Our charitable initiatives for Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has been felt across the world. In response, the Bank is supporting our communities across Europe by providing aid to those directly impacted by the crisis. In order to be the Bank for Europe's future, UniCredit must live up to its purpose of empowering communities to progress, and in a time of crisis, this means showing solidarity with those affected by the conflict.
In this page you will find a series of initiatives in support of Ukraine that we have set in motion. These include colleagues opening their homes to refugees; dedicated retail branch spaces being used to collect goods to send to Ukraine; and organising the transfer of Ukrainians from the borders of Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Furthermore, the UniCredit Foundation continues to collect funds to match donations to a selection of non-profit organisations, namely: the Red Cross, Save the Children and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
#HelpUkraine Hub in Milan
UniCredit has supported AVSI in the launch of the Help Ukraine Hub in Viale Monza 79 in Milan. The project combines service innovation and community involvement to help those displaced by the war in Ukraine.
The hub was set up to respond to the needs of a growing number of Ukrainian refugees arriving to the city, pooling resources to coordinate and centralise support services as well as connect the many Italians wishing to help those in need. The day to day running of the hub will be managed by AVSI together with a number of non-profit organisations, including Associazione Famiglie per l'Accoglienza, Associazione San Martino, Fondazione Franco Verga, Associazione I Bambini dell'Est, the Ukrainian NGO Emmaus and Medici in Famiglia Impresa Sociale.
UniCredit has provided the space for the hub on free loan and in addition, all UniCredit Group employees in Italy have the chance for active involvement in this initiative through volunteering.
United by a Single Ambition | UniCredit's Support for Ukraine
It is vital that we monitor the impact of the conflict on our communities and provide the most effective aid possible. United by our Purpose of empowering our communities to progress, 4,170 employees from all across our countries came together to donate their personal funds through an employee giving initiative. All donations were matched (doubled) by the UniCredit Foundation for a final total contribution of approximately €845,000 benefitting three causes that, combined, enable us to provide the greatest possible support to Ukraine: the Red Cross, Save the Children and UNHCR. To all those who have contributed, we thank you for your incredible generosity and support.
UniCredit Extends its Support for Ukraine through AVSI
AVSI is a non-profit humanitarian organisation active in 38 countries who are currently providing on-the-ground support in Ukraine; for example, by managing the transport of refugees outside the country through humanitarian corridors and supporting the first reception and integration of refugees into host communities.
In partnership with AVSI, UniCredit is identifying additional ways to support refugees after the first three months, to continue to assist those in need with their transition.
Colleagues Helping Colleagues
Our colleagues are eager to support the progress of our communities outside of the bank, as well as inside. One way they are achieving this is through our new matchmaking initiative, where employees directly affected by the war in Ukraine are matched with colleagues who can offer potential solutions to issues they are facing; for example, by providing a home for their family members who have fled the conflict.
Furthering Our Philanthropic Reach in Ukraine
UniCredit employees across the globe are coming together to provide immediate assistance to colleagues’ loved ones in Ukraine. The Group Security team has organized ground transfers from the borders of Poland, Romania and Slovakia to relocate Ukrainians from the center of the conflict. We have enabled colleagues to send money transfers to Ukraine without paying any transaction fees and, in addition, we are offering NGOs the empty spaces in our branches to use for collecting and storing goods to be sent to regions affected by the conflict. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, more than 700 colleagues have raised over €53,800 for local support initiatives. In Italy, we are offering accommodation to our colleagues’ families arriving from Ukraine. Furthermore, our P&C team has created a WhatsApp support group for colleagues of Ukrainian origin to exchange information, map humanitarian initiatives, share details about sending donations and provide instructions for shipping essential items to those in need.