Investments in tech-based sustainability
projects bring together more than 120 organizations to protect the
world's natural ecosystem
TORONTO, July 29, 2020 /CNW/ - RBC today announced its
updated roster of partners for the RBC Tech for Nature program.
Empowered by a commitment from the RBC Foundation to support new
ideas, technologies, and partnerships, RBC Tech for Nature is
focused on preserving the planet's greatest wealth: our natural
ecosystem. Launched in late 2019, the program invited environment
and community-focused organizations to submit their application to
join the ongoing commitment to advancing sustainability through
technology-driven solutions.
Our approach is based on the belief that innovative usage of
data and technology can fundamentally transform and improve the
world we live in. RBC Tech for Nature brings together charitable
partners, technology experts, the public and private sector, as
well as RBC's own unique capabilities to build the multi-partner
coalitions needed to work towards solving our shared environmental
challenges.
"The effects of climate change connect us all. The actions we
take today can prepare us with the solutions needed to protect our
shared future," said Valerie Chort,
Vice-President of Corporate Citizenship for RBC and Executive Chair
of the RBC Foundation. "At RBC, we believe climate change is one of
the most pressing issues of our time. That's why we continue to
invest in a diverse set of partners and technologies solving
environmental challenges – and support innovative ideas that move
us towards a sustainable economy."
There has never been a greater opportunity for leadership,
collaboration, ingenuity, and vision as it relates to the
environment. Through the support of RBC Tech for Nature, our
partners will be enabled to accelerate and scale the solutions
needed to address our most pressing environmental challenges. Below
are examples of our partners and their innovative solutions:
- Canadian Red Cross: The Canadian arm of the largest global
humanitarian network is collaborating with RBC to integrate data
science into their emergency management framework. This innovative,
enhanced approach to assessing disaster risk and improving
beneficiary support will make milestone improvements for aiding
individuals facing environmental crises.
- Earth Rangers: The largest program of its kind globally,
engaging over 200,000 Canadian children in environmental education
and activities. RBC Tech for Nature supports the Earth Rangers app,
a platform that encourages youth to participate in a wide range of
real-world environmental actions as well as track participation and
calculate the resulting impact.
- Energy Futures Lab: An award-winning multi-sectoral
collaboration platform that enables innovators to explore and shape
Canada's energy future. The
initiative explores and tests how digital innovations can help
solve the climate challenge, while accelerating the transition to a
sustainable energy system.
- Second Harvest: An innovative online platform that connects
food businesses with surplus food to local social service agencies
to supply hunger relief or meal programs. The surplus food can be
offered and rescued on-demand, and ultimately reduces the amount of
food destined for landfill.
- SIKU: An online platform and mobile app managed by the Arctic
Eider Society that enables Indigenous communities to document their
knowledge and observations in real time, while maintaining
intellectual property rights. Their aggregated insights – including
centralized Inuktitut language/terminology data and systems for
tracking sea ice conditions, wildlife, climate changes, and
location names – are used for the benefit of Indigenous communities
and their regions as a whole.
- Swim Drink Fish: An organization that envisions a world with
swimmable, drinkable, fishable water for everyone. Using technology
to educate and build a movement of citizen-scientists dedicated to
protecting local waters, Swim Drink Fish crowdsources its water
conditions data through its mobile app. Using that data, it then
distributes water safety information for beaches, lakes, rivers,
and swimming holes to millions of people each year.
- Thames21: An environmental charity educating and engaging
people in practical volunteering activities to care for rivers,
streams and ponds across London,
UK. Building an innovative, new education program using
digital visualization tools, Thames21 is helping secondary students
better understand water issues and provide the tools needed to take
action. Their visualization tools will bring together several
computer models, including from the University
of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute and the
University of Reading's Integrated Catchment Model, to help bring
water issues to life.
In addition to accelerating and scaling technology innovations,
RBC Tech for Nature also supports projects that improve the
availability and accuracy of environmental data, influence positive
behavior change as it relates to environmental conservation, and
result in tangible outcomes for more sustainable communities.
RBC Tech for Nature is a core pillar of RBC's Climate Blueprint
– our enterprise approach to accelerating clean economic growth and
supporting clients in the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable
economy – and contributes to the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.
To view the updated list of RBC Tech for Nature partners, visit
RBC.com/techfornature.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring
our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients
thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest
in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified
business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional
experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.
SOURCE RBC