DraftKings has appointed Gisele Bündchen as a special advisor to the company’s CEO and board of directors for environmental, social, and governance initiatives, effective immediately.
As part of the collaboration, the gaming and betting operator has set a goal of planting one million trees by Earth Day 2022 (Friday 22 April), with several opportunities for customers to directly support the effort being launched via charity daily fantasy sports contests and free-to-play pools.
In coordination with the Arbor Day Foundation, DraftKings has pledged to plant the first 100,000 trees in several US states, including California, Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont and Virginia.
“Gisele Bündchen is a global icon who has utilised the platform she established in modelling, fashion, and entertainment, to lead and advocate for vital environmental and social causes,” said Jason Robins, co-founder, CEO and chairman of the Board of DraftKings.
“I believe that the strategic counsel and unique global perspective that Gisele brings to me and the board will be indispensable and, as evidenced by our Earth Day campaign, her impact will be immediate and far-reaching.”
Bündchen is a prominent supporter of numerous environmental and social projects, including Projeto Água Limpa (Clean Water Project), which implements sustainable environmental water management systems near her hometown in Brazil.
In 2020, she launched the Viva a Vida initiative which raised funds to plant over 260,000 trees along the Xingu and Araguaia River in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. Bündchen has also served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environmental Program since 2009.
“I look forward to working with the DraftKings board of directors in continuing to find ways to make the most positive impacts through meaningful social and environmental initiatives,” added Bündchen.
“It is very important for successful corporations to make the necessary shifts in ESG initiatives to truly make a difference on a global level. In today’s world, in my opinion, it isn’t enough for companies to just be successful financially.
“Companies have to be successful in ALL areas, including social impact and sustainability initiatives that impact the future for all of us around the world.”
