WWE Issues First-Ever Community Impact Report For 2019, Letters From Vince And Stephanie McMahon
WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon issued an e-mail today to introduce the WWE Community Impact Report for 2019, the first-ever report of its kind for the company.
Stephanie wrote in the e-mail, "Dear Partners & Friends, We hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. Over the past few weeks, WWE has been working with the Ad Council and NBCUniversal to support their COVID-19 campaigns focused on public health and safety messages, as well as many of our community partners who continue to deliver critical resources to communities all over the world. Giving back to the community has been a priority for WWE since our inception. As such, we wanted to take a moment to share with you our first-ever WWE Community Impact Report for 2019. We hope these stories lift your spirits during these uncertain times and bring a smile to your face."
The e-mail then included a link to the actual report, located at communityimpact.wwe.com as a gallery presentation.
The 2019 Community Impact Report opened with a letter from WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. The full letter reads like this:
WWE's commitment to giving back has always been a part of our company's DNA, starting nearly 40 years ago with a partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation. That commitment continued to grow as we became a sponsor of the very first Special Olympics World Summer Games in 1995, and remains critical today, as we support world-renowned charitable organizations, including UNICEF, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Susan G. Komen, to name a few.
While we've transformed our business model over the years and have grown into a publicly-traded global media and entertainment company, one thing has remained constant: our mission to put smiles on people's faces.
In 2019, we held 250 global community outreach events and conducted nearly 500 WWE Superstar appearances. We donated $4.5 million to social causes worldwide and forged new partnerships with the UN Foundation's Girl Up, Global Citizen and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
WWE Superstars give their time freely, not as part of a contractual commitment, but because giving back is their favorite part of what they do. John Cena is the all-time leading Wish granter for Make-A-Wish. Roman Reigns is touring hospitals around the world to support children and their families in partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Charlotte Flair has inspired young girls around the world through her work with Girl Up. There are countless other stories to tell.
Our employees are equally as dedicated – whether it's raising money for pediatric cancer research by running the NYC Marathon, volunteering at Special Olympics events, or sharing their own brave stories during breast cancer awareness month.
The commitment to giving back across our entire organization is both an honor and a privilege. Our efforts to leave a lasting impact in the communities we serve is a great source of pride for all of us at WWE.
Vince McMahon
CHAIRMAN AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER
The report also included a letter from Stephanie, who told the story of 17 year old Rhianna Sammut, who suffers from systemic mastocytosis and was featured in ESPN's annual "My Wish" series with Make-A-Wish. Her wish was a special trip to the WWE Performance Center and Full Sail University.
Stephanie wrote in her letter, "WWE has always been a voice for social change, and we are proud to partner with extraordinary organizations that truly make a difference in people's lives."
The report includes the Vision, Mission and Strategy statements for WWE Community. They read like this:
Our Vision: Be a leader in the sports and entertainment industries in affecting social change and supporting cause partners.
Our Mission: Build a Universe of passionate fans, employees and WWE Superstars dedicated to providing hope, creating inclusion, empowering communities and recognizing service.
Our Strategy: Create meaningful and measurable impact for WWE, our business partners ad our community partners by increasing awareness and resources through storytelling, global visibility and grassroots community outreach.
The following WWE Community Impact stats were included with the report for last year:
* 250 global community outreach events
* Nearly 500 WWE Superstar appearances
* $4.5 million raised/contributed
* 22 organizations and 30 events supported and contributed more than $450,000
* Donated 7,000 tickets valued at $350,000 to community partners, active duty military and local community organizations
* Activated 4 new partnerships to align with the WWE Community platform: UNICEF USA, Girl Up, Global Citizen and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
* In-kind Media Support: $11 million generating 1.3 billion impressions, 7.5 million engagements, 15.5 million views
The 24-page report also includes sections on Inclusion, Empowerment, Service, Hope, Employee Engagement, and more. You can click here to read the full Community Impact Report.