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Nielsen’s 6th Global Impact Day Activates Thousands of Nielsen Volunteers

2 minute read | May 2017

On May 11, Nielsen associates stepped away from their desks and into their communities to make an impact during Nielsen Global Impact Day (NGID), our sixth annual global day of service. Each year on NGID, associates unite as a global Nielsen family for one mission: connect with our communities by donating time, skills and expertise to those in need. This year, over 23,000 Nielsen associates across 89 countries came together to volunteer at more than 1,500 community projects in the markets where Nielsen operates. These photos show just a few of our Nielsen associates in action around the world last week.

“We know we can’t solve big social challenges in a day, but NGID is a chance to inspire our associates and show them the power their time and skills can have,” said Crystal Barnes, vice president of Global Responsibility & Sustainability at Nielsen. “We give all our associates 24 hours of dedicated volunteer time annually to use not only for events like NGID, but also for skills-based volunteering and ongoing projects in their communities, so they can feel empowered to make a difference.”

NGID is the culmination of months of planning by volunteer leaders around the company who make time, in addition to their day-to-day work, to plan projects that enable their fellow associates to make a difference in their local communities. Many of these projects draw directly on our associates’ skills and expertise, such as a virtual data hackathon held by Project 8 that deployed Nielsen data scientists to predict emerging food assistance needs based on publicly available data.

“I feel very lucky to work for a company that gives its workforce the opportunity to make a real difference in local communities throughout the globe,” said Karen Whitbread, a project assistant at Nielsen who served as global co-leader for NGID planning.

“As a global NGID co-lead, it’s fulfilling to guide my colleagues to help and empower others in their local markets, and it’s personally satisfying to provide support and aid to others in need,” added Jennifer Macadlo, director of Talent Engagement and Development at Nielsen.

NGID is part of our Nielsen Cares program, our global corporate social responsibility program, which mobilizes Nielsen’s data, expertise and associates to positively affect the communities where we live and work around the world. Since 2012, Nielsen has pledged to deliver at least $10 million each year through pro bono and in-kind contributions, including the donation of Nielsen data and insights, as well as employees’ time, skills and expertise.  In 201​6, Nielsen donated $​11.8 million through skills-based volunteering projects and in-kind giving to benefit nonprofits in our priority cause areas: Hunger & Nutrition, Diversity & Inclusion, Education, and Technology. Check out the “Our Communities” section of our Nielsen Global Responsibility Report to learn more about how we give back to our communities, and watch out soon for our upcoming Nielsen Global Impact Day 6 wrap-up video!