People are at the center of all that the Red Cross does, and our employees and volunteers are our greatest asset. Embracing the rich diversity of our workforce, we champion equal opportunity for all our workers. Red Cross photo by Jason Colston.
The American Red Cross has a long history of rising to meet challenges in times of crisis and understands that how we deliver our lifesaving mission is as important as fulfilling it. The Red Cross established its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program in 2021 to focus on how we care for the communities we serve, our workforce and the planet while we carry out our mission.
The Red Cross is now proud to share our first annual ESG report where you can learn more about our ongoing efforts to focus not just on what we do — our mission — but also on how we do it. You’ll read about the work we’ve done to weave environmental, social and governance concerns into the fabric of the Red Cross and where we plan to go from here.
This report details the organization’s priorities and progress across a range of ESG topics — not only related to sustainability and the climate crisis — but also diversity, equity and inclusion, mission delivery and our commitment to our workforce and the public. Our first ESG report marks a major milestone and sets the baseline for us to measure our progress for years to come. This report is also notable as the Red Cross is one of the first humanitarian nonprofits to publish a complete ESG report, even though they are common among for-profit organizations.
Read more about the four distinct pillars of our ESG efforts: environment, mission, workplace and organizational culture, and governance.
ENVIRONMENT The Red Cross is committed to doing our part to help mitigate the climate crisis and reduce our environmental footprint by implementing a multi-year plan to cut our emissions, reduce our waste and lower our water use. This work is already underway as we invest in green energy, prioritize the purchase of supplies made from recycled and recyclable material, install water conserving equipment and switch to eco-friendly cleaning products.
MISSION The Red Cross works to deliver vital services — from providing relief and support to those in crisis to teaching lifesaving skills — so our communities are better prepared when the need arises. This year, we are giving extra focus to our efforts to prioritize the needs of those communities that are most vulnerable and to ensure our services are equitable and culturally appropriate.
WORKPLACE & ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE People are at the center of all that the Red Cross does, and our employees and volunteers are our greatest asset. Embracing the rich diversity of our workforce, we champion equal opportunity for all our workers. We defend their rights to a workplace that is safe and free from harassment, intimidation and discrimination. We value the contributions of our team members, investing to ensure that our compensation and benefits are competitive, fair and consistent with our humanitarian goals.
GOVERNANCE The Red Cross strives to be a model of good governance, oversight and transparency. Our Board of Governors and management team have put into place policies, practices and processes to ensure that our organization is in alignment with nonprofit governance best practices and corporate governance standards, where possible. Our attention to governance, oversight, risk management, compliance and ethics, data privacy and security and regulatory compliance are some of the key disciplines that help to ensure that we are fulfilling our responsibilities as a member of the international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement and as excellent stewards of the resources entrusted to us by the American people in support of our mission.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
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