The Clorox Company Foundation: A new mission and focus
By David Kellis, Secretary, The Clorox Company Foundation
Equality of opportunity cannot be taken for granted. Over 40 years ago, The Clorox Company established a foundation to help provide just that. Over the years, the foundation has evolved to engage in and help address the changing needs of society and our communities. In that time, it’s made a strong impact in our hometown city of Oakland, California, and in places around the globe, awarding cash grants totaling nearly $130 million plus millions of dollars more in product donations in times of natural disaster and humanitarian crisis.
This year, with Clorox crystallizing its long-held purpose and province as a health & wellness company, the foundation adapted its mission and focus to align with that purpose.
The new mission of the Foundation is: to foster healthy and inclusive communities so people can be well and thrive.
This mission is rooted in determining the sweet spot between our company purpose, employee interests and societal needs. And the issues we have faced over the turbulent last year, with a global pandemic and a racial justice awakening, have reshaped how we believe the foundation can help make a difference in people’s lives.
Signature theme — Health security
Born out of this is a signature theme for the foundation, a way for it to stand for something — a singular platform upon which to organize its giving to be the most meaningful and impactful. Our signature theme is Health Security, which is based on the belief that health and wellness is a basic human right. The Clorox Company Foundation is focused on helping to ensure the equality of opportunity of under-resourced people and our communities, providing support to improve their overall physical and mental health to help them flourish.
Based on the promise of Health Security, the foundation will now focus on programs that support three areas:
1) Community wellness
Racial Justice: It was critical for us to make racial equality and equity core to our giving to address social determinants of health.
Youth Development/Education: This is longstanding area we have funded that focuses on literacy, mentoring and STEM, contributing to enduring change by giving young people and young minds the opportunity to thrive.
Sustainability: Central to the company’s focus on ESG, and at a time we the health of the planet is in jeopardy, these grants will focus on environmental issues that disproportionately impact urban areas and communities of color.
2) Disease prevention
Given the continuing COVID crisis and what lies beyond COVID, this is a new important area where The Clorox Company Foundation is uniquely positioned to help.
3) Disaster relief & preparedness
This continues our public health legacy, based on our longstanding partnership with American Red Cross and other relief organizations.
Employee giving and volunteering
A significant part of the foundation is the company’s employee giving campaign (GIFT) and volunteering program. Clorox matches employee’s donations dollar-for-dollar up to $2,500 per year and rewards U.S. and Canada employees’ volunteer hours. While the causes employees choose to support may be broader than the Health Security focus of the foundation’s grants, employee giving and volunteering are an integral part of the foundation’s footprint. Through volunteer rewards, we support our employees with $10 per volunteer hour outside of work up to $300/year to donate to the nonprofit of their choice.
For more information on the Clorox Company Foundation click here.