Sandvik teams up with Red Cross to save lives
Sandvik is providing financial support to the global Red Cross Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) through a new partnership with the Swedish Red Cross.
DREF provides rapid, transparent, and locally led funding to Red Cross and Red Crescent* teams responding to disasters worldwide. By enabling early and effective action, the fund helps save lives, protect livelihoods, and reduce the humanitarian impact of floods, storms, droughts and other emergencies.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is the largest humanitarian organization in the world, with a presence in 191 countries. The movement supports and coordinates international relief efforts during natural and man-made disasters, bridging the gap between development and emergency assistance.
Kinna Brundin, Global Corporate Communications Event and Partnership Manager at Sandvik, says partnering with the Red Cross reflects the responsibilities for Sandvik as a global company and aligns with the company’s commitment to community involvement on a local level.
“Sandvik has both an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute positively when incidents happen," she says. “To strengthen our ambition to be a force for good, Sandvik has chosen the Swedish Red Cross as a long-term humanitarian partner.”
The selection to partner with the Red Cross was based on criteria including global reach, local presence, transparency, governance and ability to provide rapid humanitarian support.
Even though the agreement has been signed with the Swedish Red Cross, the partnership is a global initiative that will also provide a common framework for how Sandvik responds to requests for humanitarian support around the world.
Ulrika Modéer, Secretary General, Swedish Red Cross, says that around the world, crises are becoming more frequent, more complex, and increasingly protracted.
Our partnership with Sandvik comes at a critical moment, allowing colleagues and volunteers at the frontlines to continue delivering assistance where and when it is needed most, as we recently experienced in Nepal and Venezuela.
“The partnership is particularly valuable because it allows us to move beyond transactional funding and create a shared commitment to preparedness, innovation and agile response,” Modéer adds. “This helps strengthen the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement's ability to act ahead of crises and ensure vulnerable communities are better protected before disaster impacts are felt.”
*The Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems have the same meaning and are afforded the same protection under international humanitarian law. National societies use the emblem appropriate to their respective contexts.