lasting impact in the communities where we live and work through financial contributions, in-kind donations, and employee volunteerism.
We do this by focusing our philanthropic outreach with organizations whose missions align with ours. Waters partners with charities who are making advancements in human health & well-being, providing access to STEM education resources throughout a student’s educational journey, and supporting diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives to help us be more representative of the society that we live in.
Read more about our philanthropy efforts in our 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Report
Waters is investing in future talent by supporting STEM education for elementary, middle, and high school students with a special focus on supporting students of color and women in STEM.
Waters Student Academy is a targeted STEM internship program hosted at our headquarters in Milford, Massachusetts, and Wilmslow, UK focusing on education, exposure, and experience. The program was created from a desire to develop more diverse talent pipelines in STEM fields, with a special focus on generating STEM education opportunities for high school-aged students, particularly young women and students of color. Academy students follow a multi-week curriculum where they participate in firsthand learning opportunities in research labs and on the manufacturing floor, while also gaining exposure to other business areas such as user experience, marketing, communications, and human resources. After completing the summer program, students are invited to join Alumni events where they visit Waters partners for days of learning and reconnecting with their peers and mentors.
In a global partnership with JA Worldwide, Waters has hosted students in six countries, both in our labs and virtually, for hands-on learning and career preparation. To date, Waters employees have reached more than 4,000 students around the world, sharing information and insight into a variety of STEM focused careers.
In the UK, Waters has a long-standing relationship with the Manchester Science and Industry Museum, highlighting the area's rich legacy of industrial innovation and scientific discoveries with a Waters exhibit in the Revolution Manchester gallery. Waters employees also participate in the Manchester Science Festival with hands-on experiments and demonstrations that bring the excitement of STEM learning into the community.
Waters is providing students from historically under resourced communities with STEM education, exposure, and experience to ensure our industry is more representative of the society we live in.
Waters is supporting organizations that are aligned with our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and the intent of our Employee Circles (Disability, People of Color, Pride, Veterans, and Women).
Waters has long supported the Ron Burton Training Village (RBTV), whose mission is to "inspire youth through education, leadership, physical wellness, social advancement, and spiritual growth." Waters played an integral role in the ideation, creation, and implementation of the RBTV STEM Journey for Girls. Through virtual STEM instruction and a visit to Waters headquarters in Milford, Massachusetts, Waters employees have supported the program’s goal to increase exposure for young women in STEM.
In 2021, we established relationships with three historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and created the Waters HBCU Research Award. These partnerships create STEM opportunities for students through research grants, instrument donations, and mentoring.
Waters is improving human health and well-being through partnerships with organizations driving advancements in clinical diagnostics and medicines, and ensuring access to food safety and security.
Waters has supported The Christie, a cancer research and innovation center in the United Kingdom, for many years. Waters contributed to the capital campaign for the new Christie cancer care center at Macclesfield that has transformed cancer care, providing access closer to home for many patients. Waters has also supported the “Bloods Closer to Home” program, enabling cancer patients the ability to receive their blood tests closer to where they live, providing more personalized and convenient cancer treatment.
In partnership with Boston Children’s Hospital, we provide financial and volunteer support for the behavioral health program at Madison Park Vocational High School supporting both students and teachers.
Waters is also engaged in supporting healthcare initiatives that address chronic diseases impacting the young. Through financial contributions, we support Mass General Hospital’s ImproveCareNow initiative, a network dedicated to transforming care for children and youth with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD).