Citi Employees' Recycled Phones Help Domestic Violence Victims

By Irene Blake, Coordinator of Citi's US "Wireless Drop-Off"

Citi holds a drive each year to gather and donate wireless devices our employees no longer need. The drive is an important component of our Sustainable Technology program, and combines Citi's commitment to responsible asset management through recycling with our passion for active involvement in the communities where we work and live.

In 2011, our US employees collected more than 2,500 no-longer-used wireless devices. We wanted not only to keep them out of landfills, but also to give them new life while helping those in need. We worked with HopeLine® from Verizon to have our "data-scrubbed" devices recycled and disposed of under a zero-landfill policy.

Even more importantly, Citi and Verizon Wireless are turning these donations into support for domestic violence victims. Our donated devices are being put to work in the community through a $10,000 grant awarded to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH). This grant will aid NDVH in its mission to provide support to domestic violence victims through advocacy, safety planning, resources and most importantly hope.

Now in its sixth year, Citi's "Wireless Drop-Off" is one of the ways we are working to promote environmental and social sustainability. To date, we have recycled more than 15,000 mobile devices through this program and donated $76,000 to non-profit agencies that work to combat domestic violence.

For more information on HopeLine from Verizon, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

Learn more about Citi's environmental and social responsibility efforts here.