Paying it Forward

Luella Chavez D'Angelo with Jonathan Redman

Luella Chavez D’Angelo, Western Union’s Senior Vice President for Global Corporate Responsibility and the President of the Western Union Foundation, talks with Interbrand’s Jonathan Redman about Western Union’s ambitious “Our World Our Family” program for helping immigrants and their families around the world.

Luella Chavez D’Angelo on Western Union’s responsibility
We know we have a responsibility not only to watch after cash, because obviously we’re the world’s largest mover of money, but we’re not moving that money just for small reasons. We’re moving that money for very important, impactful reasons. To get food on the table to one’s family, to buy those school supplies, to pay the bill that maybe is much harder for you and I to pay, and so that money has to be there and it has to be there quick and it has to be there safe and it has to be there very competitively priced, especially in the market we’re talking about.

Luella Chavez D’Angelo on immigration
One of the things we had to do was be stern and be deliberate and be intentional. So once we decided that this was the stand we were taking and this was our responsibility as a company, we did not waver. And that’s one thing I think corporations need to be ready to do is not waver.

Luella Chavez D’Angelo on aligning brand and purpose
I can’t say that there’s a company that really got it wrong, but I think there are companies that are getting it much, much more right. Here’s the thing: You can still mount corporate philanthropy. You can even mount some cause marketing strategies, but what are they going to do for the personality of your brand, for the authenticity of your brand?