As part of its ongoing measures to support COVID-19 relief efforts, ABB is joining forces with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an international humanitarian organization with Swiss roots. It specializes in providing emergency response and is at the forefront of fighting the pandemic in places of armed conflict and other situations of violence. It is part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which has been working with communities around the world to increase preparedness and resilience since the COVID-19 outbreak started.

ABB will make an initial contribution of CHF 1 million to the ICRC COVID-19 effort and thereafter ABB Group will match 1:1 all donations made by its employees around the world. The money will be used to provide infrastructure for healthcare centers, sanitation infrastructure, and crucial items such as soap and masks.

“As a global company, we have a responsibility to help society get through this crisis. With this action, we will be supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable people in fragile communities,” said ABB CEO Björn Rosengren. “We would also like to thank those working non-stop on the front line to combat the spread of the pandemic.”

ABB already has a long-standing and trusted relationship with the ICRC, which launched its emergency appeal at the end of March for CHF 250 million as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeal of CHF 800 million to assist the world's most vulnerable people.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the world's largest humanitarian network. Its community-based volunteers and staff help the world's most vulnerable people, including those living in countries with under-resourced health and social welfare systems; people recovering from recent disasters; migrants and displaced people; those in conflict zones and who face ongoing violence; people in urban slums; detainees; and people suffering from the socio-economic impact of COVID-19.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader that is driving the digital transformation of industries. With a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB has four, customer-focused, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by the ABB Ability™ digital platform. ABB’s Power Grids business will be divested to Hitachi in 2020. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 144,000 employees.