Coronavirus: Brand Moves 7 - April 14 2020 - Interbrand
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April 14 2020
Coronavirus: Brand Moves 7
The latest of our regular round-ups of brands’ responses to the global
COVID-19 pandemic – we hope this is inspiring, informative and useful
Retail & Fashion
Craft, arts and vintage marketplace Etsy has sent a push notification to every craftsperson on its website in
the U.S.: “Calling all sellers,” it said. “Start making face masks.” The website is becoming a go-to destination
for homemade cloth masks. Etsy says there was an average of one mask-related search on the site every two
seconds in March. Last week, more than 10,000 sellers sold at least one mask apiece. Unlike the medical-
grade equipment now in woefully short supply at U.S. hospitals, cloth masks can be quickly constructed
by anyone with a sewing machine and some elastic. That means the skillsets of legions of Etsy crafters
are suddenly in very high demand. “We believe that the Etsy community is uniquely positioned to address
this crucial need during a global health crisis,” the company’s CEO, Josh Silverman, wrote. “We hope that
increasing the availability of fabric, non-medical grade face masks from Etsy sellers will allow more medical
and surgical masks to reach the people who need them most: front-line healthcare workers. This is an
unprecedented moment in time that will undoubtedly shape who we are as a society. It’s a moment for the
Etsy community to band together, to do something important – something that serves a public good and will
benefit the world as a whole.”
Beverage giant Coca-Cola has turned over its social media channels – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram –
to outside organizations including the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club, Feeding America and the
Salvation Army. The channels “have large audiences and we felt the Coca-Cola brand could use its reach to
help and support communities and organizations,” a spokeswoman said.
Nike and its leaders have now committed more than $17 million to COVID-19 response efforts. The latest
donation is a $1.6 million gift to help local organizations meet immediate needs, such as food assistance
and medical care.The donations, in the form of grants, will support organizations that serve in the health,
social service and humanitarian sectors, along with giving to food banks and COVID-19 response funds.
In January the Oregon-based company gifted $1.4 million to the China Youth Development foundation to
help provide frontline workers with supplies and equipment to treat patients. Then, on March 18, Phil Knight,
Nike co-founder and chairman emeritus, along with his wife Penny; Mark Parker, Nike executive chairman,
with his wife Kathy; and John Donahoe, new Nike president and CEO, along with his wife Eileen, announced
personal donations totaling $10 million. Those donations included $7 million to Oregon Health & Science
University, located in Portland near Nike headquarters, $2 million to the Oregon Community Recovery Fund
established by the Oregon Community Foundation and $1 million to the Oregon Food Bank. Concurrently,
the Nike Foundation announced more than $4 million to funds supporting communities in Portland, Boston
and Memphis, as well as a fund established by the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy
Foundation and another fund supporting community partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Meanwhile, Nike’s innovation, manufacturing and product teams, together with health professionals at
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), are to design and build Personal Protective Equipment in the
form of full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to protect against the coronavirus.
Nike’s version of the full-face shield transforms elements of the brand’s footwear and apparel into much-
needed PPE. Collar padding once destined for shoes is repurposed; cords originally earmarked for apparel
reconsidered; and, most important, the TPU component of a Nike signature—the Nike Air soles—reimagined.
“Without proper facial protection, healthcare workers are at a higher risk of contracting the virus, which
could place substantial strain on the healthcare workforce in the months ahead,” says Miko Enomoto, M.D.,
associate professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, OHSU School of Medicine. “The full-face
shields help protect healthcare workers’ faces and also help to prolong the length we can safely use a surgical
or N95 mask. Nike’s generous response to the COVID-19 crisis helps to instill an added layer of confidence
and support for healthcare workers, that we can safely carry out the jobs we were born to do.”
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Brand Moves 7
Tea brand PG Tips has partnered with Re-engage, a UK charity tackling social isolation and loneliness, to
train 2,000 volunteers to facilitate 100,000 volunteer calls in 2020 to support the oldest in Britain during the
lockdown. Before the pandemic, Re-engage (formerly Contact the Elderly) held regular social activities, such
as monthly tea parties, supporting nearly 8,500 older guests through a network of nearly 14,000 volunteers.
PG tips is helping to fund new “call companion” volunteer opportunities for a telephone befriending service
which will provide a support network for older people who may otherwise have no one to turn to.
Shoe brand TOMS, a long-time advocate of charitable donations through a variety of organizations, has
announced that they will be donating one-third of net profits to a COVID-19 Global Giving Fund. For every
$3 TOMS makes, they will donate $1 to the fund, which currently supports giving partners the brand has
worked with for many years. “TOMS has always been in business to improve lives. That mission is important
to us and our community every day. Now, more than ever, we are honored to apply what we have learned over
the past 14 years of giving to address this global health crisis,” said Amy Smith, TOMS Chief Giving Officer.
