The Charity CEO Podcast

“It was thanks to this country that lots of those rights and protections that exist for refugees are in place … but now… you get that sense in lots of parts of the world, frankly, that the UK isn’t playing the active role that it has played historically.”The International Rescue Committee is a global organisation that helps people affected by humanitarian crises. The IRC supports people who have been caught in conflict and been forced to flee their homes, enabling them to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. Founded at the call of Albert Einstein in 1933, the IRC today works in over 40 crisis-affected countries, as well as with communities across Europe and the Americas.Laura Kyrke-Smith is the Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee in the UK. We talk about the current global context for refugees - 108 million people forcibly displaced around the world. Contrary to popular opinion, the vast majority of these displaced people are not in the wealthy countries in the Global North, but are either within their own country or within a neighbouring country, often also a low and middle income country. We discuss the UK’s Illegal Migration Bill, which seeks to remove the right to asylum - a stance that is in stark contrast to Britain’s position back in 1951, as one of the original drafters of the Refugee Convention. And how today, Britain’s standing on the international humanitarian stage is sadly not, what it once was.  Recorded June 2023. Guest BiographyLaura Kyrke-Smith is the Executive Director of the International Rescue Committee in the UK.  She leads IRC’s work to raise funds, raise awareness, and deliver policy and practice change to help people who are caught up in conflict and disaster to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. Laura has been with IRC since 2016 as the IRC’s Director of Communications in Europe. Before joining IRC, Laura was a Partner at Portland Communications. She started her career in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where she worked as a policy analyst and speechwriter. Laura has a MSc in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a MA in History from the University of Cambridge.Linkshttps://www.rescue.org/uk 

“Deceptively simple, but devastatingly effective”This is how Ruth Marvel, Chief Executive of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the UK, describes the Award. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was started by His Royal Highness the late Prince Philip in 1956 to provide young men with development opportunities to acquire self-confidence, gain a sense of purpose and help them become well-rounded citizens.  Today, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or DofE provides an experiential learning framework that is open to all young people age 14 to 24, supporting them to learn new skills, overcome obstacles, and build confidence and resilience.Ruth shares how the organisation has changed over the years, and we explore their current strategy to enable one million young people to participate in the life-changing programmes, with particular focus on providing access to those who experience marginalisation. With a third of young people in the UK leaving school feeling like they are failing, we talk about the current context for young people, and what skills, outside of formal education, they need to really thrive in today’s world. Ruth also shares reflections on the discipline of leadership in the voluntary sector and how as leaders, we constantly need to question whether we are delivering our missions in the most effective way.  Recorded June 2023. Guest BiographyRuth Marvel is the CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) in the UK. The DofE exists to help young people build a life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had.Ruth is passionate about social justice and she has a particular interest in advancing opportunities for young people, social innovation and the power of collaboration and design thinking to solve social problems. Since joining DofE in 2019, Ruth has led the development of a new organisational strategy which aims to give a million young people, especially the most marginalised, a life-changing DofE experience by 2026.Before joining DofE, Ruth was Acting CEO at Girlguiding, which is the largest organisation of girls and young women in the UK and supports 400,000 young members to build their skills and confidence, have fun and be heard on the issues they care about. Prior to that, Ruth was Director of Strategy and Innovation at the disability charity Scope, where she led on organisational strategy, innovation and co-designing services with disabled people and their families. Ruth started her career as a campaigns officer at Scope, working to strengthen Disability Rights legislation.Ruth is a Trustee of GoodGym, and a Fellow of the Clore Social Leadership Programme.Linkshttps://www.dofe.org/ 

Mark Russell, CEO of The Children's Society, discusses the fight for hope and happiness for young people in the UK, exploring topics such as the UK government's Illegal Migration Bill and the low well-being rates of British children. He sets out the goal of overturning the decline in children's well-being by 2030 and emphasizes the importance of investing in children's emotional and mental health. The chapter descriptions include the origins of The Children's Society, advice for becoming a CEO, the role of volunteers, and the need for a society that prioritizes children's well-being.

