Western Union Mobilizes Customers, Employees, Agents, Bus. Associates & the Western Union Foundation to Respond to EU Refugee...
September 09 2015 - 10:59AM
Business Wire
CEO Hikmet Ersek: “As a responsible global
company mobilizing and responding to this humanitarian crisis
immediately, is critical”
The Western Union Company and the Western Union Foundation
today pledged a minimum of one million dollars USD for swift and
effective support for families and communities most affected by the
refugee crisis in Europe. The company is mobilizing a multi-faceted
response leveraging its global network of employees and
Go-to-Market business leads, Western Union Retail Agents and
customers, Western Union Business Solutions clients as well as
company vendors.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150909006256/en/
The Western Union Foundation will support a range of disaster
response organizations, including Global NGO Partners and local
response organizations. Grants totaling USD$200,000 have already
been committed to be distributed among Save the Children, the Red
Cross National Societies in Europe, Mercy Corps and Caritas.
As a part of the pledge, the Western Union Company will
contribute ten US cents per transaction for all
consumer-to-consumer transactions originated within the European
Union, up to a maximum of USD$400,000. This initiative will
commence on 14 September and funds will be committed for immediate
local field actions, supplemented with Western Union employee
grassroots activities at major refugee service centers across
Europe.
A Western Union Foundation employee, Agent and vendor appeal
match program has also been activated. The Western Union Foundation
will offer a 2:1 employee match program and a 1:1 match program for
Western Union Retail Agents, Western Union Business Solutions
clients and Western Union vendors.
Western Union President and CEO Hikmet Ersek, said, “We
are watching this unfolding crisis with heavy hearts. Our company
is guided by a purpose of 'moving money for better' and this drives
every decision we make and market we enter. Living our purpose also
means giving on matters that are extremely critical to the
communities we serve.
“We are mobilizing a whole-of-company approach, engaging our
customers, our employees, business associates and our Foundation to
pledge a minimum of one million dollars USD towards supporting the
effort led by the European Union and the global community towards
this unfolding humanitarian crisis.
“Our thoughts are with the men, women and children impacted as a
result of this crisis. Supporting what matters in our communities,
whether global or local, is the responsible thing to do," he
said.
“Western Union’s core customer base is predominantly comprised
of migrants, who have moved from their home to their host country
for a variety of reasons, be they economic, financial,
family-reason or security. History has shown that, over time,
migrants make extraordinary contributions to both their host
communities, and also to their home communities in the form of
remittances sent back to family and friends."
Western Union Foundation President Patrick Gaston, said,
“It is heartening to see international and national humanity
collaborate in support of this crisis. Our giving is about helping
people who need it most, in collaboration with our NGO
relationships on the ground.
“With our immediate financial commitment, our NGO Partners are
responding with support for relief efforts, including meals,
shelter, healthcare and other necessities to the families and
children most affected in coastal and arrival areas, migratory and
transit areas, and settlement areas," he said.
Western Union Foundation– specific
actions by NGO Partners
- Save the Children to provide
emergency supplies, including water, shelter, food, blankets, and
hygiene kits at formal and informal refugee camps and to ensure
safe environments for children. Their focus will be in the coastal
arriving areas of Greece, Italy, Lebanon and Egypt; the migratory
and transit areas of Serbia; and the settlement area of
Germany.
- Red Cross National Societies in
Europe to distribute basic relief supplies, hygiene kits,
blankets, clothing, food and infant kits. The Red Cross is also
helping reconnect separated families and providing psychosocial
support to those traumatized by the journey. Their focus will be in
the coastal arriving areas of Greece and all arrival countries
including the migratory and transit areas of Serbia, Macedonia and
Hungary
- Caritas Austria and Caritas
Germany to provide emergency assistance including hygiene kits,
food, care and games for children and provision of interpreters to
help with communication. They currently have basic shelter spaces
for 5,000 refugees, including 260 unaccompanied children, and are
caring for another 11,900 with their mobile units. Their focus will
be the migratory and transit areas of Hungary and Austria and
settlement areas of Germany and Austria.
- Mercy Corps to provide food
assistance and distribute essentials like clothing, blankets,
mattresses and infant care supplies to refugee families who have
lost everything. In addition, Mercy Corps is putting plans in place
to improve humanitarian conditions along the major access routes
and entry points to Europe. Their focus will be the migratory and
transit areas of Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Serbia, Macedonia,
Hungary and Syria, and coastal and arrival areas of Greece.
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global
payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago
Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment
services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with
fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around
the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of
June 30, 2015, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded
services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000
agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000
ATMs and kiosks, and included the capability to send money to
millions of bank accounts. In 2014, The Western Union Company
completed 255 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide,
moving $85 billion of principal between consumers, and 484 million
business payments. For more information, visit
www.westernunion.com.
About The Western Union Foundation
The Western Union Foundation is dedicated to creating a better
world, where the ability to realize dreams through economic
opportunity is not just a privilege for the few but a right for
all. Through its signature program, Education for Better, and with
the support of The Western Union Company, its employees, Agents,
and business partners, The Western Union Foundation works to
realize this vision by supporting education and disaster relief
efforts as pathways toward a better future. Our combined social
ventures efforts make life better for individuals, families and
communities around the world. Since its inception, The Western
Union Foundation has paid more than $103 million in grants and
other giving. These funds have been pledged to more than 2,760
nongovernmental organizations in more than 136 countries and
territories. The Western Union Foundation, is a separate §501(c)(3)
recognized United States charity. To learn more, visit
www.westernunionfoundation.org, or Follow us on Twitter
@TheWUFoundation.
WU-GWU-F
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150909006256/en/
Western UnionAmericas and
European Union:Pia De Lima (US), +1
954-260-5732pia.delima@westernunion.comorClaire Treacy, +44
(0)7808 243 380Claire.Treacy@westernunion.comorMiddle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe
& CIS:Ingrid Sahu,
+971-52-9225021ingrid.sahu@westernunion.com
Western Union (NYSE:WU)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2024 to Oct 2024
Western Union (NYSE:WU)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2023 to Oct 2024