Global retail clothing chain Primark has announced it will create a fund to help pay the wages of the millions
of garment workers affected by its decision to cancel tens of millions of pounds worth of clothing orders
from factories in developing countries across the world. Collectively brands including Primark, Matalan
and Edinburgh Woollen Company have cancelled £1.4bn and suspended an additional £1bn of orders in
Bangladesh alone as they scramble to minimise losses in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic. The move has
already seen more than a million Bangladeshi garment workers lose their jobs or be sent home without pay.
Primark has announced that it will create a fund to help pay the wages of workers linked to orders that were
due for shipment in the month after they were cancelled in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Retailer Lowe’s – one of the few businesses that hasn’t had to close its doors or furlough employees – is
urging its customers to give thanks to health care workers in a new campaign. After committing $170 million
to coronavirus relief, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based retailer has a new commercial airing on broadcast
networks this week that showcases do-it-yourself thank you signs that customers have made. “Join us and
DIY a thank you message of your own,” runs the campaign’s tagline.
Heinz has announced the launch of new delivery service ‘Heinz to Home’ in the UK. Its first-ever online
shop will initially sell canned goods before expanding to sauces as well as the imminent launch of a bundle
filled with baby products. Heinz has also partnered with Blue Light Card, a discount service for those in the
National Health Service, Emergency Services, Social Care Workers and the Armed Forces. Jojo de Noronha,
President of Kraft Heinz Northern Europe, said in a statement: “The shop is a first for us, and it comes in
response to stories we’ve all heard in the last few weeks about people struggling to access food and basic
necessities. While we continue to work day and night to get our most loved Heinz varieties on the shelf, we
hope this new initiative will help those who cannot otherwise access our products.”
High-end UK department store chain the John Lewis Partnership is designing and installing a wellbeing area
for medical staff and volunteers at the NHS Nightingale Hospital at Excel London. It will be the only area
of the facility designed to give all staff a space to relax and take time out from the challenging environment
of treating patients with Covid-19. Alongside this, JLP has partnered with the British Medical Association
to distribute care packages for front-line workers to the busiest hospitals across the UK. They will include a
selection of non-clinical essentials, including toiletries, snacks, tea, coffee and socks, along with a wellbeing
leaflet with information on a counselling service and guidance from the BMA.
Fashion Nova Cares with Cardi B is a new initiative that aims to help people in need. The music artist and
fashion brand are giving away $1,000 every hour until May 20, for a total of $1 million. They are hoping to
provide immediate relief and offset some people’s financial burdens related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“People are struggling to pay rent, buy food, medicine and other essentials for themselves and their families,”
Fashion Nova founder and CEO Richard Saghian said in a press release. Fashion Nova is a large online
fashion brand that sells women’s clothes as well as men’s and kid’s styles. Fashion Nova Cares is the brand’s
program focused on “charitable giving and advocacy.” This giveaway featuring Cardi B is the program’s latest
charitable effort.
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Confectionery firm Mondelez International has repurposed its 3D-printing technology – normally used to
create chocolate sculptures – to produce medical visors that can be used by front-line NHS staff to keep them
safe while they treat patients with Covid-19. The Cadbury owner is helping to produce the hard plastic bands
connecting the top and bottom of the visors at its Bournville factory. Working with engineering company
3P Innovation, which last week launched an initiative to bring together any companies able to produce and
distribute visors, it is aiming to deliver 10,000 visors each week.
Travel & Hospitality
Coffee chain Starbucks is extending catastrophe pay to employees until May 3, and has announced that
its lobbies will remain closed until then. And the company is also making a donation of over $3 million to a
variety of charities and nonprofits involved in fighting the effects of the pandemic. The temporary benefits for
employees were originally expected to expire on April 19. Starbucks employees who are sick, self-isolating,
or taking care of loved ones are eligible for 14 days of catastrophe pay through May 3. And employees who
choose to work will receive Service Pay (an additional $3 per hour). Meanwhile, The Starbucks Foundation
is offering $3 million to support relief efforts, including a $1 million donation to the World Health Organization’s
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and $1 million to Give2Asia to support the region’s front-line medical
workers. Previously, Starbucks has given donations to the Chinese Red Cross. The Foundation has also
donated to various organizations in the U.S., including $250,000 to the COVID-19 Response Fund. Starbucks
has also pledged $250,000 to organizations that offer shelters and resources to the homeless. As New York
City has been one of the most affected regions, Starbucks is donating $250,000 to Robin Hood’s COVID
Response Fund, $50,000 to United Way of New York City, $25,000 to the New York City Police Foundation,
and $25,000 to the Food Bank for New York City. Starbucks is also supporting the United Way’s coronavirus-
related efforts in the U.S. and Canada along with donating funds to hospital funds in Canada.
