Dubai: Giving back to the less fortunate by making an automatic donation from its employees’ monthly salary has been initiated by Barclays in support of the UAE’s Year of Giving, as declared by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The launch of the Payroll Giving initiative will have the money donated to Barclays’ three partner charities in support of a critical cause in the community, including Al Jalila Foundation, Unicef, and SOS Children’s Villages International.
Commenting on the launch of the initiative, Andrew Mortimer, Managing Director, Country Manager, and Chief Operating Officer for Barclays Mena, said: “In support of the UAE’s Year of Giving, we’re very proud to announce the launch of Barclays’ Payroll Giving initiative. This corporate citizenship program has the power to drive social change and make a lasting, positive impact on those who need it the very most”.
By joining the initiative, Barclays employees can donate a portion of their monthly salaries to any of the three philanthropic partners, including Al Jalila Foundation, the Dubai-based organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research. The donations will go exclusively towards supporting grants for medical research into the region’s biggest health challenges: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health.
Dr Abdul Kareem Sultan Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Al Jalila Foundation, commented: “Studies have shown that people want to work for a company with a strong social responsibility and it is believed to be one of the main factors for employee engagement and happiness. The Barclays’ Payroll Giving initiative creates the impact and instils pride among its employees. Giving initiatives such as this enable Al Jalila Foundation to make a difference to patients’ lives and we hope to encourage other corporates to follow this example.”
Unicef is another beneficiary of the Payroll Giving initiative, and will use the funds to support its work with children affected by humanitarian crises in the region. The charity works to provide young people with access to safe learning spaces, psycho-social support, and the engagement opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
The third of Barclays’ philanthropic partners is SOS Children’s Villages International, the world’s largest non-governmental organisation dedicated to the care of orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children. Barclays’ donations will fund the organisation’s support programmes, medical centres, schools, kindergartens and emergency relief efforts at SOS Children’s Villages in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.
