Sustainability Magazine November 2024 | Page 30

LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY

The peaceful Midwestern state of Kansas is home to history like the Pony Express National Historic Trail , plentiful farmland that supplies the country with crops and about half of Kansas City . Four-time Super Bowl winners the Kansas City Chiefs bring pride to the state , as does the American Red Cross ’ Chief Sustainability Officer Noel Anderson , who earned his degree in Business Communications from the University of Kansas .

“ His passion has had a truly global impact and he has prioritised sustainability within that . A truly passionate , impactful leader ”

Noel Anderson ’ s career spans more than 20 years of work for nonprofits . He has worked in various roles for organisations including United Way , the University of Kansas Endowment Association and now the American Red Cross .
Noel has been with the organisation since 2006 , starting in local state roles including Assistant Executive Director and Chief Development Officer of the Kansas region .
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 as the designated US affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies . It has been responsible for care after many notable disasters , including the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the Maui wildfires of 2023 .
Founder Clara Barton learned of the Red Cross in Geneva , Switzerland , which inspired her to establish the American chapter . In 1896 , Clara became involved in the International Red Cross ’ work in the Franco-Prussian War which led to the deaths of more than 150,000 soldiers and civilians . The Red Cross provided aid and supplies to wounded and sick soldiers and Clara was involved in the preparation of military hospitals .
The American Red Cross today responds to an emergency every eight minutes and provides first aid , CPR and AED training to nearly 6,000 people each day . Each year , it collects nearly 4.5 million blood donations which save lives and treat a variety of conditions .
On top of its first aid and disaster response efforts , the American Red Cross provides more than 540,000 services to service members , veterans and their families each year .
30 November 2024