Hotel chain Marriott, with support from its credit card partners American Express and JPMorgan Chase,
has committed to provide $10 million worth of hotel stays for healthcare professionals leading the fight
against COVID-19 in the United States. The initiative, called Rooms for Responders, will provide free rooms
in some of the areas most impacted including New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Las Vegas, Washington, D.C. and Newark, N.J. To implement this initiative, the hotel chain has collaborated
with the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Nurses Association to match
doctors and nurses with free accommodations at participating hotels.
Rum brand Bacardi is putting £1.5m into #RaiseYourSpirits, an initiative to help bars and bartenders in
the UK and Ireland weather the coronavirus crisis. A key plank of the plan is the launch of a virtual bar with
Deliveroo Editions, allowing bars to keep serving customers by delivering cocktails to their homes. It will
initially include 120 bars in London and Manchester. The scheme is focused on independent bars that do not
have the benefit of corporate support. As well as working with Deliveroo, Bacardi is supporting businesses
and staff by hiring bartenders to host training events or serve cocktails, and paying their fee in advance; it is
also prepaying for events held in bars.
Airline Delta is providing more than 200,000 pounds of food to hospitals, community food banks and other
organizations around the world. Both perishable and non-perishable goods are being donated after Delta
adjusted service offerings on board and in Delta Sky Clubs to reduce touchpoints between customers and
employees. As a result, Delta has been left with food that would have expired before it could be served to
customers, so employee teams have been engaging organizations that can immediately use the food. Delta
has longstanding relationships with organizations like Feeding America, a nonprofit network that supports
numerous food banks. During the pandemic, local Feeding America organizations are distributing the
donations to those in need. In addition, Delta is working to help long-term food service partners including
Linton Hopkins, Newrest and Sodexo with resources to serve their communities. In April, the airline started
providing free flights to medical professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis and began utilizing
Delta’s wholly owned aircraft interiors subsidiary, Delta Flight Products, to manufacture face shields to
protect hospital workers.
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Whitbread, the UK-based operators of the Premier Inn hotel chain and restaurant chains that include
Beefeater and Brewers Fayre, are placing employees on a temporary furlough while its sites remain closed,
but will also be keeping the same employees on full pay, covering the 20% of wages not covered by the UK
government’s furlough scheme. The leading hospitality business has to date donated over 27 tonnes of food
to charity, the majority of which will be to food redistribution charity FareShare as part of its new partnership
with the organisation. The food, which has been diverted as a result of the closure of its restaurants and is
enough to provide 64,387 meals, most of which will be redistributed through FareShare’s nationwide network
of thousands of frontline charities.
Sports & Media
PopSugar, the most engaged-with women’s lifestyle site in the U.S., has created a new advertising program
to support women-led small businesses, which have been greatly impacted during this uncertain time. The
site will donate 50 million advertising impressions across its owned and operated channels to women-led
businesses as well as design resources to help businesses create new ads. The donated media placements
will include a rotation of standard banner ad sizes across the PopSugar network, banner placements in
newsletters, and inclusion in editorial and custom posts where relevant. “We are committed to helping women
live their best lives and follow their dreams so we want to help however we can,” said founder and President
Lisa Sugar. “Our hope is that this new project brings awareness to smaller businesses who might not be in a
position to proactively advertise their services.”
Former McLaren F1 head Ron Dennis has launched a major initiative to serve 1m free meals to frontline NHS
workers. The multimillionaire motor racing mogul has pledged more than £1m to provide meals for medical
staff across the UK as they battle the coronavirus pandemic. The food will be delivered to intensive care staff,
anaesthetic teams and A&E workers who are unable to leave their clinical areas during their 12-hour shifts —
a policy adopted by all Covid-19 designated hospitals. The project, dubbed Salute The NHS, allows medical
staff to stay close to wards at all times without having to change out of protective clothing. Food deliveries,
which will be carried out by courier firm Yodel, will begin at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The service
will then be extended to London’s Great Ormond Street children’s hospital and other locations across the
country. The meals will be made using ingredients supplied by Tesco and prepared by Absolute Taste. “This
is a time when all of us, individuals and businesses alike, need to stand up and be counted in the effort to
combat Covid-19. We’re all in this together,” Dennis said.
Bucking the current media industry downturn, newspaper and magazine publisher Hearst Corporation has
told its newsrooms there will be no layoffs, no furloughs and no pay cuts during the course of coronavirus
coverage. Hearst CEO Steven Swartz told publishers and editors that the company is giving a 1% bonus to
all employees, will create an added bonus merit pool later and is waiving the budget targets that determine
executive bonuses. In addition, the company is taking out six-figure TV ad buys in some markets to promote
the papers and their pandemic coverage.
