Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts told employees Wednesday that he and other top company executives will donate their salaries to charities specifically tied to COVID-19 relief.
Roberts, chief financial officer Mike Cavanagh, NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell, Comcast Cable CEO Dave Watson and Sky group chief executive Jeremy Darroch have all agreed to donate their salaries to various charities tied to relief efforts for as long as the coronavirus situation continues.
Shell announced March 26 that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was working remotely.
“We hope in some small way we can make this time easier on our employees, our local communities and our customers,” Roberts said in the memo to employees.
The move comes a few days after Walt Disney Co. executive chairman Bob Iger said he would forego his fiscal 2020 salary and other company executives took pay cuts in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
In the memo, Roberts noted that Comcast has devoted about $500 million to support its employees through continued pay and benefits where operations have been paused or impacted by COVID-19, and has committed significant resources to support its customers.
Roberts also praised Comcast employees for their efforts during this unprecedented time.
“One of the bright spots for me has been watching our employees on the frontlines go above and beyond,” Roberts said. “Our Comcast and Sky engineers, technicians and call center representatives are working around the clock to keep our network running and make sure our customers maintain their vital internet connectivity. Our NBC and Sky news organizations are keeping our world informed – setting up remote studios in basements, living rooms and everything in between. Meanwhile, our wonderful talent and late-night hosts are doing their best to make us smile. I can’t thank these teams enough.”
Here is the full text of the memo:
As our world changes by the minute with the new reality that COVID-19 brings, I continue to be amazed and inspired by our people and the human spirit at Comcast, NBCUniversal and Sky. This is obviously an incredibly difficult time for our society. None of us has ever experienced anything like this before, and while it is easy to get mired in the many challenges we are all facing, I think that in uncertain times like these it is incumbent upon us to remain optimistic and look for the good, even if it can be elusive.
One of the bright spots for me has been watching our employees on the frontlines go above and beyond. Our Comcast and Sky engineers, technicians and call center representatives are working around the clock to keep our network running and make sure our customers maintain their vital internet connectivity. Our NBC and Sky news organizations are keeping our world informed – setting up remote studios in basements, living rooms and everything in between. Meanwhile, our wonderful talent and late-night hosts are doing their best to make us smile. I can’t thank these teams enough.
I am also grateful to the leadership across Comcast, NBCUniversal and Sky who have stepped up again and again to do the right thing and take care of our teams. Every employee in every location around the world who is able to work from home is doing so, and where we have people who need to be in an office or in the field, we are doing everything possible to make their environments clean and safe.
Across our businesses, we have committed $500 million to support our employees through continued pay and benefits where operations have been paused or impacted, and we have committed significant resources to support our customers. Additionally, effective today, and for the duration of this situation, our senior leaders, Mike Cavanagh, Dave Watson, Jeff Shell, Jeremy Darroch and I have chosen to donate 100% of our salaries to charities that support COVID-19 relief efforts. We hope in some small way we can make this time easier on our employees, our local communities and our customers.
I don’t know when the worst will be behind us. But I do know that the best way forward will continue to be together. As we navigate the challenges ahead, please take care of yourselves and each other. Reach out to colleagues and friends who need a little extra support. Kindness, compassion and humanity are needed now more than ever, especially for those who have been personally impacted by this virus.
This too shall pass, and we will be on the other side of this crisis. But at this moment I have never been prouder of our company, our people and the collective strength and resilience from all corners of our great organization.
Brian L. Roberts
Chairman and CEO
Comcast Corporation
