PRESS RELEASE

Young Social Innovators and biopharmaceutical company AbbVie have joined forces in a unique partnership designed to foster innovation exchanges between those working for the company and young people from surrounding communities.

Students from Moyne Community College, Co. Longford were welcomed to AbbVie’s plant on the Manorhamilton Road in Sligo recently to exchange ideas with employees based there on how innovative thinking is making a difference in the workplace as well as in schools and local communities.

The students are taking part in the Young Social Innovators’ Action Programme, which challenges young people across Ireland to use their creativity to bring positive change to an issue affecting them or their communities. They do this using a unique framework for social innovation designed by Young Social Innovators.

In addition to being given a tour of the AbbVie plant, students attended information sessions with AbbVie teams to witness how innovation was being used in all sectors of their business. AbbVie employees then heard of the innovative actions the students were taking to address the social issues of particular concern to them. During a workshop session led by a YSI facilitator, the biopharmaceutical company employees worked together with the Moyne College students combining creative forces to achieve even greater impact.

The Innovation Exchange sessions are designed to benefit all those participating. Young people have the opportunity to learn more about the work of the company or business and how innovation is brought to bear to improve outcomes and reach goals.  Companies who become involved have the opportunity to engage with young people locally and get to understand how social innovation is helping to bring positive change to local areas and unique skills to the young people that practice it.

Natasha Kennedy, a teacher and YSI Guide at Moyne Community School said, “The workshop was well organised and the people we met at AbbVie gave a brilliant insight into how innovation is transforming their business. The students really enjoyed working in small groups with AbbVie employees.”

AbbVie volunteer Sinead Branley said it was really uplifting to work on a project with the students. “It was a breath of fresh air to get a chance to work with these inspirational young people and hear how they had tackled the issue of some students feeling isolated in their school. They are a credit to their parents and school.”

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Young Social Innovators, Rachel Collier, commended AbbVie on the initiative and said: “We are delighted to be partnering with AbbVie in this unique way and to be facilitating meaningful exchanges that offer many benefits for both the young people and AbbVie employees. We are extremely grateful to all of those who have volunteered to share their expertise and experience with these young people and I have no doubt that they have been similarly inspired by these incredible students who are helping to reimagine our society as a more fairer and equal place.”

Russ Benes, AbbVie’s Site Director at Manorhamilton Road in Sligo, said: “As a committed corporate citizen, AbbVie collaborates with partners to contribute in our communities. For us, one of the ways we can do this is by engaging with students to encourage the exchange of ideas and knowledge. We are an innovation-focused company and we are delighted to be able to help young people utilise innovation to create a better future for themselves and their local communities.”

ENDS

About AbbVie

AbbVie is a global research-based biopharmaceutical company formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott. It employs more than 400 people at five manufacturing and commercial sites across Ireland. The company’s commercial headquarters is based in Dublin as is a separate international manufacturing and engineering services centre. AbbVie has two manufacturing plants in Sligo, employing more than 200 people, and one in Cork.

The AbbVie site at Manorhamilton Road in Sligo was established in 2002 and AbbVie recently invested €85million at this site to expand its manufacturing operations in support of the company’s pipeline in the key therapeutic areas of liver disease, oncology and women’s health. 

The company’s mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to develop and market advanced therapies that address some of the world’s most complex and serious diseases. AbbVie employs approximately 25,000 people worldwide and markets medicines in more than 170 countries.

For further information on the company and its people, portfolio and commitments, please visit www.abbvie.com.  Follow @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on the company’s Facebook or LinkedIn pages.