Social Impact & Volunteering

Achieving Greater Together: Northern Trust Gives Back

Nov 28, 2022 12:15 PM ET
Group of volunteers with dogs

Employees smash previous volunteerism totals.

The desire to give back is embedded in Northern Trust’s DNA, but last month employees outpaced even their own expectations of service, smashing previous company records of volunteer hours performed, organizations assisted and meals donated.

Globally, Northern Trust employees performed more than 25,000 hours of service for a total of more than 1,200 organizations. This marked a nearly 150 percent increase in the number of employees participating, and a 50 percent increase in the number of recipient organizations.

“It’s thrilling to see our employees live out our values, particularly in a global effort that unites us in service to the communities where we live and work,” says Shana Hayes, Northern Trust’s director of Corporate Philanthropy. “It’s always been a part of Northern Trust culture, and it’s inspiring to see that sentiment and motivation continue to grow among our employees.”

The feat comes as part of a monthlong global effort known as Achieving Greater Together, during which employees are encouraged to volunteer their time to charitable organizations.

Northern Trust employees are encouraged to use their time and talent to help charitable organizations year-round, but in October the company provides a wide variety of planned events for teams to work together, while also allowing employees to do charitable work of their own choosing. Staff from Northern Trust locations around the world participated in events like painting a shelter in India, beach clean-ups in Australia, caring for shelter dogs throughout the U.S., and delivering food to the elderly in the U.K.

The company provides each employee two paid days to do this work, and further pledges donations of 50 meals to those in need for every hour employees volunteer through The Global FoodBanking Network, European Food Banks Federation and Feeding America. This year, thanks to the generosity of employees, Northern Trust has pledged more than 1.25 million meals.