PHILANTHROPY
Philanthropy
Following The Greif Way, we strive to create a culture across our global operations that supports the common good. Our approach to philanthropy is a cornerstone of our Creating Thriving Communities mission, a key component of our Build to Last Strategy. This strategy aims to maintain top-tier colleague engagement while driving positive and lasting social, environmental, and economic impacts across the world. Driven by the global involvement of our colleagues and the strategic use of our financial and human resources, the Greif Foundation has continued to expand our philanthropic portfolio. Our efforts reflect our commitment to being an active member in the communities where we live and work. We encourage colleague engagement by providing various opportunities to participate in community service, volunteerism, and fundraiser events. Greif uses multiple channels to conduct our philanthropic actions:
- Grantmaking: The Greif Foundation provides grants to qualified non-profit organizations that align with the giving areas of education, health, and basic needs , supporting initiatives in Greif communities across the globe.
- Greif’s Colleague Matching Gift and Community Volunteer Match programs: These programs reflect our commitment to maintaining top-tier colleague engagement by pledging to match charitable contributions and volunteer service of Greif colleagues.
- Colleagues Helping Colleagues Fund: This program provides immediate financial assistance to colleagues facing personal hardship or an unforeseen disaster. The fund relies on support from the Greif Foundation and individual donations from colleagues.
- Colleague Engagement Days: These events give Greif colleagues the opportunity to participate in philanthropic events to support global communities while strengthening our culture and celebrating what it means to be part of Greif.
Greif maintains a Charitable Contributions Committee, comprised of colleagues from across our business who are responsible for overseeing that all contributions align with our Corporate Philanthropy Policy. In recent years, Greif has expanded the committee beyond North America to include representatives from other regions where we operate. Most recently, we added two members from the EMEA region and plan to continue growing our global representation on the committee.
Our Corporate Philanthropy Policy outlines our commitment to using financial, natural, and human resources wisely without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. To support this mission, Greif has identified educational, health, and social service organizations as priority areas for philanthropic engagement.
Colleagues Rally to Support Hurricane-Affected Communities
Colleagues across the Greif family came together in 2024 to assist communities affected by the devasting impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Greif colleagues throughout the U.S. participated in initiatives that provided essential support, including hot meals for first responders and their families, waterproof drums for storing personal effects, and food contributions to local schools to feed those in need. Additionally, we donated Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) for the storage and distribution of water, along with five-gallon gas containers to support recovery efforts.
Another Greif colleague based out of our Mt. Sterling, Kentucky facility coordinated efforts to donate drums from their facility to those impacted by the hurricanes. With early success, this initiative then spread to our facilities in Houston, Texas and Lockport, Illinois, where local teams donated drums to help provide those affected with a dry place to store their personal belongings.
The Greif Foundation: Philanthropy and Engagement in Action
Greif is committed to supporting causes that improve the quality of life in our local communities. In 2024, we supported 70 initiatives in partnership with local, national, and international organizations that focus on education, health, and social services. Greif’s efforts in the community were recognized by Columbus Business First, which named Greif a Corporate Citizenship Award winner for 2024.
Columbus Blue Jackets
In 2024 we launched a partnership with the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets in support of the Blue Jackets Foundation’s mission to advance education through literacy, promote the health and safety of children, combat pediatric cancer, and further the growth and development of hockey. The partnership introduced the Greif Blocked Shots Platform, in which Greif pledges to donate $5 to the Blue Jackets Foundation for every shot blocked by a Blue Jackets defenseman or forward at all home and away games. More than $20,000 in contributions have been donated by the Greif Foundation through the Greif Blocked Shots Platform.
Through this partnership, Greif also supports the Blue Jackets’ Power Play Challenge program. Offered to over 180 schools in the central Ohio area, this free, hockey-themed wellness curriculum is designed to combat childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles among children.
Georgia Tech Athletics
Building on our long-standing contribution to the Georgia Tech Pulp and Paper Foundation for student scholarships, in 2024, Greif initiated a new partnership with Georgia Tech Athletics, rooted in sustainability and community engagement.
