Another record-breaking year of John Deere employee volunteerism helped win the Moline-based company a place on Points of Light’s list of the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation for a fourth straight year.
Deere said in a news release announcing the The Civic 50 honor today, Wednesday, June 4, that it underscores John Deere employees’ record-setting 342,015 volunteer hours in 2024. That’s a 31% increase from last year’s 261,214 hours.
Points of Light is the world’s largest global nonprofit dedicated to accelerating people-powered change. The Civic 50 has become a national standard for corporate citizenship. It showcases how companies are leading through social impact and civic engagement, that global organization said.
“We’re honored to receive this recognition from Points of Light,” Taryn Edgin, director of community relations and president of the John Deere Foundation said in today’s Deere & Co. release. “It reflects our commitment to trust-based philanthropy and unrestricted giving while highlighting the incredible efforts of our employees, who work tirelessly to improve our customers’ lives while building stronger communities.”
Record-breaking 2024
In the Quad Cities alone, John Deere employees dedicated 74,543 volunteer hours and donated $3,264,017 to various causes in 2024. That showcases their unwavering commitment to community service and philanthropy, the company said. The top two causes employees supported were the Boy Scouts of Iowa and the United Way of the Quad Cities.
Other employee- and company-driven statistics that earned the Fortune 100 company a place on the list include:
- More than $400 million has been awarded to those in need since the John Deere Foundation’s inception in 1948.
- In 2024 the company and Foundation combined contributed $61.7 million to nonprofit organizations in home communities and around the world
- That included two multi-year grants totaling $12.2 million aimed at eliminating hunger and increasing access to higher education.
- John Deere Foundation investments supported more than 115,000 youth in 2024 with over 4 million hours of high-quality STEM education experience supported by 600 John Deere employee mentors.
“In an ever-evolving landscape, companies are looking to ensure that they can meet the needs of their communities, customers, and stakeholders,” Points of Light President and CEO Jennifer Sirangelo said in the Deere release.
“Companies like John Deere are leading the way in showing how social impact benefits their employee’s well-being, strengthens the communities where they do business, and brings value and meaning to their work. Their efforts provide a model for others looking to bring the benefits of volunteering and social impact to their workforce and they’re extremely deserving of this recognition.”
About The Civic 50
Now in its 13th year, The Civic 50 is the nation’s leading corporate social impact recognition program. Honorees are selected based on assessment of employee volunteering, community investment, social impact strategy and performance measurement.
The survey is administered by True Impact, with results analyzed by VeraWorks. The Civic 50 is the only survey and ranking system that measures corporate community engagement. Learn more at pointsoflight.org/civic50survey or email [email protected].
In addition to announcing The Civic 50 honorees for 2025, Points of Light also released its annual Benchmarking & Insights Report at the Points of Light Conference.
The report for the organization, which was founded by President George H.W. Bush included new data that showed in 2025 those 50 companies empowered more than 460,000 employees to volunteer 6.5 million hours, contributed 6.25 times more in financial and in-kind resources than the average U.S. company, and continue to innovate around mobilizing their workforce for good.
Other data shared about Points of Light honorees were:
- 86%, including John Deere, offer volunteer time off, up from 72% in 2019.
- The most supported causes were education, 56%, and environment, 50%.
- 92% of honorees offer skills-based or pro-bono volunteer opportunities.
“This year’s honorees prove that when companies embed purpose into their people, strategy and culture, results are extraordinary,” Ms. Sirangelo added in The Civic 50 list. “Together, they show service isn’t something companies just do – it’s core to who they are.”
employees in external volunteering – nearly double the U.S. median of 23%. Volunteer hours remain below pre-pandemic levels, but trends reveal a more embedded, sustainable approach to service.
Learn more about Points of Lights and The Civic 50 honorees for 2025 at link to their news release.
