Northern Trust announced that employees engaged in various group activities, such as constructing homes in the United States, planting trees in India, participating in urban farming in Ireland, caring for shelter dogs in the Philippines, and facilitating resume workshops for youth in the United Kingdom. These initiatives took place as part of Northern Trust's annual service effort, showcasing the global impact of their corporate social responsibility across different regions. This year’s community engagement was part of the company’s "Achieving Greater Together" initiative, highlighting their commitment to making a positive societal impact.

Firstly, let's delve into how Northern Trust's annual service efforts were structured. Throughout October, Northern Trust employees dedicated almost 53,000 hours to volunteer work, benefiting 1,700 organizations in 20 countries where Northern Trust operates. The Achieving Greater Together initiative encourages employees to leverage their time and skills for charitable causes, with the company organizing various charitable events while also allowing individualized charitable contributions. This year, Northern Trust has pledged over 2.6 million meals, reflecting the generous contributions of its employees. Northern Trust supports these efforts by granting each employee two paid days annually for volunteering and committing to donate 50 meals for every volunteer hour through partnerships with The Global FoodBanking Network, the European Food Banks Federation, and Feeding America, according to a press release by Northern Trust.

Moving on from these accomplishments by its employees on a broad scale, "The desire to give back is embedded in Northern Trust’s DNA but last month employees outpaced even our own expectations of service; far exceeding previous company records of volunteer hours performed; organizations assisted and meals donated in a single month," said Northern Trust Director of Corporate Philanthropy Shana Hayes according to a press release by Northern Trust. "The collective response of our employees to support the neighborhoods where we live and work has been exceptional."

Lastly, it's important to consider Northern Trust's wider strategy for community investment. Research indicates that meeting fundamental human needs significantly enhances long-term financial success indicators such as career opportunities, savings, and home ownership. In alignment with these findings, Northern Trust is implementing a comprehensive, long-term community investment strategy aimed at fostering individual advancement and broader wealth creation, according to the Northern Trust Corporate Philanthropy website.