NHL team Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation have
announced a $1m donation to the Nevada COVID-19 Task Force. The funds are expected to go towards
supplies such as personal protective equipment that will include surgical masks, N95-equivalent CDC-
approved respirator masks, medical gloves, and medical gowns, according to representatives. Their
neighbors, NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, have also pledged a matching sum said they are “proud to stand
alongside community leaders that are doing everything that they can during this time of need” while pledging
$1 million to help combat the current COVID-19 pandemic.
London Irish Rugby Club and sponsor waste management and recycling company Powerday have teamed
up to deliver thousands of meals and vital equipment to hospitals across London. To make sure those
working on the frontline are cared for, the #PoweringTheNHS campaign, will initially see Powerday and
London Irish make and deliver more than 100,000 meals for NHS staff. The meals will be created at London
Irish’s Hazelwood training ground in Sunbury, West London. Chefs from the Hazelwood kitchen team have
kindly volunteered to cook nourishing meals, that they would usually prepare for the playing squad, which
will then be transported to hospitals by Powerday and London Irish staff. Edward Crossan, Vice Chairman of
Powerday, commented: “Those working on the frontline during this epidemic are true heroes. The number of
lives they will save over the coming weeks will be in the thousands and we will all know someone affected by
this disease. It goes without saying that we owe them a great debt of gratitude. It is the least we can do, and
we will be utilising our staff and company vehicles to reach as many hospitals as possible.”
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A host of entertainers have donated to the MGM Resorts International Employee Emergency Grant
Fund in order to counteract the economic impact of the pandemic on the company’s workforce. Among the
entertainers who have made donations are David Copperfield, Jay Leno, Bill Maher, Kathleen Madigan,
David Spade and Boyz II Men. When its properties shuttered in mid-March in response to the COVID-19
pandemic, MGM Resorts said that it planned to pay those full-time employees who were being furloughed
or laid off or for two weeks from their last date of work and maintain all health plans through June 30, 2020.
Now, Nevada has extended the mandatory closure of all non-essential businesses through April 30. “We
are incredibly humbled by the support of our entertainment partners, who have come together to assist
the people who, during normal times, are committed to creating incredible experiences for our guests from
around the world,” said Bill Hornbuckle, MGM Resorts’ Acting CEO and President. MGM Resorts International
had already announced its own pledge of $1 million to the fund, designed to provide short-term financial
assistance for MGM employees and their immediate families during emergencies and unexpected hardships.
George and Amal Clooney have joined the celebrities giving to coronavirus relief efforts, with the actor and
human rights lawyer donating more than $1 million to six organizations – $750,000 total ($250,000 each) to
the Motion Picture and Television Home, the SAG-AFTRA Fund, and Los Angeles Mayor’s Fund. They
gave an additional $300,000 to three international charities: the Lebanese Food Bank, Lombardo Italy
Region, and the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). Amal is both British and Lebanese, so the couple’s
donations to the Lebanese Food Bank and the NHS are personal. The Clooneys have a house in Lombardo,
Italy; their donation to the Lombardo Italy Region will help local hospitals there. The couple is also helping
actors and entertainment industry workers in the U.S.: The Motion Picture and Television Home and SAG-
AFTRA Fund are helping provide financial aid to those affected by the entertainment industry’s widespread
shutdown because of the pandemic.
More business chiefs and entertainment industry figures have stepped up to offer sizeable sums in donations
to various charities and aid organizations. Among the latest crop are singer Elton John, who has launched
a $1 million coronavirus fund to protect people with HIV; Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, and
his wife Susan, who are donating $100 million through their charitable foundation to combat the effects of
Covid-19; Denise Coates, founder and joint chief executive of online gambling company Bet365, who has
donated £10 million (US$12.4 million) to an NHS trust to support staff fighting coronavirus; Sara Blakely,
founder and CEO of Spanx Inc., who is donating $5 million to female entrepreneurs who need assistance
amid the Covid-19 crisis. The donation will provide 1,000 female small business owners with $5,000 each;
Patrice Motsepem, South African billionaire, founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals who will
donate $57 million to help the pandemic. The money will be channelled through the government to build
water, health and education facilities; media mogul Oprah Winfrey who has pledged $10 million to help
Americans affected by COVID-19 across the country and in places she grew up. Part of the donation – $1
million – will go to a new initiative called America’s Food Fund, which will help feed local communities.
Sergio Armatti, CEO of UBS, is donating $1 million through a family foundation. It will go to people in need of
emergency funds in the Canton of Ticino, the southernmost region of Switzerland and the worst-affected by
the crisis in that country; and Li Ka Shing, chairman of the Li Ka Shing Foundation, has donated $13 million
to help frontline medical workers in Wuhan, China.
