The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established by government decree on 8 July 1935 in the aftermath of the second Italian aggression over Ethiopia. ERCS began by providing humanitarian services to wounded soldiers and civilian victims. That same year on the 25 September 1935, ERCS was officially recognized as the 48th member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

ERCS is auxiliary to the government and yet it is an independent humanitarian organization. It was established and recognized by law through a National Charter adopted in 31 October 1947. The Charter has undergone various parliamentary revisions, the last being in 1999. The current Charter was endorsed by the Parliament in January 2018.

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is a humanitarian organization providing services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities.