Deere honored for civic impact throughout global shifts

John Deere employees set new records in volunteerism over the past year, earning national recognition for the fourth straight year, as John Deere has been named to The Civic 50 — an honor from Points of Light recognizing the 50 most community-minded companies in the United States.

John Deere employee volunteers time in local community
Points of Light is the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to accelerating people-powered change. The Civic 50 has become a national standard for corporate citizenship and showcases how companies are leading through social impact and civic engagement.

“We’re honored to receive this recognition from Points of Light,” said Taryn Edgin, director, Community Relations and president, John Deere Foundation. “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.”

Community giving milestones:

• Employees volunteered over 340,000 hours (a new record for 2024), up 31% from the prior year.
• More than $400 million awarded to those in need since the John Deere Foundation’s inception in 1948.
• In 2024 alone the company and Foundation combined contributed $61.7 million to nonprofit organizations in home communities and around the world, including two multi-year grants totaling $12.2 million aimxed 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,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, Points of Light. “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.”

While John Deere employees are being nationally recognized for their record-setting community volunteer hours and the company continues to receive accolades for its philanthropic leadership, 2024 brought a difficult undercurrent: widespread layoffs that have affected more than 1,900 employees since last fall.

To learn more about Points of Lights and The Civic 50 honorees for 2025, here is a link to the news release.