“We have won the war on climate denial… (but) we cannot underestimate what an enormous fight this is… the climate movement being mainstream doesn’t mean we have the power to make change happen yet.”In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with not one, but two impressive non-profit leaders: Areeba Hamid and Will McCallum, co-Executive Directors of Greenpeace UK. What's unique about Areeba and Will is that together they have shattered several barriers in their leadership roles. Areeba is the first woman and person of colour to lead Greenpeace UK, and, they are the first duo to assume this position. We dive into the essential role that Greenpeace continues to play in today's world, where the climate movement has become mainstream, and how their work continues to influence policy and drive social change. We explore the co-leadership model that Areeba and Will have adopted, discovering what makes it work and how they navigate conflicts. They also share valuable advice for other charity leaders and organisations who may be contemplating this approach.  Recorded April 2023. Guest BiographiesAreeba Hamid is co-Executive Director of Greenpeace UK. Areeba has worked at senior levels in Greenpeace offices around the world from 2006-2020, campaigning on issues like marine conservation, coal expansion in India, rainforest destruction in Indonesia, and tar sands in Canada and North America. Areeba re-joined Greenpeace UK from The Sunrise Project, where she led their global finance program. She is also a board member of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. Born in India, she will be the first woman and first person of colour to lead Greenpeace in the UK.Will McCallum is co-Executive Director of Greenpeace UK. Prior to this, he was Head of Oceans at Greenpeace UK from 2015-22. Will led campaigns on sustainable fisheries, including working alongside low impact fishing communities. He founded and led the international 30x30 campaign geared to create ocean sanctuaries in international and national waters. Before that, he oversaw the launch of Greenpeace UK’s first campaigns on plastic, helping reshape the global conversation about plastic waste away from litter to being one about reducing production. He is the author of the book, How to Give Up Plastic, which has been translated into 12 languages.Linkshttps://www.greenpeace.org.uk/   

“Gift Aid, yes people know about it (but) they still dont understand it… there is about £750m unclaimed in Gift Aid every year, split between smaller charities unable to claim or dont have the skills to do it and higher rate tax-payers not really understanding … how they could be claiming an additional 25% on the gross (donation) in their tax returns.”Our guest today is Anna Josse, Founder and CEO of Prism the Gift Fund. Prism is a UK-based charity that is changing the face of philanthropy. Prism’s mission is to increase the flow of funds into the charitable sector, through creating efficiencies in the process of giving. Prism offers a unique and straight-forward alternative to setting up a charitable foundation, enabling donors to give tax-efficiently without the administrative hassle. Since its inception in 2005, Prism has facilitated over £550m in donations to thousands of charities across the world.In this episode, we dive into the different services offered by Prism, including Donor Advised Funds and Collective Funds. We explore how their innovative approach is revolutionising mid to high level giving in the UK, and also discuss the rise of the Philanthropy Paradox.Anna shares her insights on how the UK charity sector can learn from the American approach to philanthropy, as well as her vision for making philanthropy accessible to all.  Recorded February 2023. Guest BiographyAnna Josse is the Founder and CEO of Prism the Gift Fund (Prism). Prism’s aim is to increase the flow of funds into the charity sector. Previously, she worked in the high-tech industry and set up the Yazam EU office as Director of Investor Relations and set up and ran the British arm of a USA based charity, the New Israel Fund. Anna also acts as a trustee and advisor for several charities. She is the director and shareholder of the financial services company Regent Capital that specialises in investment products and services to UK-based HNW investorsLinkshttps://prismthegiftfund.co.uk/  This episode is sponsored by Society https://www.society-search.com/ 

“Creating One VisionSpring is anchored in what we do, so our mission and our social enterprise models, and its anchored in how we do it, and that is in the values that are at the heart of our teamwork… I cant emphasise enough how much values are critical to our success.”There are over a billion people in the world who don’t have the eye-glasses they need. VisionSpring is a non-profit that provides affordable eyeglasses to people in need. The organisation aims to improve the lives of people, particularly in low income settings, by increasing access to eyeglasses.With partnerships in over 43 countries they are on a mission to make the wonder of clear vision possible for everyone.My guest today is Ella Gudwin, CEO of VisionSpring. Under Ella’s leadership, VisionSpring has tripled its impact, selling over 10 million affordable eyeglasses in emerging and frontier markets.Ella talks about how eyeglasses improve daily functioning, productivity and earning potential, creating a greater likelihood of a pathway out of poverty. We discuss hybrid business models, Board dynamics, mentoring and developing organisational values. Ella shares her insights on taking over from a Founder and what it means to have received a transformational $15m gift from Mackenzie Scott.Recorded February 2022. Guest BiographyElla Gudwin is CEO of the social enterprise VisionSpring, which accelerates the uptake of eyeglasses among people who live on less than $4 a day. Under Ella's leadership, VisionSpring will correct the vision of 10 million low-income adults and children, unlocking $2.16 billion in income earning potential at the household level. Ella is a global health strategist with more than 20 years of experience. Her passions for social justice and economic development took root while living and working in Indonesia during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the ensuing people power revolution. Prior to joining VisionSpring, Ella served as senior vice president of strategy and programme development at the global health and emergency response organization, AmeriCares. Ella has also led humanitarian operations as vice president of emergency response, and managed access to medicine and other health interventions in ten countries as director of Asia and Eurasia partnerships. Previously, Ella served as the head of foreign government and board relations at the Population Council, focused on reproductive health, youth, and poverty. Ella regularly speaks about hybrid business models that blend earned revenue with philanthropy; growing a purpose-driven business; and measuring social impact. She has shared views with audiences of NPR/PRI, Forbes, The Guardian, Fortune, Skoll World Forum, SoCap, Duke, MIT, Stanford, Princeton and Yale universities, and the Clinton Global Initiative among others. Ella earned a Masters degree in Emerging Market Economics and Southeast Asia studies from SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelors from Vassar College. Ella is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Ella and her daughter enjoy getting out of the city for walks in the woods.Linkshttps://visionspring.org/https://www.unlockherpotential.com https://www.thegirlsnetwork.org.uk/

