Drax today released an annual report for its Drax Foundation and Community Fund that shows more than $4.5 million has been donated to support communities across Drax’s global operations. The renewable energy company focused on funding organizations that help underrepresented groups, advance gender equality, and support indigenous communities. Organizations that have benefitted from Drax’s funding include those that improve STEM education, access to green spaces, and energy efficiency efforts in schools.
In the U.S., the Drax Foundation and Community Fund provided more than $896,000 to organizations in 2024, including community projects that focused on local wildlife through a partnership with the Rapides Wildlife Association in Louisiana.
“The support of the Drax Foundation is helping us connect everyday people with nature, said Marty Floyd, President, Rapides Wildlife Association. “Drax’s support of this project is helping support a powerful educational resource, bringing real-time wildlife footage to a global audience.”
The Drax Foundation also partnered with the National Audubon providing $50,000 in grant funding which engaged at least 2000 people through regional educational programming and also protected and restored up to ten acres of priority bird habitats in Mississippi.
“Building stronger communities in the areas where Drax operates is the driving force behind our social purpose,” said Miguel Veiga-Pestana, Chief Sustainability Officer at Drax. “Through our charitable giving, we’re empowering individuals with the skills and resources they need to thrive, while also making a tangible contribution to a sustainable future.”
Read the Drax Foundation Annual Review here.
Some additional highlights in 2024 from the Drax Foundation report include:
- Providing just over a quarter of its grants for STEM projects, funding education and training for more than 13,000 children globally.
- Providing money to help more than 8800 people access community green spaces.
- Providing money for local foodbanks, community sports teams, resources for local schools and improved community buildings.
- Connecting more than 7400 people to nature-based learning opportunities.
“Corporate giving is more than just a contribution-it’s an investment in the future of our communities,” said Matt White, Executive Vice President of Pellet Operations at Drax. “It creates a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond the workplace.”
To learn more about the Drax Foundation and Drax’s community efforts, visit www.drax.com/community.
Contact Information:
Michelli Martin
Communications Manager, US
318-372-3988
michelli.martin@drax.com
About Drax
Drax Group’s purpose is to enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future and in 2019 announced a world-leading ambition to be carbon negative by 2040, using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology.
Drax’s around 3,000 employees operate across three principal areas of activity – electricity generation, electricity sales to business customers and compressed wood pellet production and supply to third parties. For more information visit http://www.drax.com/us
Pellet production and supply:
The Group has 18 operational pellet plants and developments with nameplate production capacity of around five million tons a year.
Drax is targeting eight million tons of production capacity by 2030, which will require the development of over three million tons of new biomass pellet production capacity. The pellets are produced using materials sourced from sustainably managed working forests and are supplied to third party customers in Europe and Asia for the generation of renewable power.
Drax’s pellet plants supply biomass used at its own power station in North Yorkshire, England to generate flexible, renewable power for the UK’s homes and businesses, and to customers in Europe and Asia.