English Premier League soccer players have launched a collective initiative to help generate funds for the
National Health Service. The initiative – named #PlayersTogether – has been set up to help those fighting for
us on the NHS frontline amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement posted by more than 150 top-flight
players on social media, they said they were “collaborating together to create a voluntary initiative, separate
to any other league and club conversation”. The intention, they said, was to “try and help, along with so many
others in the country, to make a real difference.”
NFL team the Chicago Bears and Bears Care, the team’s charitable arm, have announced a $1,920,000
commitment to COVID-19 relief efforts throughout Illinois. $250,000 has been donated to the Chicago
Community COVID-19 Response Fund and $250,000 will be donated each to the Advocate Charitable
Foundation’s Relief Fund for Critical Care, Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund and the University of
Chicago’s Community Support Programs. “During this unprecedented crisis, we all need to join forces
and do what we can to overcome this challenge together,” said Bears President and CEO Ted Phillips. “At
the Bears, we have committed $1,920,000 to local COVID-19 relief efforts and are encouraging fans to
lend a helping hand in whatever ways possible. We will be forever grateful to the healthcare providers, first
responders, grocers, sanitation workers, janitors and everyone keeping our communities healthy and safe
during this time.”
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Members of the Irish rock band U2 have donated €10 million (about US$10.9 million) to Covid-19 relief efforts
in Ireland. The fund is part of a pool with other private and public businesses to source and purchase personal
protective equipment (PPE) for hospitals in Ireland. The initiative was conceived about 10 days ago, and the
first consignment of PPE purchased in China arrived in Dublin earlier this week.
Financial Services
Bank Wells Fargo will donate $175 million to help communities deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The
contributions will focus on housing stability, small business and financial health. “The coronavirus is disrupting
the daily lives of many people around the world, and Wells Fargo has taken — and will continue to take — the
steps needed to support our customers, employees and communities during this difficult time,” CEO Charlie
Scharf said in a statement. Donations will be made through an expedited grant process, the bank said. While
most have yet to be made, the bank announced that it would give a $1 million grant to Feeding America.
In Ireland, automaker Renault and insurance company AXA are providing frontline healthcare workers who
have returned from overseas to fight the pandemic free cars and insurance for two months. The program,
called “Covid Car Cover,” is aimed at doctors and nurses who have returned to Ireland in the last month
to assist with the pandemic. “It shows real courage to come home from overseas to help us fight the battle
and we really appreciate what these returning doctors and nurses are doing,” said Paddy Magee, country
operations director at Renault Group Ireland. “We want to help these men and women get organized with
practical things like cars and insurance as they prepare to return to hospitals around the country and this is
the most practical way in which we can help,” added Antoinette McDonald, a Director at AXA Ireland.
The Bitcoin community has come together to support the Italian Red Cross, raising nearly $32,000 through
cryptocurrency donations in less than one month, which has been used to finance the construction of the
initiative’s first advanced medical post in the town of Castel Gandolfo near Rome. The funds were spent by
the initiative to purchase a pneumatic tent for Italy’s “blood donation day” and used as a screening station
for pre-donation medical examinations. “With great pleasure, we reached the first main milestone of our
fundraising,” said Bruno Pietrosanti, President of the Italian Red Cross. “We are happy to have turned the
received donations into a tangible aid and we are excited to have received so much help from the Bitcoin
community,” he added.
US auto insurance giants Liberty Mutual, Allstate and American Family Insurance have announced they
are returning premiums to customers during the novel coronavirus pandemic, saying people are driving
less and they are experiencing fewer claims. Liberty Mutual has announced that it will return $250 million
to clients, Allstate pledged to return $600 million, and American Family Insurance said it would return $200
million. Liberty Mutual’s Personal Auto Customer Relief Refund will return approximately $250 million to
customers; personal auto insurance customers will receive a 15% refund on two months of their auto
premium. Allstate said most customers will receive 15% of their monthly premium in April and May through
a credit to their bank account, credit card or in their Allstate account. “Given an unprecedented decline in
driving,” said Tom Wilson, president and CEO of Allstate, “customers will receive a Shelter-in-Place Payback
of more than $600 million over the next two months. This is fair because less driving means fewer accidents.”
American Family Insurance said they will give customers a one-time payment of $50 per vehicle that is
covered by an American Family personal auto policy, and expects to print and distribute 2.3 million checks
within the next two months. “American Family Insurance is doing this out of responsibility to our customers.
They are driving less and experiencing fewer claims. Because of these results, they deserve premium relief,”
Telisa Yancy, the company’s chief operating officer, said.
