ING supports disaster relief efforts in the Philippines
Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest storms ever to reach land, has brought terrible destruction to the Philippines.
Right after typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on 7 November, affecting the lives of some nine million people, ING pledged to donate EUR 50,000 to the disaster relief efforts of its global partner UNICEF in the Philippines.
Tacloban City, 10 November: children make their way through
the ruins of flattened homes.
ING also decided to immediately set up an internal fundraising campaign and donation page for ING employees worldwide to scale-up lifesaving efforts. ING will match all employee donations to the fundraising efforts of UNICEF. With the passionate commitment of ING employees worldwide, we were able to raise more than EUR 55,000 to date. Including the matching by ING and ING’s donation, the total so far is EUR 160,000. The campaign will continue during the coming weeks.
“ING and its employees recognise the hardship that people in the Philippines have encountered and we’re more than willing to help UNICEF in their disaster relief efforts. We have received amazing support from our employees worldwide,” says Léon Wijnands, global head of Sustainability at ING.
UNICEF will use the funds to distribute the most needed materials, such as water purification tablets, soap, medical kits, tarpaulins and micronutrient supplements. Children will also need safe and protected spaces to be able to play and resume studying while adults work to recover their homes and livelihoods.
Nichole Brown, UNICEF’s chief of Corporate & Foundation Partnerships: “We are very grateful to ING Bank and its employees for the financial contribution and their on-going campaign. As a long-term UNICEF partner, ING understands the importance of a prompt response and taking action. ING’s support will be critical in helping us to provide supplies to the children and families whose lives have been dramatically impacted by typhoon Haiyan".
Local ING offices also joined in to make an effort for the victims. ING Netherlands was one of the first companies to issue a call for action on its website homepage for the national (Dutch) campaign for the Philippines, and so has ING Direct Spain.
ING in Manila
The 51-strong ING team in Manila, and a further 30 employees in the recently created Global Service Organisation, and their families, are safe. Haiyan did not hit the metropolitan area with the same strength as it did in other areas.