Making the Difference Fund
We lead impactful partnerships with charities that change the lives of people within these communities and across wider society.
Tackling global challenges
Building on our existing local and regional charitable partnerships, our Making the Difference Fund aims to scale up our support to causes which cut across borders and generate new long-term, collaborative opportunities.
As the fund continues to grow, so will the size of our impact.
Supporting global communities
The provision of grants through the fund is complemented by our people actively engaging in opportunities to provide more direct assistance to the fund’s charity partners.
In addition to our ongoing local and regional charity partnerships, our Making the Difference Fund enables our business to support causes that are important to communities and the environment at a local level across all the global regions in which we operate.
Making the Difference through our collaborative charity partnerships
Partnership with Barefoot College International
Barefoot College International aims to create sustainable communities and empower women in rural areas across 93 countries. They do this by training women as solar engineers, entrepreneurs and educators through a variety of localised education and skill development programmes.
Its ‘Solar Mama’ ENRICHE programme is a transformative initiative that teaches women how to install and maintain solar technology, such as home lighting systems and lanterns. After completing their technical training, these ‘Solar Mamas’ bring light and clean energy security to their communities all while combating climate change, breaking down gender barriers and closing gaps.
Saving lives through safer environments with Build Change
Build Change works with communities and local governments to improve housing safety, promote disaster-resilient design and prevent future disasters. By retrofitting homes and schools, as well as training local builders and engineers, the charity uses innovative engineering to create life-changing impact.
With two decades of work in Colombia and over ten years in Indonesia, Build Change has empowered communities to proactively build climate-resilience through preventative home and school strengthening at scale.
Ensuring brighter futures with Railway Children
Railway Children is a lifeline for children who are most at risk. Through outreach workers, shelter support and long-term reintegration programmes, the charity reconnects children living on the streets with safe environments to reduce harm and build pathways to education, health and opportunities
Our support will enable Railway Children to provide meaningful interventions with more children, young people, their families and other carers to help tackle issues, reduce conflict and re-establish relationships.
Through our work with Railway Children, we’re helping to fund and expand outreach programmes in India, Tanzania and the UK that protect children in danger and and provide care that helps build stable, hopeful futures.
Aligning with our purpose
Our purpose of transforming performance for a green, inclusive and productive world applies to the communities in which we operate as much as it does to our work for our clients and charitable partners.
Through our Making the Difference Fund, we're committed to putting our purpose into action by targeting three key objectives:
- Support social mobility - unlocking opportunities for underrepresented groups in our industry.
- Disaster relief and recovery - helping relief efforts during and after man-made or natural disasters, as well as providing funds to support the long-term resilience of communities.
- Industry innovation - supporting research and technical advancements that will enable our industry to meet the challenges of tomorrow.