United Airlines Leadership Team Flies Together to Fight Hunger
Airline's top 700 leaders kick off 2017 Global Leadership Conference by packaging more than a quarter of a million meals for children suffering from hunger
Partnership with Rise Against Hunger is largest ever meal-packing event of its kind in Chicago
CHICAGO, Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, more than 700 United Airlines leaders from around the world – including Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz – kicked off the company's two-day 2017 Global Leadership Conference in Chicago by packing more than a quarter of a million meals for children suffering from malnutrition in El Salvador.
"Every day we help unite the world and today hundreds of our leaders came together to fight one of humanity's gravest issues - starvation," said Munoz. "This morning we showed that United's shared purpose not only connects people around the world but makes a life-changing difference in the communities we serve. Businesses can be successful and have a heart."
United partnered with Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now) – which focuses on ending hunger by providing food and life-changing aid to the world's most vulnerable communities. The three-hour event – which packaged 285,120 meals – represents Rise Against Hunger's largest food-packing event ever held in Chicago. The meals created will help feed nearly 3,000 children in El Salvador for an entire year.
"We're pleased to be partnering with United Airlines for the first time to help end world hunger and poverty," says Rod Brooks, President and CEO of Rise Against Hunger. "Our vision is to make a difference through initiatives that will provide relief to those facing immediate food insecurity and offer opportunities for children and families to become educated, healthy and self-sufficient. When hunger is targeted, you give leverage and hope to every other cause including disease and the welfare of women and children."
United's leaders from 14 countries across five continents worked hand-in-hand with senior executives for the first half-day of the conference at Chicago's McCormick Place Convention Center to package meals as part of the team-building service project. Approximately 1,600 meals were packaged per minute, resulting in 43,560 pounds of food.
United Airlines' 2017 Global Leadership Conference – themed "The New Spirit of United" – has assembled the company's worldwide management group to meet with Munoz and the senior executive team to learn more about the strategic plan the company put into action last fall to build the best airline in the world for its employees, customers and everyone it serves. The conference also includes a number of leadership development and team-building programs as part of the agenda.
About United
United Airlines and United Express operate more than 4,500 flights a day to 339 airports across five continents. In 2016, United and United Express operated more than 1.6 million flights carrying more than 143 million customers. United is proud to have the world's most comprehensive route network, including U.S. mainland hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. United operates 737 mainline aircraft and the airline's United Express partners operate 483 regional aircraft. The airline is a founding member of Star Alliance, which provides service to 192 countries via 28 member airlines. For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter or connect on Facebook. The common stock of United's parent, United Continental Holdings, Inc., is traded on the NYSE under the symbol "UAL".
About Rise Against Hunger
Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now) is driven by the vision of a world without hunger. With program locations in 20 U.S. cities and five international partners, Rise Against Hunger coordinates the packaging and distribution of nutrient rich meals to 37 countries worldwide, providing food and life-changing aid to the world's most vulnerable, meeting immediate nutritional needs today, and empowering strong, resilient communities tomorrow. Join us at www.riseagainsthunger.org to help end world hunger.
SOURCE United Airlines
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