Virgin Unite
Virgin Unite is the working name of The Virgin Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group. Created by Richard Branson and Virgin employees in September 2004, Virgin Unite pools volunteering efforts from across the Virgin Group and its hundreds of subsidiaries and associated companies to grow the efforts of smaller grassroots charitable organizations. Partnered with more than a dozen charities worldwide the company also provides a resource through the Internet by serving as an online donation centre for those wanting to contribute.
Company type
The Healthcare Foundation (1987)
London, England (2004)
Worldwide, including
Great Britain
South Africa
United States
Australia
Canada
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman
Jean Oelwang, CEO & Managing Director
Natalie Imbruglia, Ambassador
20+ full time staff members[1]
The Virgin Foundation
The primary aims of the foundation are to make sustainable change through economic development towards tough social and environmental issues. These include addressing the issue of delivering healthcare to rural parts of Africa. Branson and Virgin underwrite all the operating costs of the organization, so 100% of contributions can be applied towards causes.[2]
History[edit]
Parent charitable organizations – 1987[edit]
AIDS was first recognized on June 5, 1981. In 1986, it was reported that three to five million Americans would be HIV positive and one million would be dead of AIDS by 1996.[3] In response to such reports, Virgin incorporated a charitable group called The Healthcare Foundation on August 3, 1987, to provide research in and education about AIDS.[4] In July 1988, the foundation's charitable objectives expanded to include the relief of poverty and the relief of disabled persons from their disabilities.[4]
Virgin Unite – 2004[edit]
In 2003, the foundation sought to determine what others thought it should focus on.[5] After spending six months speaking with social issues groups, Virgin Group suppliers and partners, and numerous Virgin staff members in South Africa, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, the organization concluded that many people and companies were deterred from participating in philanthropic activities by the complexities of the charity sector.[5] The foundation sought then to use the Virgin Group's corporate and organizational experience to identify the best practices in this sector and to facilitate the entry of new participants.
Between 1987 and 2004, Virgin Unite operated first as The Healthcare Foundation and then The Virgin Healthcare Foundation.[4] In mid-September 2004, Virgin established the subsidiary The Virgin Foundation doing business as Virgin Unite in the United Kingdom to coordinate all Virgin's worldwide charitable ventures. Citing the spread of HIV in Africa and the twin problems of malaria and malnutrition as the first priority issues, Branson explained his reasoning behind Virgin Unite:
Activities[edit]
The foundation is involved in several activities, including to end obstetric fistula.[13] It has also been involved in youth AIDS awareness campaign,[14] and helped organize a clothing drive for homeless and at-risk youth at Virgin Megastores in cooperation with the charity StandUp For Kids.[2] A main activity of Virgin Unite is to raise money and awareness to help defeat on a global scale what the foundation refers to as The Big 3: AIDS, HIV, and malaria/tuberculosis.[15] In the United States, Virgin Unite is focusing on global warming and rehabilitating homeless children.[16]
Since 2007, Virgin Unite has held the Rock the Kasbah gala in Los Angeles each year to raise funds for their programs. Rock the Kasbah is their only US fundraising event.[17]
Joe Polish, who helped raise over $3 million for Virgin Unite, was the inaugural winner of Sir Richard and Virgin Unite's One in a Million Award, which Polish received at the 2009 Rock the Kasbah Gala.[18][19] In 2010, Virgin Unite recognised Polish as their first “Entrepreneur of the Quarter”.[20]