Western Union and Cone Inc. for Western Union – Our World, Our Family
As a global leader in money transfer and payment services, Western Union wanted to address the needs of migrants and their families, a vast majority of its customer base. In September 2007, the company partnered with Cone Inc. and launched “Our World, Our Family,” a five-year, $50 million initiative designed to stimulate new dialogue and joint action. By engaging stakeholders, Western Union aimed to equip migrants and the communities they leave behind with the skills and resources needed to break the cycle of poverty.
ENGAGING THE WORLD
Strategies Western Union used to leverage its position within the migrant communities while engaging core stakeholders included:
- Enlist NGO and influencers to foster education and economic opportunity for migrants and their families;
- Develop new, sustainable ways to engage migrant communities around the world; and,
- Enlist influencers in the cause to advance understanding and generate dialogue.
THE EXECUTION
Driven by a corporate citizenship team representing every region of the world, Western Union enlisted Mercy Corps as the program’s first major global nonprofit provider, providing grants for services such as job training and language training. Western Union also teamed up with the Clinton Global Initiative to raise visibility of the issue among world leaders.
FAST TRACK TO SUCCESS
Western Union’s Our World, Our Family program exceeded overall expectation. Among its highlights:
- Convened 65 international thought leaders on migration and economics at the 2008 Western Union Global Migration Forum in Washington, D.C.;
- Employee volunteerism soared to 2,297 hours; and,
- Provided $300,000 in family scholarships focused on migrant families separated by distance.
- Our World, Our Family was recognized at the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.