Trane Technologies to Donate $1 Million to Address Racial Inequities and Boost Opportunity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg

SWORDS, Ireland, November 2, 2021 /3BL Media/ - Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, is donating $1 million to a communitywide public-private partnership to address racial equity in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

The Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative was unveiled Monday, November 1, 2021, during an unprecedented gathering of local business leaders, community members and civic leaders at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU).

The initiative looks to address inequities and remove barriers to opportunity through four key workstreams:

• Bridging the digital divide and establishing a Center for Digital Equity.
• Investing in Charlotte’s six “Corridors of Opportunity” neighborhoods.
• Transforming JCSU into a top-tier, career-focused HBCU.
• Ensuring corporations commit to racial equity through advancing more Black and Brown leaders within their individual organizations.

“At Trane Technologies, we are committed to working across our communities, organization and marketplace to increase education, development and career opportunities for the Black community and other people of color,” said Dave Regnery, CEO of Trane Technologies. “We are proud to support the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative in Charlotte with a gift of $1 million as we continue our efforts to build sustainable futures and create opportunity for all.”

“The issues we face as a community are bigger, broader and more deep-seated than any one organization can address alone,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles. “We need a significant commitment and investment from the private sector to complement and build upon the work being done by the public sector, the community and grassroots organizations. The vision for this effort is to establish a public-private partnership for achieving racial equity, social justice, economic opportunity and upward mobility. The response from our corporate partners surpassed even what I could have expected, and we have set a new standard for an American city. We will celebrate today’s milestone as we continue together on this critical path to opportunity and equity for all of Charlotte.”

With our corporate citizenship strategy, Sustainable Futures, Trane Technologies is focusing on supporting under-represented learners. We’re activating our strongest resources to support those students by ensuring they have access to healthy learning environments, early exposure to sustainability concepts and support in accessing rewarding green and STEM careers.

Trane Technologies is also a founding member of the OneTen coalition, which is committed to investing in career growth and advancement for one million Black Americans over the next ten years. Trane Technologies is applying our inclusive leadership approach to ensure that we create an inclusive culture that hires and promotes Black talent for family-sustaining careers.

Forbes has recognized Trane Technologies commitment to diversity by naming the company to its list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity. The list was based on the reviews of thousands of employees who were asked to rate their organizations on criteria such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation. It also took in other factors like which companies have the most proactive diversity and inclusion initiatives as well as diversity among its board and executive ranks.

The Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative was developed by a corporate response team that was established by the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council. (CELC) following a call for a community response from Mayor Lyles following the murder of George Floyd and other events in 2020 that exposed racial inequalities. Trane Technologies executive chair and CELC chair Mike Lamach will serve as a co-chair on two oversight boards that will oversee the attainment of benchmarks and the distribution of dollars to the four key workstreams.

“Partnership between the public sector and private industry is crucial to addressing a long history of racial inequities and to creating economic opportunity for the Black community and other people of color,” said Mike Lamach, executive chair of Trane Technologies and chair of the CELC. “I’m proud to see such strong momentum and generous commitments from the City of Charlotte and so many leading corporations, organizations and community members. It’s bold action like this that makes Charlotte unique and will lead us to a more just and equitable future.”

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About Trane Technologies

Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane and Thermo King, and our environmentally responsible portfolio of products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes, and transportation. Learn more at tranetechologies.com.

About the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative

The Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative is a public-private partnership for an equitable Charlotte. The vision for the initiative is to set the standard on how public-private partnerships can create transformational change in addressing issues of racial equity, social justice, economic opportunity, and upward mobility for all through collaboration and strategically planned investments. To learn more, visit equityCLT.org.