100 executive volunteers pledge to support non-profit boards

By: 

Cheryl Chapman

Managing Editor, Philanthropy UK

One hundred of the world’s top industry leaders have this week signed up to ‘The Palindrome Pledge’: a public commitment to donate their skills and knowledge to the boardrooms of the global non-profit sector with the aim of addressing pressing business and management needs.

Palindrome Advisors' founder and chairman, entrepreneur, angel investor and philanthropist Zaw Thet says this new initiative “will disrupt the non-profit sector and create new, innovative ways for business leaders to contribute.”

The organisation will carefully match executive level leaders with non-profits to “fully realise the true potential of a group of experienced and talented for-profit leaders with a willingness to help”, explains Thet, who was inspired by his current entrepreneurial venture as CEO of 4INFO (one of the world’s largest mobile advertising platforms), his experience as a Soros Fellow at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, and by the Giving Pledge, the campaign designed by Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates which encourages billionaires to pledge a majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

The vision is that Palindrome Advisors will change the way leaders give back through a number of programmes, including but not limited to: serving on the board of a non-profit (the Palindrome Pledge), mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs, engaging in volunteering programs and nonprofit-based salons, and dedicating time and resources to building tools specifically for nonprofit partners.

Thet says: “Before Palindrome Advisors, there was no easy path for non-profits to find experienced leaders to help them at a board management level. A board role is not just about fundraising, but includes developing growth plans, operational efficiency, cause marketing, customer relationship management, event planning, and much more. Non-profits need help in these areas, and that is precisely why we created Palindrome.”

These 100 founding advisors have committed to serve on the board of a non-profit for at least one full year and to attend monthly ‘salons’ hosted around the world to share their experiences.

Scott Gallacher, a London based marketing professional who works with The Aston Group and previously Digitas, BSkyB and Ogilvy, and has been involved with supporting charities for a number of years, is among the founders, and he hopes the network will expand across the UK and Europe.

“This match-making model will make it much easier and quicker for professionals wishing to support non-profit organisations to connect with those to whom they can provide the greatest help and which connect with their own passions and skills. It will provide a more effective two-way experience and we believe will achieve greater impact for those volunteering and in turn for the recipient organisations.”

Gallacher explains that pledgees and non-profits fill out an extensive questionnaire detailing what they can offer, how much time they can give and what causes they are passionate about, with the aim of achieving the most effective match.

Once connected the advisor will be fully engaged with the organisations they support. “It’s not just a case of sitting on a board, making smart observations and then leaving people to it. We will be getting our hands dirty and be involved wherever we feel we can make a difference,” says Gallacher, whose personal reasons for taking part include being inspired by his family.

“My family all do worthy jobs and give something back and this is my way of being able to do that. Giving brings great rewards and there is nothing wrong in enjoying that.”

Each of the advisors have committed money as well as time to become part of the initiative which is used to help fund Palindrome Advisors, though Thet is the major funder.

The 100 founding advisors includes a diverse set of leaders in different industry sectors and locations, coming from companies such as Google, the San Francisco 49ers, Twitter, Playdom, 4INFO, and Facebook and from locations like London, New Zealand, Pakistan, San Francisco, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Ben Paul, executive director of After-School All-Stars, and one of Palindrome’s first non-profit partners, described Palindrome as ‘a dream come true’ for the non-profit landscape. “It allows non-profits to interact not just with the industry’s best talent but also with the technology, culture and innovation that comes with that talent.”

Peter Kim, executive director of the Glow Foundation, another Palindrome non-profit partner, said: "Palindrome creates a forum for young leaders to give back now, before they retire, to serve on non-profit boards and create positive social impact during (as opposed to after) their careers."

Professionals interested in becoming a Palindrome Advisor and taking the Palindrome Pledge can contact Anna Khan: pledge@palindromeadvisors.org. Non-profit organisations interested in having a Palindrome Advisor on their board should contact Charlaine Moore: partners@palindromeadvisors.org