Supporting Refugees and Rebuilding Lives
Supporting Refugees and Rebuilding Lives
BNY Mellon Enterprise ESG Report 2021
The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the collapse of Afghanistan in 2021 precipitated crises of extraordinary proportions. Heart-wrenching scenes from bombed-out cities and train stations across Ukraine and the chaotic airport in Kabul show people fleeing for their lives and societies turned upside down.
The futures of these countries – long complicated by an array of historical and geopolitical factors – are in question. Despite the uncertainty of the moment, two things are clear. These crises are taking a devastating toll on the people of these nations, with reverberations shaking bordering nations as well as the global economy. Second, as a purpose-driven corporate citizen motivated by its Courage to Lead, BNY Mellon has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to human rights, bringing our world-wide resources to bear on communities in distress.
In mid-2021, as the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan and the government collapsed, BNY Mellon mobilized support for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of Afghan allies. Our multi-pronged response included providing a $100,000 grant to the to the American Red Cross working in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for humanitarian aid and to Human Rights First for refugee protection and resettlement assistance. We also encouraged employee donations to organizations serving military veterans and journalists, as well as providing legal and corporate pro bono services to Afghan refugees seeking asylum and to refugee-serving organizations.
Likewise, BNY Mellon is dedicated to helping those affected by the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine. Within weeks of the Russian invasion, we pledged $1 million for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine in addition to mobilizing employee volunteers in Poland and launching a giving campaign to double-match employees' contributions to select humanitarian organizations responding to the crisis in the region. To date, BNY Mellon has provided over $1.9M USD in support of organizations and individuals providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection to Ukrainians and to the safe resettlement of refugees fleeing the conflict.
The company also supports the wellbeing of our employees in the region who have been impacted, offering financial assistance, additional time off, legal assistance, Polish lessons and mental health resources. In addition, we are offering pipeline roles for entry-level and experienced professionals in our Poland and Ireland locations to support the hiring of Ukrainian refugees.
Our support for the people and nation of Ukraine extends across our enterprise. BNY Mellon has ceased new banking business in Russia and suspended investment management purchases of Russian securities. We will continue to work with multinational clients that depend on our custody and record-keeping services to manage their exposures.
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