Barclays bank plans to donate £100m ($123m) to charities addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and its
fallout. The bank said on Tuesday it would donate £50m to charities working with vulnerable people affected
by COVID-19 or helping to alleviate the social and economic impact of the crisis. A further £50m has been
earmarked to allow the bank to match charity donations made by its employees. Meanwhile, more of Britain’s
biggest banks have announced that their chief executives will be taking pay cuts. CEOs at HSBC, Lloyds and
Natwest owner Royal Bank of Scotland will no longer get bonuses for 2020, while a number of executives
are donating a portion of their pay to charities. Barclays head Jes Staley, for instance, has pledged to donate
a third of his salary. RBS boss Alison Rose has agreed to donate 25 per cent of her salary, as has RBS
chairman Sir Howard Davies, HSBC chief executive Noel Quinn and finance chief Ewen Stevenson. HSBC
chairman Mark Tucker is donating all of his 20202 salary to charity.
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Healthcare, Pharma & Wellness
The American Heart Association has established a $2.5 million rapid research fund to fast-track scientific
research to better understand COVID-19 and its interaction with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular
diseases. The association intends to fund a national coordinating center and at least 10 COVID-19 and its
Cardiovascular Impact Rapid Response Grants of $100,000 each. Additional supplemental funding grants
are also being offered to the Association’s new Health Technologies & Innovation Strategically Focused
Research Network centers to create new technology-based solutions for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.K. pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca are in talks to set up a lab to explore new
ways of testing for the coronavirus to help overcome shortages of diagnostic materials. The drugmakers
will evaluate the use of different raw materials needed to carry out the tests and use their knowhow and
resources to help other companies or the U.K.’s National Health Service increase production. U.K. Health
Secretary Matt Hancock has pledged to increase coronavirus testing to 100,000 a day by the end of April,
but shortages of chemicals known as reagents, and the swabs used in tests, have been blamed for delays.
“Our pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca and GSK, which have no great history in diagnostics, are now
working with our world-leading, but small, diagnostics companies to build a British diagnostics industry at
scale,” Hancock said. A spokesman for AstraZeneca said in a statement Friday that the company had spoken
with the government about helping and using its “in-house scientific capabilities to increase the effectiveness
of the national testing effort.”. GSK has responded to requests to support U.K. efforts to expand testing for
Covid-19, including providing lab equipment and scientific advice, the company said in a statement. While
testing isn’t a core activity, it is in discussions about ways to help in the national effort, it said.
Pharmaceutical company Roche is speeding up in testing of its drug Actemra for potential treatment of
coronavirus patients. With $25 million in backing from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and
Development Authority (BARDA), the Swiss drugmaker will speed up Actemra’s phase 3 trial in COVID-19
patients. The BARDA grant is part of an expanded partnership Roche’s Genentech has signed with
the agency to accelerate clinical trials of Actemra, which it is hoped could help fend off the severe lung
inflammation that hits some patients. The drug won a speedy FDA go-ahead last month to be evaluated on
top of standard of care to treat patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
While YMCAs throughout the U.S. have had to temporarily close their doors to help stop the spread of
COVID-19, the YMCA of the USA has launched an offering that helps them remain connected to Y members
– free online platform YMCA360, which offers exercise classes to Y members and non-members. More than
a dozen classes, taught by Y instructors, are already available, including boot camp, barre, yoga and low-
impact programs for seniors. Additional classes will be released through April and will expand to include art
classes and activities for youth and families. Kevin Washington, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA, said
that COVID-19 has presented the country with unprecedented challenges, and YMCA 360 is one way the Y is
responding to help people of all ages stay active and engaged. Meanwhile, many branches have been helping
their communities – with the help of volunteers and Y staff from hundreds of Ys in the US, according to the
latest figures, 504 YMCAs were providing food for children affected by school closures, 672 YMCAs were
providing emergency childcare, 27 YMCAs were providing wellness checks for seniors and other vulnerable
members, 5 YMCAs were providing emergency housing for those in need, 6 YMCAs were providing virtual
youth programming and 46 YMCAs have committed to being a blood drive site.
Technology
Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s chief executive, has pledged to donate $1bn (£800m) to fund coronavirus research
to help “disarm this pandemic”. Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006 and went on to co-found payments
company Square, tweeted on Tuesday that he was donating $1bn of Square shares to a charitable fund,
called Start Small, to “fund global Covid-19 relief”. Dorsey, 43, said the donation was equivalent to about
“28% of my wealth”. Dorsey has a fortune of about $3.9bn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
It is by far the biggest single donation to the global fight to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
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Samsung Electronics has donated $29 million worth of funds and goods to government and communities
that have been most affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The South Korean technology company has
supplied face masks and provided smartphones to patients in quarantine as well as air purifiers for hospitals.
