Launched in May 2020, the Product Giving Alliance unites four charities, Charity Digital, FareShare, In Kind Direct and International Health Partners, to make supporting communities the easy option for companies, manufacturers and retailers. As Covid-19 took hold across the world, the Alliance has provided digital support and training, food, essential consumer goods and medical supplies worth almost £60m to charities in the UK and overseas already this year.
The Product Giving Alliance provides a single solution for any business wanting to use their goods and services to benefit society. First convened by In Kind Direct, together, Alliance members have provided digital support to 175,000 charity professionals, 36m meals, 3.5m medical treatments, and 5.9m handwashes since March.
Donations of food, medical supplies, hygiene and cleaning products, software and specialist support have never been more in demand for frontline charities. Research by Alliance members indicates this need will remain high in the aftermath of the crisis, when more people will face financial hardship, and charities will be under increased strain. The crisis has redefined “vulnerable” for many, and people will struggle this summer to manage tighter household budgets and keep loved ones safe, fed and connected. The need for charities and the practical support they provide has never been greater.
The Product Giving Alliance is formed of:
- Charity Digital, the UK’s only discounted and donated software platform which provides software services, telecoms, PC hardware and accessories to charities
- FareShare, the UK’s largest food redistribution charity, which supplies over 11,000 charities with surplus food from the food industry
- In Kind Direct, the leading UK charity providing life’s essentials including toiletries, cleaning products, clothes, toys and office supplies to charities working in the UK and overseas
- International Health Partners (IHP), which distributes donated medicines and health supplies to disaster hit and vulnerable communities worldwide
The Alliance exists to meet the needs of the voluntary sector, both during the coronavirus pandemic and in the longer term. It gives businesses confidence their donations will deliver measurable impact, incentivise staff, and bring environmental benefits including reducing waste.
The Alliance will hold its first virtual event in September, to lift the lid on the benefits for businesses, and the positive impact for communities when the corporate and charity sectors work together.
Alliance members are calling on businesses to make donating goods and services a key part of their sustainable development and recovery strategies:
“Donations of every type of product and service will help the charity sector weather this storm by saving money and providing essential supplies to those that really need them. We have made 280 connections with companies and are grateful for their support this year, recognising the benefits giving brings for everyone involved.
For those families, households and individuals that have struggled to access food, toiletries, medicine or technology during lockdown, the continued work of the thousands of charities the Product Giving Alliance supports is vital. We make donating easy for companies, as well as giving them the confidence that their stock can achieve real impact. We encourage more businesses to see what is possible and step up however they can.”
Jonathan Chevalier, Charity Digital CEO
Lindsay Boswell, FareShare CEO
Rosanne Gray, In Kind Direct CEO
Adele Paterson, International Health Partners CEO