PwC

At the end of February, the PwC Foundation made a $350,000 donation to Project HOPE, helping to supply protective equipment for healthcare workers in the Wuhan and Shanghai areas of China.

At the end of March, the PwC Charitable Foundation donated $2.85 million to organisations supporting communities affected by the coronavirus. $500,000 of the $2.85 million was donated to Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fund in aid of America’s food banks.  $500,000 of the $2.85 million was given to Direct Relief Funds, aiming to minimise the spread of Coronavirus. Direct Relief funds are used to attain and distribute protective equipment to frontline health workers at community health centres and clinics and increase the support for patients with chronic illnesses. The remaining $1.5 million grant was given to non-profit organisations within the US and aims to address the challenges of local communities.

L’Oréal

The French beauty firm announced that in late March they had started using their manufacturing resources to make hand sanitiser and hydroalcoholic gel. This should increase the supply of hand washing resources that can reduce the spread of the virus.

Additionally, L’Oréal intend to donate €1 million to help the vulnerable; this donation will be given to numerous partner associations who will be offered hygiene kits and hydroalcoholic gel on behalf or use of social workers, volunteers and beneficiaries. 

Tesco’s

Tesco has revealed they are donating £30 million to their charity partners, involving a £25 million donation over 12 weeks to FareShare and Trussell Trust. The charity FareShare aim to reduce food waste as well as fight hunger by distributing food that would go to waste.  The charity Trussell Trust are working to alleviate poverty and hunger by helping over 1000 food banks to provide emergency food as well as emotional and practical support. Tesco’ have also announced they are supporting the British Red Cross; all these donations aim to help local communities throughout the pandemic.

Tesco are also providing practical solutions to slow the spread of the virus by allowing selected stores to open early for the elderly, NHS staff and vulnerable people and encouraging people to keep in the government guidelines of remaining 2 metres apart. Furthermore, Tesco’s have created a video explaining the new rules in store that has been posted on their social media accounts as well as a TV advert. They have used social media, especially Twitter, to encourage customers to shop in store rather than online to allow vulnerable people faster delivery for their shop.

Restaurants

Boris Johnson announced the closure of restaurants on the 20th March but allowed restaurants to have a take-out service. After this closure, Nando’s said any leftover food will be donated to “those who need it the most across the community”. Subway closed all branches and tweeted that its franchise owners were also donating their food that would have been sold. Prior to their closure, McDonald’s served free food and drink to NHS workers and frontline health workers. The only Costa Coffee stores remaining open are in hospitals and they provide free hot drinks for NHS workers. All these companies have helped the community in different ways.

Image: [Allure]