It has also given tablets to educational institutions for children affected by school closures. In its home
country, the company has provided its employee education centre to medical authorities for the purpose
of being used as a patient care centre. It has also provided its engineers for local face mask makers to
improve their factory layouts and production processes to boost efficiency. One such company that received
engineering support doubled its daily production output, Samsung said. Samsung has also donated some
330,000 face masks to the city of Daegu, the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea. Samsung
is also donating $4.3 million in COVID-19 relief to local partners in neighborhoods where a majority of its
U.S. employees live and work. These donations build upon the company’s global efforts to date, which now
surpass $33 million. The firm will donate $300,000 through Solve for Tomorrow partner, DonorsChoose, to
benefit Keep Kids Learning which provides assistance for widespread closures in school districts around the
country. To support local needs in the states with the largest workforces – California, New Jersey, and Texas –
they will donate $1 million to local charities in each of the four locations.
Nasdaq, Inc, the technology business market, is committing cash and in-kind donations totaling $6 million
to COVID-19 response and relief efforts. “The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that for all our perceived
differences, what matters most is universal: taking care of the people in our communities who make our lives
meaningful,” said Adena Friedman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq. “This means supporting
government authorities and global health organizations in their response efforts, increasing our philanthropic
support to organizations focused on supporting small businesses, and providing funds to groups working
tirelessly on the front lines of this pandemic to keep our communities safe.” A cash donation totalling $5
million will go to the Opportunity Fund’s Small Business Relief Fund to support small business owners;
the World Central Kitchen’s #ChefsForAmerica relief efforts to provide meals to students, seniors, and
vulnerable communities in need; and the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response
Fund to help patients and frontline health workers get the care and essential supplies they need, while
also accelerating efforts to develop COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. Nasdaq has also donated
12,000 face masks this month to the Greater New York Hospital Association, and will amplify its monetary
contributions by double matching all employee donations to global COVID-19 relief and response efforts
through the Nasdaq GoodWorks program. In addition, an estimated $1 million of advertising time on the
Nasdaq MarketSite Tower in Times Square has been reserved for Public Service messages. Nasdaq is also
offering a number of products and services to clients at no cost.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is responding to COVID-19 with initiatives to stabilize communities, support
for customers tackling the challenges of this pandemic, and technology to help organizations adapt to
this unpreceded situation. The firm launched two initiatives last week through networking business HPE
Aruba. Recognizing that hospitals and first responders are faced with the need for additional networking
infrastructure to augment capacity, they are donating $50 million worth of secure connectivity kits to provision
pop-up clinics, testing sites and temporary hospital facilities in the United States, Canada and select
countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific. In addition, to help healthcare organizations get set up quickly and scale
their connectivity, HPE Aruba has created the Airheads Volunteer Corps, a registry of volunteer network
engineers ready to assist in the build out of network infrastructures for medical facilities on the front lines of
dealing with this pandemic. Almost 200 engineers spanning more than 20 countries signed up in the first 48
hours after the initiative launched. HPE also joined the U.S. Department of Energy and other industry and
academic organizations to provide supercomputing software and applications expertise free of charge to help
researchers port, run, and optimize essential applications to combat this pandemic as part of the COVID-19
High Performance Computing consortium. Other initiatives include a dollar-for-dollar matching campaign
that provides HPE team members with the opportunity to contribute to relevant aid organizations.
Social sharing tool Snapchat’s latest AR filter lets users donate directly to the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. With the Snapchat camera, users can scan 23 international
currencies in 33 countries. The AR filter will show how donations to the WHO are used for patient care,
medical supplies and research. Snapchatters can then donate and encourage friends to do the same.
Snapchat is also giving media publishers covering COVID-19 on its Discover platform a swipe-up-to-donate
feature. To date, over 68 million Snapchat users have viewed COVID-19-related content on the platform, so
the feature has the potential to reach a huge population. Snap says over 40 percent of Gen Z in the US has
tuned in to the content.
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Sony Corp. has created a $100 million COVID-19 global relief fund to support people impacted by the novel
coronavirus pandemic. The fund will be divided among three main areas, the company said: “assistance for
those individuals engaged in frontline medical and first responder efforts to fight the virus, support for children
and educators who must now work remotely, and support for members of the creative community in the
entertainment industry, which has been greatly impacted by the spread of the virus.” Sony said $10 million will
go to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund as well as Doctors Without
Borders, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR). This money is meant to “assist medical workers and others on the frontline of response
efforts to the virus,” Sony said. “In the area of education, where children are losing education opportunities
as a result of school closures, Sony will explore ways to leverage its technologies in support of education
activities, and cooperate with educators to implement these measures.” Creative communities can also
expect support for “up-and-coming creators, artists and all those in professions supporting the industry” who
have been affected by event cancellations.
