McCormick and our approximately 14,000 global employees embody a spirit of giving and volunteerism, which serves as the backbone of the Company’s charitable efforts to support thriving, healthy communities where we live, work and operate.
In 2021, we introduced McCormick’s new global Power of Giving umbrella brand in the U.S. to help us tell the full story about how McCormick and our employees give back to communities. We are broadening our 80% of employees participating in Charity Day goal to 80% of our employees participating in our Power of Giving program globally.
Through the Power of Giving, our corporate, regional and country-specific initiatives come together under one unified global program to inspire and engage employees to support the causes they care about through matching gifts, volunteer time off, and community service. Other programs include our Community Service Awards, Flavor for Life™ and others.
In the U.S., Charity Day remains one of McCormick’s longest-standing traditions. Every year for the last 80 years, McCormick employees have donated their time and monetary support to non-profit organizations in the communities where we live and work. Throughout our month-long campaign, 15 U.S. McCormick facilities across the country also hosted their own Charity Day events.
In 2020, McCormick donated more than $10 million across 22 countries, which reflects increased support for the pandemic. And in 2021, we donated $8.2 million to causes around the world, which is in line with our typical annual giving.
Flavor for Life™ is our signature charitable giving program that aims to teach children, families and individuals how to reduce their salt, fat and sugar intake while boosting flavor through the use of spices and herbs. The program was established to help people make healthier food choices to affect positive change in their lives.
Learn More About Flavor for Life »The Social Justice protests around the globe sparked numerous listening sessions and conversations with employees throughout McCormick. In response, we stood in support of Black employees to make a difference in the communities where we live, work and operate around the world.
In addition to signing the Ascend Compact with more than 100 other companies to address racial bias, making charitable donations and honoring the commitments we have made in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion space, McCormick donated an additional $500,000 to employee-nominated organizations in the U.S. that combat social injustice or provide critical food, healthcare or other essential services to Black communities impacted by police brutality.
The organizations selected were reviewed and approved by McCormick's Black Advisory Group and Charitable Donations Committee and included over 30 organizations like Equal Justice Initiative, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Urban League and The Thurgood Marshall College Fund.
These donations represent just one of the steps McCormick is taking to help break down the structural barriers that stand in the way of a more just and equal society. McCormick will continue to support Black communities, affirm our commitment to the Power of People and continue our promise to fighting racial inequality.
McCormick also donated $100,000 to organizations working to combat social injustice across 14 countries and territories in EMEA. We supported 19 partners in the region, including Show Racism The Red Card in the United Kingdom, Sport Dans La Ville in France, COSPE in Italy and Cohesion Collective in South Africa.
McCormick has a long legacy of supporting the communities where we live, work and source. During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, it became more important than ever to do our part to help provide for the critical needs of our communities.
As part of our global response to COVID-19, we committed $3 million to supporting food banks in the countries where we operate, as well as local restaurants and hospitality workers. We also called upon our communities and other organizations to join us in providing critical financial assistance. McCormick's support for food banks continues following an initiative in 2019 which provided 1.3 million meals for our 130th anniversary milestone.
In the US, we also teamed up with COREcares in partnership with OLD BAY and McCormick for Chefs businesses to establish the Maryland Restaurant Relief Fund, which provided grants to local restaurant operators, as well as the Hospitality Cares Pandemic Response Fund in partnership with its Zatarain's and McCormick for Chefs brands to help support hospitality workers and restaurants in New Orleans.
Within the US and internationally, McCormick made multiple product donations directly to hospitals and those providing meals to healthcare workers. And several of our U.S. and international business units provided financial and product donations to help local healthcare workers and start up organizations producing much-needed hand sanitizer.
McCormick is also committed to providing disaster relief to benefit the communities where we live, work and operate, and since 2016, we've donated nearly $4 million. In an effort to support our employees in Dallas and Austin, and all who were affected by the winter storms in Texas, we donated to the Red Cross and the North Texas Food Bank to help distribute resources across the state. We also committed to matching employee donations dollar for dollar.
In response to concern for people and wildlife being affected by the Australian bushfires in early 2020, McCormick supported regional disaster relief. McCormick Foods Australia coordinated a stock donation to the Australian Foodbank to distribute food and supplies to stricken areas. Meanwhile, McCormick contributed to the World Wildlife Fund Australia to help care for animals and restore their habitat and donated to the Australian Red Cross to support recovery programs for emergency assistance in the region. Finally, McCormick again matched employee donations to the Australian Red Cross and WFF dollar for dollar.
To benefit those impacted by the earthquake in Haiti in August 2021, McCormick donated financially to our partner, CARE, who was on the ground aiding in disaster relief efforts. Again, employee donations to CARE were matched dollar for dollar by McCormick.
See how McCormick is committed to providing disaster relief »