'I like to give something back'. It's a phrase you hear many times from successful people. But how many of them actually mean what they say? Corporate citizenship and social responsibility shouldn't be something you treat as a kind of ethical afterthought. It must grow from who you are and what you do.

Last year, we gave more than $110 million to thousands of charities and non-profit organizations in nearly 500 cities across 33 nations. But, as with everything else we do, it's not just about us as an organization. It's what our people do as individuals. Take Team IB. This is a program specifically designed to support and celebrate Investment Bank employees who give their time to support worthy causes. We also promote our Matching Gift program (we match every eligible dollar you give to charity). Like our business, our sense of community is global, and we support our people's local, regional, and international volunteer activities.

Investment Banking can be a pretty intense lifestyle choice, so you might be surprised by just how many of our people contribute their time for the benefit of others. Charitable and community initiatives, conservation and renovation projects, social events for the elderly and mentoring in local schools, preparing meals for the homeless or coaching unemployed people with job applications: we help in practical ways, where it matters - and we use what we've got. Of course, part of that is money, but a bigger part is the ingenuity and enthusiasm of our people.

The JPMorgan Chase Foundation is a vital part of our philanthropic work, helping clients, shareholders, and neighbors as part of our 'Live, Learn and Thrive' initiative. 'Live' looks at helping people with their most basic needs: housing, job training, social inclusion. 'Learn' helps disadvantaged young people succeed in education, while 'Thrive' helps communities take on environmental issues, arts and cultural initiatives.

Dedication to improving life throughout the world led us to create the JPMorgan Environmental Index. This innovative product helps companies make environmentally friendly investment decisions that take factors like global warming and a company's carbon footprint into consideration. In 2006, we raised $1.5 billion of equity for the wind power market, and since its inception in 2003, our renewable energy portfolio has invested approximately $1 billion in 26 wind farms.
 
We're seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the renovation of our world headquarters in New York and London. Plus, we offer our employees discounted prices on select types of hybrid cars.

To find out more about our own research on climate change, visit jpmorgan.com/climatechange

Even if you haven't joined our firm yet, we still encourage you to get involved. That's why we have initiatives that you can take part in even as a potential future colleague. Check out the details of our Teach for America partnership, our Good Venture challenge, and vote in our groundbreaking Give-It-Away campaign. These are all ways that you can be part of our efforts to make a difference.

Doing good is good for our reputation. And it's good for the soul. That can't be denied. But it's also good because it's the right thing to do.

Learn more about how we make an impact in the following areas:

• Community partnerships
• Employee giving
• Teach For America Partnership
• Good Venture competition
• Sustainability & the Environment