Apple has made changes to its Apple Maps app to better promote things like food delivery and medical
services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple’s adjustments follow similar changes made by Google Maps.
Grocery stores are now featured at the top, followed by a new category for Food Delivery. Other categories
that are less practical during the COVID-19 outbreak have been shifted downwards. When you choose
the new Food Delivery category, you see all of the nearby restaurants that are open and providing delivery
options. Previously, Apple Maps prioritized categories including Restaurants, Fast Food, Gas Stations, and
Cafes. Apple has already debuted its own COVID-19 application and website developed in partnership with
FEMA and the CDC, its mask donations have topped 20 million and that the company is shipping a custom
face shield to medical workers as well. Elsewhere, Siri has been updated to include a new questionnaire for
queries about coronavirus. Apple Card customers can also defer their payments without penalty due to the
economic uncertainty caused by the outbreak. And in a development that will be welcomed by struggling
music labels and artists, Apple Music is making a $50m advance fund available for independent labels
and distributors, to support the indie sector with vital cashflow during the uncertainty of global COVID-19
lockdown. Record labels the world over are currently facing physical sales slashed by the closure of stores
during quarantine, a lack of licensing income from public performance plays and sync use due to a lack of
in-person events plus a sudden stop in movie/TV production and live music revenue reduced to zero due
to unanimous cancellations of shows. In response, the company is set to inform independent labels and
distributors that any amongst their ranks who meet a minimum quarterly threshold of $10,000 in Apple Music
earnings can qualify for one-off advance payments on future royalties out of the $50m fund
In the face of a massive fall in demand for ride-sharing, Uber has introduced the Work Hub, a new way for
drivers to find other work, whether with Uber or another company. While encouraging drivers to switch to its
Uber Eats delivery service, the company is also accepting signups for Uber Works, which connects people
to shift work like food production, warehouse, and customer service in Chicago, Dallas, and Miami. And with
Uber Freight, where carriers get paid for every load they deliver, they are providing priority eligibility screening
for drivers with a Class A Commercial Driver’s License. The Work Hub will also include opportunities outside
of Uber – companies that are currently hiring, like Domino’s, Shipt, CareGuide, and others; it will be including
links to job postings for other companies. “The most important thing we can do right now is support drivers.”
Said Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO. “They’re doing essential work to keep our communities moving as we
fight this virus, but with fewer trips happening they need more ways to earn. With the Work Hub, we hope
drivers can find more work opportunities, whether with another of Uber’s businesses, or at another company.”
Chipmaker Intel is to spend $50 million on improving patient care, scientific research and online education.
Of the funding, $40 million will go toward two main activities. The first is helping Intel customers and business
partners develop tests, vaccines and treatments, including computer simulations and service delivery.
The second is aimed at helping nonprofits get computer technology and online services to students who
don’t currently have them, starting in the US and then expanding globally. The remaining $10 million will
fund innovation projects. Three examples that Intel is supporting are an Indian effort to speed COVID-19
testing and genetic analysis to better understand which patients are most at risk; the Intel-powered Sickbay
computer system from Medical Informatics Corp., which is designed to rapidly upgrade ordinary beds into
intensive care unit beds with remote monitoring abilities; and the effort by UK vacuum maker Dyson and
medical firm TTP to make the new CoVent ventilator, for which Intel is supplying special programmable chips.
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Social media platform TikTok has announced a series of relief funds and initiatives totalling $375 million,
including $250 million in funds, $100 million in ad credits, and $25 million in ad space for public health
information. The $250 million in funding is split between the Health Heroes Relief Fund ($150 million), which
will provide money for medical staff, supplies and hardship relief for healthcare workers. Then there’s its
Community Relief Fund ($40 million) which provides money to organizations helping communities that have
been hit hard by the health crisis (TikTok will also match an additional $10 million in donations). Finally, the
service has pledged $50 million to support distance learning initiatives. Along with the direct funds, TikTok
is promising $25 million in ad space to help NGOs, health authorities, and local authorities to deliver public
health information and $100 million in ad credits to help small and medium-sized businesses which are
struggling in the wake of the pandemic.
Microsoft has said it will offer 12 weeks paid leave to employees with children while schools remain closed
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft EVP Kurt DelBene recently sent employees an email about the new
initiative, which specifies that parents can take this leave on a “continuous, reduced or intermittent basis,”
meaning they can take it all in one chunk or take a day or take a day off or more per week during the planned
academic year. The company previously offered two weeks paid leave to affected parents in March, but since
then, most schools in the United States have closed and children have either stopped schooling entirely or
moved to distance learning programs.
/ends
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