Agility Supports More Than 480 Syrian Refugee Families

Employees in 28 countries participate in collection drive in partnership with UNHCR

 KUWAIT CITY – April 1, 2018 – Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has concluded an internal fundraising initiative to support the activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

For the second year in a row, Agility employees in 28 countries donated to the month-long fundraising campaign, and Agility matched all employee contributions. Over 2017 and 2018, Agility has helped more than 480 Syrian refugee families – approximately 2,400 people.

All funds raised will be channeled through UNHCR to support its cash assistance programme helping most vulnerable refugee families living in Jordan. Through the innovative iris scan technology employed by UNHCR, families receive monthly cash distributions, with donations delivered directly to recipient families through ATM machines. Jordan is among the first countries in the world to use iris scanning technology enabling refugees to access funds made available by UNHCR, without the need for a bank card or PIN code. Cash assistance programmes have proved to be one of the most cost-effective ways to deliver aid, and also have the double benefit of supporting the local economy in Jordan’s urban environment.

Ali Mikail, Senior Vice President, Agility GIL Kuwait and Levant said, “At Agility, we work with customers, employees, industry partners and non-governmental organizations to do our part in ensuring a more sustainable future. We are strongly committed to social responsibility activities where we believe in their importance and impact on society and we understand the role our company has in supporting people in need. Refugees are people who need assistance and we’re glad to partner with organizations like UNHCR to provide displaced people with the needed support.”

UNHCR is dedicated to the protection of refugees and forcibly displaced individuals, and to ensure everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution, war or disaster at home. UNHCR helps save lives and build better futures for millions forced from home, by offering assistance and durable solutions in emergencies and crises. UNHCR and partners provide refugees and other persons of concern with a network of services including shelter, clean water, sanitation and healthcare, as well as cash based interventions to the most vulnerable.

Dr. Hanan Hamdan, Head of UNHCR Office in Kuwait, said, “We thank Agility and its employees for their contribution and support to our humanitarian operations in Jordan. This initiative comes as an extension to the partnership between UNHCR and the Kuwaiti private sector, well known for its response to humanitarian crises around the world. Agility’s contribution will help alleviate the challenges many refugees in Jordan face.”

Agility has a globally recognized corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, covering humanitarian logistics, community volunteerism, fair labor and environmental sustainability. Agility’s humanitarian logistics program has supported humanitarian partners, including the United Nations World Food Programme, in more than 50 pro-bono projects related to natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies. Since 2006, Agility has completed more than 1,700 community education, health or environment projects affecting more than one million people in 80 countries, including the construction or refurbishment of 38 schools in 18 countries. In addition, Agility has trained more than 10,000 employees on the company’s fair labor policies and practices in 15 countries. Agility has received a silver rating from EcoVadis, an independent supplier sustainability rating agency, and the CSR program is ranked in the top 9% of the supply chain & transportation industry

To find out more about Agility’s corporate social responsibility activities, please visit the company’s CSR page www.sustainability.agility.com.

Photo Caption: Syrian refugee Aysha, 28, daughters Arwa, 5, Fatmeh, 7, husband Ghareeb, 32, and son Emad, 2.5, outside their shelter at Zaatari refugee camp, Mafraq Governorate, Jordan. Aysha and her family had yet to receive winter cash assistance and were in dire need of help. CREDIT LINE: © UNHCR/David Azia

About Agility

Agility brings efficiency to supply chains in some of the globe’s most challenging environments, offering unmatched personal service, a global footprint and customized capabilities in developed and developing economies alike. Agility is one of the world’s leading providers of integrated logistics. It is a publicly traded company with more than $4.6 billion in revenue and more than 22,000 employees in over 500 offices across 100 countries. Agility’s core commercial business, Global Integrated Logistics (GIL), provides supply chain solutions to meet traditional and complex customer needs. GIL offers air, ocean and road freight forwarding, warehousing, distribution, and specialized services in project logistics, fairs and events, and chemicals. Agility’s Infrastructure group of companies manages industrial real estate and offers logistics-related services, including e-government customs optimization and consulting, waste management and recycling, aviation and ground-handling services, support to governments and ministries of defense, remote infrastructure and life support.

For more information about Agility, visit www.agility.com

Twitter: twitter.com/agility

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/agility

YouTube: youtube.com/user/agilitycorp