Novartis celebrates 19th annual Community Partnership Day with more than 27,000 associates volunteering in their local communities

• More than 27,000 Novartis associates worldwide dedicate an estimated 200,000 hours to volunteer with charitable causes in their communities
   
• Community Partnership Day symbolizes the company's commitment to improving health and serving its local communities
   
• Associates are participating in six continents and 63 countries in activities ranging from volunteering at hospitals, assisted living facilities, and schools to participating in blood donation campaigns and health screening activities

Basel, April 21, 2015 - Today, in celebration of the company's annual Community Partnership Day, more than 27,000 Novartis associates across 63 countries are engaging in volunteer activities to benefit people in their local communities. This year marks the 19^th annual Community Partnership Day, which commemorates the 1996 creation of Novartis as a global leader in healthcare, and demonstrates the company's heritage and commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.  Associates from all Novartis divisions worldwide are participating in Community Partnership Day in 2015.

Community Partnership Day gives associates the opportunity to dedicate their work day to participate in a variety of service activities to make an impact on the local communities where they live and work. Associates are volunteering with local organizations in six continents and 63 countries, including Switzerland, the United States, China, Brazil, India, Russia, Ethiopia, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Greece, Korea, Australia, and South Africa.

In Switzerland, for example, more than 3,200 associates across different sites will participate in 220 different projects ranging from volunteering with the elderly to helping children with illnesses or handicaps. Also, across divisions and sites in the United States, over 6,000 associates will work with local health organizations including the American Red Cross; an organization that supports cancer survivors and their families; an organization that provides meals to people homebound and living with HIV/AIDS, and several other hospitals, clinics and organizations.

Additional examples of volunteer service as part of this year's Community Partnership Day include:

• In China, associates will focus their activities on helping the elderly in their communities by organizing medical lectures, health examinations and recreational activities for residents at local senior citizen centers and nursing homes.
• More than 1,500 associates in Hyderabad, India will participate throughout the week in blood donation campaigns and health screening activities, including providing eye examinations and glasses, among other collection campaigns and activities.
• Nearly 700 associates in Germany across divisions will participate in various activities in their local communities, including 100 associates from the Salutas Barleben and Osterweddingen sites, who will support the German Red Cross, as well as organizations that support people with dementia and help relatives of children living with cancer.
• In Russia, more than 300 associates will participate in activities across six sites in Moscow and other regions including volunteering with children and the elderly, supporting clinics, and participating in a blood donation campaign.
• An expected 250 associates in Bangladesh will work with local physicians to provide health screenings and education for children at a public school serving underprivileged youth. Throughout the year, associates will also translate books into braille and distribute them to organizations that support individuals with visual impairment.
• In Mexico, more than 300 associates will volunteer at nursing homes for the elderly and houses for orphans and disabled children, as well as provide 400 health diagnostic tests.
• More than 1,300 associates in Brazil will participate in activities to promote health and sustainability. Associates will also work with local organizations to create an experiential opportunity for members of the local community to learn what it feels like to have a disability or visual impairment to foster greater inclusion.
• In Singapore, Novartis is continuing its five year partnership with the Asian Women's Welfare Association (AWWA) by having 150 associates volunteer with an AWWA school that serves children ages 6-18 with autism and other disabilities.
• More than 250 associates in Australia will volunteer with charitable organizations that support a variety of causes including the MS Society, which helps people living with multiple sclerosis (MS); Cure Our Kids, which supports children in the oncology unit at a local hospital; the Ronald McDonald House, which serves the families of sick children; and the MD Foundation, which assists people with macular degeneration (MD).
• In South Africa, 120 associates will participate in a range of activities including volunteering at a nursing home and supporting a local organization, More Balls Than Most, which helps improve education and awareness around prostate and testicular cancer.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care and cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2014, the Group achieved net sales of USD 58 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.9 billion (USD 9.6 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). As of December 31, 2014 Novartis Group companies employed approximately 133,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are available in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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