C.H. Robinson Announces Largest Year of Foundation Giving

Company appoints new president of its foundation and makes significant investment to support local communities, charities, and diversity of talent in the supply chain industry

Eden Prairie, MN – (July 14, 2022) –Global logistics company C.H. Robinson today announced it has pledged $4 million dollars to its Foundation this year to strengthen local communities, charities and further champion employee advocacy efforts. This represents nearly a 50% increase over the past five years and will contribute to the Foundation’s overall goal to accelerate its giving in response to non-profit organizations’ needs, while supporting the broader supply chain industry and causes that employees are most passionate about.

This announcement comes as the company also names industry veteran, Rachel Schwalbach, as the new president of the Foundation. Schwalbach, Vice President of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) at C.H. Robinson, brings over 10 years of experience in the corporate philanthropy space.

The Foundation plays a critical role in C.H. Robinson’s talent and ESG strategies. Established in 2005, the C.H. Robinson Foundation supports nonprofits that make a positive impact on its people, communities, industry, and planet. Since its inception, the company and the Foundation have donated $34.5 million to a wide variety of organizations and causes that matter to employees, while meeting the needs of diverse communities. The last few years have proven to be challenging due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a volatile market. As such, the company is pledging to invest even more than in previous years with added focus on initiatives and issues that support local communities, as well as diversity in the supply chain and technology industries.

“Over the past five years, C.H. Robinson has nearly doubled the size of the Foundation due to its ongoing commitment to community giving,” says Rachel Schwalbach, head of ESG, and president of C.H. Robinson’s Foundation.” The last few years have brought on new challenges and complexities for both our industry and the world, which is why we have continued to build upon our efforts to foster not only a strong work culture but also help support the communities in which we live and work. I am excited to expand our reach and further diversify where we can make an impact.”

Another dedicated focus of the Foundation is supporting its people through programs like the Employee Hardship Fund, which will soon be launched globally, scholarship programs and employee-donation match programs. In 2021, employees gave to 944 charities, which translates into more than $600,000 in giving between employee donations and C.H. Robinson’s matching program. Additionally, since 2013, the Foundation has donated $600,000 in scholarships to support students pursuing undergraduate degrees. 

“A critical component of C.H. Robinson’s culture is supporting and giving back to the communities that have helped drive our company success, and as such, we look forward to continuing to foster more equitable communities and further support our industry in 2022,” said Angie Freeman, Chief Human Resources & ESG Officer. “As momentum around the Foundation continues to grow, we are excited to leverage Rachel’s deep expertise in social issues and philanthropy to help identify new strategic ways to maximize the Foundation’s impact.”