For Good Causes – the UK-based fin-tech company – today officially launches its innovative new scheme which is set to transform the way consumers and retailers donate to charity.For several years UK charities have been under increasing pressure as demand for their services rise, at a time when fundraising is impacted on many fronts. Now as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, charities are forecasting a 48% decline in voluntary donations despite a 43% increase in demand, according to research by the Institute of Fundraising.
Following a successful pilot, For Good Causes is pleased to announce new brands are joining the service, allowing more consumers to give generously to their chosen charity without spending a penny, by converting their loyalty points and rewards into a digital monetary donation. It’s a new currency for giving.
For Good Causes is the world’s first charitable ecosystem working to create a brand-new income stream for UK registered charities as a response to the ongoing fundraising challenge. The platform unites hundreds of brands and retailers with more than 20,000 charities, enabling millions of consumers to donate their loyalty and reward points to causes that are close to their heart.
Crispin Rogers, CEO of For Good Causes, says: “On average we have around 6 loyalty cards each in the UK and more than half of us don’t use all our points and rewards. This means over £7bn worth of unused rewards are sitting around doing nothing, whilst millions more are being earned every day. Imagine if we could recycle just some of that value and turn it into a force for good, helping UK charities continue their amazing work.”
“We’re on a mission to raise £500m for UK charities over the next 5 years and £5bn internationally. Consumers of all ages love the idea of donating their rewards to a charity of choice, but it resonates particularly strongly with younger generations. Recent research conducted by KPMG showed 61% of millennials would actually prefer to donate their rewards to good causes than redeem them for personal use. And increasingly we are talking to brands who want to enable customers to do both – take some personal benefit, whilst also doing good and supporting others.” Joining the For Good Causes platform today are:
• BP, with 1,200 forecourts across the UK
• The Koin Rewards App with brands like Neals Yard, Able & Cole, Ecotricity, Elvis & Kresse and 40 other eco-friendly and sustainable merchants
• Rakuten which enables consumers to shop and earn rewards at many high street brands like Morrisons, House of Fraser, Curry’s, B&Q, Superdrug, Monsoon, SuperDry, Ted Baker and many others through Rakuten.co.uk and with Rakuten TV which lets users stream the latest movie releases and TV series.
Louise Jackson, Loyalty Manager at BP, says: “BPme Rewards gives BP customers the chance to earn points on fuel and in-store purchases. We are delighted that our customers can now choose to use their rewards to support causes that are close to their hearts and their communities.”
James Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Koin Rewards, adds: “Working with For Good Causes allows us to empower our members to use their Koin digital currency, earned whenever they shop at one of our ethical, responsible and sustainable online merchants. They can then do more good by helping others, whether an international NGO or a local community charity.”
Toby Otsuka, CEO of Rakuten Europe, says: “In these uncertain times, charities need our support more than ever. By joining forces with For Good Causes, we can encourage Rakuten members to stay generous and make a big difference by redeeming their Rakuten Points at Rakuten.co.uk in exchange for a donation to the charities they care about most passionately.”
These new brands join existing partners such as Vodafone, Quidco and Pure Planet that are already Empowering Generosity™. Vodafone customers have donated their rewards to more than 1,750 different charities via the For Good Causes platform; proof-positive that when given the choice, consumers want to support the charity that is close to their heart or close to their home.
Beyond consumer loyalty programmes, For Good Causes is also being used by brands who wish to embed generosity into their broader marketing and customer engagement strategies as well as those focused on business users such as Yulife, Reachdesk, GiftCloud, WeGift, Tillo, MLP and TLC.
Mike Brinn, Global Loyalty Director at TLC, says: “When offered personalised rewards we see member engagement increase dramatically. The choice that For Good Causes gives them, coupled with the charity feel-good factor, will enhance the emotional element that all progressive loyalty programmes must deliver on today. We are therefore very excited to be able to work with For Good Causes and offer this approach to our clients.”
Charity Partners participating in the launch include Macmillan Cancer Support, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Combat Stress and The Trussell Trust.
“We are absolutely delighted that some of the UK’s biggest and best-loved charities have chosen to partner with us. Their support in helping to create consumer awareness of this new way to give is vital,” said Wendy Martin, Chief Marketing Officer at For Good Causes. “We’re also working to ensure thousands of small charities, who play a pivotal role in our society and equally need access to new funds, can also participate.”
Oliver Lashbrook, Macmillan Cancer Support, says: “Macmillan is funded almost entirely from voluntary donations. That’s why we are excited to have partnered up with For Good Causes. With this new way of giving, Macmillan will be able to continue being there for people living with cancer when they need us most.”
Sue Freeth, Chief Executive at Combat Stress, adds: “We are 90% dependent on public donations to deliver our life-changing and life-saving services to former servicemen and women across the UK with complex mental health problems. The cancellation of crucial fundraising events during this pandemic has impacted our ability to support veterans, so we’re delighted to be partnering with this fantastic initiative that has come at a critical time for charities.”
Adrian Adams, Interim Head of Public Fundraising at The Trussell Trust, says: “The Trussell Trust is delighted to be partnering with For Good Causes on this ground-breaking initiative. It offers our supporters a new and easy option through which to support the work of the Trussell Trust foodbank network.”
Louise Parkes, Chief Executive at GOSH Charity, said: “Now more than ever, we are relying on the generosity of our supporters to be able to continue supporting the hospital to deliver the very best care to seriously ill children from across the UK. Making it easy for people to donate by using rewards they’ve earned in their daily lives is a fantastic way of raising vital funds, and we’re thrilled to be one of the charities involved in this initiative.”
Kevin Smith (Head of KPMG Private Enterprise for EMEA and Global Co-Chair of KPMG’s Emerging Giants Centre of Excellence) added: “For Good Causes was shortlisted in our 2020 British Tech Pioneer competition for using technology to produce a simple and convenient way for consumers to donate funds to charities without having to dig into their own finances. The team are running hard to keep up with a surge in demand and it’s brilliant to see them going from strength to strength with a number of new corporate clients at a time when Britain is coming together like never before to support each other.”
“It’s a win-win-win,” concluded Rogers. “Consumers love the idea of supporting a cause they care about without having to put their hand in their pocket. Brands value the ability to offer an emotionally engaging, personalised and digital reward, and charities benefit from access to a brand-new income stream. We invite more brands to join our movement to empower and enable generosity.”
Visit https://www.forgoodcauses.org/ for more information and a full list of charities and brands that are onboard.
Contact Little Red PR fgc@littleredpr.co.uk 07506 756 914
