• Committed citizenship

    Helping to improve lives and strengthen communities.

Philanthropic approach

We’re committed to being a responsible, ethical and sustainable corporate citizen around the world. By using our resources, network and talent of our global employee base, we are making a positive social impact in the communities where we live and do business. We respond in times of crisis, and we work to help ensure our local communities are healthy and vibrant.

Social Impact

Visa is committed to being a force for good. We focus our strategy on the areas that also align with our business goals to create shared value for communities and our business. The strategic pillars of our Social Impact work include:

  1. Enabling inclusive economic development by supporting micro and small businesses to thrive, with a specific focus on women-led micro and small businesses and supporting women entrepreneurs
  2. Encouraging sustainable living and supporting the environment
  3. Strengthening our communities through matching of employee donations of time and money, humanitarian aid in times of crisis and local charitable giving in support of market-specific priorities

We approach our corporate giving with the highest levels of governance and ethics and comply with all applicable laws, regulations and Visa policies.

Group of Asian women farmers harvesting onions on a farm in the countryside of Thailand.

About the Visa Foundation

Through grantmaking and investing, the Foundation prioritizes the resilience and growth of micro and small businesses benefiting women. The Foundation also supports broader community needs and disaster response in times of crisis.

Learn more about Visa Foundation

Humanitarian aid

We work with governments, international relief organizations and private organizations to help communities in crisis, leveraging our resources and unique capabilities.

Relief donations

Visa and the Visa Foundation provide financial donations for immediate relief following natural disasters around the globe, and Visa offers double matching for employee donations to the same. In recent years, Visa and the Visa Foundation have responded to a range of disasters, including wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes and more.

A sign reading “We’re Open” hangs in a store window.

Back to Business

Following a natural disaster, it can be a challenge for small businesses to let customers know they have reopened. Visa identifies companies that have successfully processed a Visa transaction in the aftermath of a natural disaster and updates the Back to Business website with this information. Customers can use the information to find a business that meets their post-disaster needs and, at the same time, support impacted small businesses, thus helping accelerate economic recovery for the community.

Learn more about Back to Business

Employee support of communities

Visa encourages and supports employees to make an impact in ways that inspire them, whether that is through volunteering, giving or empowering people and communities in need.

Visa Volunteers Program

Our Visa Volunteers program helps employees find local opportunities, create team events and track their volunteer hours, and offers a Volunteer Time-Off policy that gives them 16 hours a year to volunteer with their own charity or cause of choice. We also offer a Dollars for Doers program, in which employees can earn $10 per hour volunteered, up to $500 per year, to give to the eligible charity of their choice.

Global Matching Gift Program

To amplify employee monetary donations, our global Matching Gift program allows employees to donate to an eligible charitable organization with Visa matching the donation up to $10,000 each year. On Giving Tuesday and following select natural disasters, Visa will match eligible employee donations on a 2:1 basis.

Visa Foundation – Kiva Partnership

Visa Foundation has made a grant of $1,000,000 to Kiva to help underserved micro and small businesses (MSBs) around the globe thrive. During select time periods, Visa employees can help direct microloans in increments of $50 USD to MSBs, amplifying Kiva’s work and involving employees in the Visa Foundation’s mission of empowering MSBs.