One hundred employees from 33 countries will take part in IBM's new Corporate Service Corps program, developing their leadership skills while they address socio-economic challenges in emerging markets.
Twelve teams of employees will be split among Romania, Turkey, Vietnam, the Philippines, Ghana, and Tanzania this year. They’ll use their skills to work on projects that encompass economic development and information technology.
"It's a corporate version of the Peace Corps," said Stanley S. Litow, vice-president of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs, IBM. "What we as a company get is leaders with a broader range of skills that can function in a global context. What the individual participant gets is a unique set of leadership opportunities and development experiences. And what communities get are IBM's best problem solving skills. It's a triple benefit."
More than 5,000 “high-potential” employees applied to the program and only 100 employees were selected. IBM will choose another 100 before the end of year and has committed to a total participation of 600 over the next three years.