During the football season, Greif will contribute to Georgia Tech’s sustainability programs for each successful Yellow Jackets field goal. Transitioning into the basketball season, the partnership continues with the “Trees for Threes” initiative. For every three-point shot made by the Georgia Tech men’s team, Greif will plant trees in the Greater Atlanta area, supporting urban greening efforts and providing colleagues with a hands-on opportunity to get involved and give back to the community.
Ohio State University
Greif expanded our partnership with the Ohio State University in 2024, introducing several new initiatives. We collaborated with the Moritz College of Law to create the Greif DC Sustainability Scholarship Program Fund. This program provides scholarships to one or more students annually for the next four years who are enrolled in the Moritz College of Law Washington DC Summer Program and are interested in career opportunities focused on sustainability.
Additionally, Greif is now a proud sponsor of Formula Buckeyes, The Ohio State University’s Formula Society of Automotive Engineers team. Students construct a Formula-style racecar from the ground up and compete on both national and international stages. This partnership showcases Greif’s commitment to fostering talent, driving innovation, and empowering the next generation of engineers.
Ronald McDonald House Charities
In 2024, Greif continued our longstanding partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The Greif Foundation funded the creation of the RMHC Greif Garden at the expanded Columbus Ronald McDonald House. The RMHC Greif Garden offers families a therapeutic and enriching experience where they can plant, grow, and harvest their own food during their stay.
Colleague Matching Gift Programs
In 2024, Greif continued to evolve our Colleague Matching Gift and Community Volunteer Match programs. Our Colleague Matching Gift program provides colleagues with an opportunity to support nonprofit organizations of their choice, with Greif matching their contributions up to $500 per year per colleague.
The Community Volunteer Match program supports colleague volunteerism by providing a volunteer grant of $10 per hour of volunteering with an approved organization, with a minimum of 1 hour required. The volunteer hour match is applied to the colleague’s annual matching gift limit of $500. Throughout the year, our matching gift program contributed over $60,000, while colleagues volunteered a total of 1,500 hours of their time.
Colleagues Helping Colleagues
The Greif Colleagues Helping Colleagues Fund was created to support colleagues enduring financial hardship following unforeseen events like natural disasters or personal challenges. The fund relies on contributions from Greif and individual donations made by colleagues. In 2024, the fund set a record for the most assistance provided, helping colleagues who were impacted by various climate events across the world, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the U.S. and mass flooding events in Brazil. In total, nearly $30,000 in grants were disbursed, offering critical support to colleagues when they needed it most.
Colleague Engagement Days
Greif Goes Pink Day
In conjunction with the American Cancer Society, Greif Goes Pink Day is one of our largest colleague engagement initiatives. Each October, on Greif Goes Pink Day, the Greif Foundation makes a donation to the American Cancer Society for every colleague who wears pink to work. Across many years of partnership, contributions from the Greif Foundation have significantly advanced health equity and cancer prevention efforts in global communities including Columbia, India and Kenya.
Pelotonia
For several years, Team Greif has participated as a global sub-peloton under the Simply Community banner. With support from across the globe, Pelotonia participation includes hundreds of Greif colleagues from different countries who have raised more than $300,000 for global cancer research.
Every dollar raised by Team Greif riders, challengers and volunteers goes directly to funding cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. Team Greif set a Pelotonia record for a first-year team, achieving the highest number of participants and the largest total funds raised.
To remove any barriers to our colleagues’ participation, we committed to helping them reach their fundraising goals by covering any shortfall and providing access to bikes. While this is a strong incentive, most colleagues have met or even exceeded their commitments on their own, demonstrating dedication and passion for the cause.
2024 Charitable Contributions Breakdown
Does your organization align with our three areas of giving?
We encourage you to review our focus areas as you consider applying for a grant. If your organization’s mission aligns with our funding priorities, we would be happy to review your request.
Contact Shannon Morgan directly at Shannon.Morgan@greif.com