Each year the 5th September marks the International Day of Charity, as established by the UN General Assembly in 2012. The day is intended to “enhance and increase social responsibility amongst us all, solidarity and to increase the public’s support of charitable causes” as well as to provide a global platform for charity events and raise awareness.
The day itself was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the passing o
f Mother Teresa of
Calcutta – nun, missionary and founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity. The Order carried out endless humanitarian work including creating centres for the blind, aged and disabled, a leper colony and a hospice. In 2016, she was canonized as Saint Teresa of Calcutta after long being considered one of the 20th Century’s greatest humanitarians.
WHAT IS CHARITY?
The United Nations outline the benefits of charity as providing “real social bonding” and contributing to the “creation of inclusive and more resilient societies”.
Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalized and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.
United Nations
BUSINESS AND CHARITY
Businesses and charities have long been engaging in partnerships and with the increase of socially responsible business practices, this is rising. For many businesses, these relationships are key.
It is an ethical imperative for developers, in particular, and other business leaders to invest in the communities in which they wish to do business, with the goal of making those communities better places in which to live and work.
Katie Coates, Author
The type of charitable action that businesses can take varies from donations, to volunteering hours to fundraising and raising awareness of a particular cause. As with choosing charities to contribute to your personal life, choosing charitable partnerships in business are based on core values. The partnership should feel like a natural extension of the business.
In return for time and monetary donations, businesses also benefit from charitable partnerships. Strong, long-term relationships with businesses and individuals with real connections to yours are established and you professional reputation can also increase. The business can gain a deeper understanding into a community and provide a positive impact.
UNSEEN
In July 2018, Segura partnered with Unseen UK – a fantastic charity that is fighting for a world against slavery. Not only do Unseen run safehouses for men, women and children, they also provide outreach services for slavery victims reintegrating back into society.
Unseen is a charity which has been at the forefront of tackling Modern Slavery in the UK and the wider world for many years. Andrew Wallis OBE, Unseen’s CEO and his team were also instrumental in bringing the Modern Slavery Act 2015 into being. They worked tirelessly to ensure section 54 “Transparency in Supply Chains etc” of the act was adopted and it is this portion of the act in which Segura has such a big impact. By locking down supply chains, ensuring no unaudited rogue sources can be used by manufacturers, retailers can be confident that their finished goods have not been made by the hands of children or slaves.
Peter Needle, Segura CEO
MODERN SLAVERY HELPLINE
Unseen’s Modern Slavery Helpline provides supports and access to information to victims, the public, businesses and statutory agencies 24/7. Through the helpline, you can report potential occurrences of slavery and gain access to support and information.
The increase in contacts to the Helpline between January-June 2018, compared to the same period in 2017 is shown below:
- More than double the number of potential victims indicated: from over 1,500 in 2017, to more than 4,100 in 2018
- 80% increase in calls and online reports: over 1,500 in 2017, to more than 2,700 in 2018
- Double the number of modern slavery cases: from over 450 in 2017, to more than 920 in 2018
- 83% increase in referrals and signposts to law enforcement and other agencies: from over 870 in 2017, to more than 1590 in 2018
ANTI-SLAVERY APP
Together with BT, Unseen launched the anti-slavery app on World Trafficking Day (30thJuly) 2018 with the aim of making identifying and reporting suspicious behaviour easier. The app uses a variety of ways to relay information about modern slavery in different contexts.
We know increased awareness and action from the public is critical to turning the tide on modern slavery. The Unseen app makes it easier than ever to help people spot the signs and report concerns, because it’s there when you need it.
Eric Anderson, BT
The Unseen app is available to download on Google Play, App Store and Windows store now.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
If you’d like to get involved in the International Day of Charity, there’s plenty you could do. Volunteering is a great way to help out local charities, or if you’re struggling for time then why not donate to a worthwhile cause?
