Air Products Launches New Community Program to Help Provide Safe and Healthy Drinking Water to China Schools

Donation of Water Purification and Dispensing Devices Benefits 17 Schools in Changzhi, Shanxi Province

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Oct 14, 2020, 14:00 ET

SHANGHAI, Oct. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD), a leading global industrial gases company serving the China market for over 33 years, has embarked on a new community program to provide safe and healthy drinking water to schools in China. A launch ceremony themed "Caring for the Younger Generation" took place yesterday at the No. 2 Primary School of Xiangyuan County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province.

Partnering with Shenzhen One Foundation, a non-profit organization in China, Air Products donated 22 sets of water purification and dispensing devices along with reusable water containers to provide purified and warm direct drinking water to more than 12,000 students at 17 schools in Xiangyuan County. The donation was made through the Air Products Foundation which works with charitable organizations around the world that share the values inherent in the company's higher purpose including enhancing the quality of life in its host communities.

"This is a very exciting program and is the first one in China supported by a grant from the Air Products Foundation," said Simon Moore, vice president, Investor Relations, Corporate Relations and Sustainability at Air Products. "We are very pleased that the Air Products Foundation, combined with our employee volunteer efforts, are able to support important community programs in China like this one. We look forward to supporting additional worthy community projects in the future."

As part of the program, the company's employee volunteers will also offer the students science courses relating to water and gases, aiming to plant the seeds of a passion for science in the hearts of the young generation.

"Children are the future masters of the society. We are excited to embark on another community effort in China in which our employees are also engaged, and that improves the life of young generation and nurtures their innovative mindset by fostering their interest in science. It reinforces Air Products' ongoing commitment as a responsible corporate citizen to grow with the country and support its sustainable development," said Air Products China president Saw Choon Seong. "Joining forces with One Foundation to bring health and warmth to the needy makes us feel proud. We will continue to identify the needs and give back to the communities as guided by our core value to create a more sustainable world."

Air Products operates its first coal gasification project worldwide in Xiangyuan County to supply syngas to Lu'An Coal-based Clean Energy Co. Ltd. for the production of high-value chemicals.

Air Products has been actively driving and participating in a variety of corporate social responsibility initiatives under its community outreach theme "Working here. Living here. Giving here." Its LIN (Liquid Nitrogen) Ambassador program, which is aimed at fostering the next generation's interest in science and innovation through fun and safe LIN experiments, has reached more than 5,000 students and teachers in about 60 local schools in China. Other initiatives include research and development, best practice and knowledge transfer, campaign sponsorships, scholarships, internships and donations by collaborating with customers, leading local universities and other parties.

Sustainability is at the core of Air Products' strategy. The company has recently announced a new Sustainability goal to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂) intensity (kg CO₂/MM BTU) by one-third by the year 2030 from a 2015 baseline. It set this new target as it closes in on successfully attaining a series of 2020 Sustainability goals. In China, the company has been supporting the government and industries on transformation and upgrade through its gases, leading-edge technologies and innovative solutions to improve energy efficiency, productivity and environmental performance.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for 80 years. Focused on serving energy, environment and emerging markets, the Company provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the global leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The Company develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world's largest industrial gas projects, including gasification projects that sustainably convert abundant natural resources into syngas for the production of high-value power, fuels and chemicals.

The Company had fiscal 2019 sales of $8.9 billion from operations in 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of about $65 billion, making it the largest American chemical company by market capitalization. More than 17,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products' higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

About Shenzhen One Foundation
Shenzhen One Foundation is an independent public fundraising foundation in China and is authorized to act as a fully independent charitable organization. One Foundation strives to provide a professional and transparent public service platform following the vision of "It starts with everyone." Its mission is to promote philanthropic culture, to provide humanitarian aids in natural disasters, and to build philanthropic platform by which everyone can join in the philanthropic causes in every possible way. One Foundation's strategy is one platform to focus on three areas, including disaster relief, children's welfare and philanthropy development.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

SOURCE Air Products