There are 8 million people affected by human trafficking in India every year, and over 50 million globally. According to the UN, 79% of human trafficking is for sexual exploitation and 20% of all trafficking victims are children. Adventure Ashram is a small but mighty charity that is looking to change this!Driven by a spirit of adventure and freedom, the Adventure Ashram focuses on supporting grassroots anti-trafficking and education projects in South India. In this episode I speak with their CEO, Siobhan McCarthy Morton.Adventure Ashram’s Vision is a world without injustice, in which all people can enjoy their rights, their self-determination and their freedom.We talk about Adventure Ashram’s partnership delivery model, and Siobhan tells us about mobilising for their iconic Yoga Stops Traffick global event, with a team of just 3, showcasing the power of collective action.Siobhan also sounds a rallying cry for the value and importance of small charities, with a reminder that all charities, no matter how large or small, are made up of a community of people who care deeply about a cause, and this, is what makes them powerful change-makers.Recorded December 2022. Guest BiographySiobhan McCarthy Morton is the CEO of Adventure Ashram, a small charity currently supporting  grassroots projects in India, with a focus on anti-trafficking, education and accessible health care. Founded by an adventurous group of motor bikers in 2007, the charity has raised over £1.5 million to date, and helped thousands of women and children access freedom and opportunities.  Siobhan joined Adventure Ashram in 2022, having previously spent six years at the children’s heart charity ECHO, initially as their Communications and Volunteering Manager before being promoted to Head of Operations. Prior to that Siobhan was Head of Marketing at the grant-making organisation, The Freemasons’ Grand Charity. Siobhan is also a Trustee at Women’s Aid in Luton because she believes that all women and children should be able to choose their path in life, free from harm.  Siobhan is currently studying for a Master’s in Voluntary Sector Management at Bayes Business School and lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two young sons.  Linkshttps://www.adventureashram.org/ https://yogastopstraffick.org/ https://www.adventureashram.org/karma-curry-feb-2023 

“What we have learned throughout the years of running the Big Give… is that Match Funding is a great way to get more people to give, and people to give more.”The Big Give is the UK’s leading online match funding platform. The Big Give Christmas Challenge took place from the 29th of November to the 6th of December 2022 and in that one week, raised £28.6m for over 1,000 charities across the UK.With more than £233m raised to date, the Big Give has been a huge enabler of digital fundraising through Match Funding. With the strap line “Matching Donations, Multiplying Impact”, they are in essence, a Generosity Multiplier. In this episode I speak with the Big Give’s Managing Director, Alex Day, about how the Big Give came into being, its plans for the future, and tech as an enabler for social good. Alex also shares how through a focus on building resilience, skills and profile for charities, and amplifying the campaign’s messaging, they have enabled 92% of participating organisations to reach new supporters bringing in a third of the overall donations. Charity fundraisers, listen to find out about the Big Give’s campaigns that are launching this year and how your charity could benefit. Recorded December 2022.Guest BiographyThe Big Give is the UK's biggest digital match funding platform which has raised over £233m for not-for-profit organisations since 2008. Alex Day joined the Big Give as Managing Director in 2015. During his tenure, Alex has has grown the size and impact of the Big Give's flagship campaign, the Christmas Challenge, from £7.2m raised for 258 charities in 2015, to £28.6m raised for 1,021 charities in 2022. He has also led on a number of high profile match funding campaigns, including raising £2.6m following the Grenfell Tower Fire.Alex has spent the majority of his career in the not-for-profit sector. He has worked for a number of international development and humanitarian NGO's including Tearfund and Medair. Alex holds a BA Hons in Business and Geography from Exeter University and an MA in Charity Management from St Mary's University, which included a thesis entitled 'Impact Bonds: The future of disaster resilience funding'. He is Vice-Chair of Excellent Development, an international development charity specialising in water conservation, and lives in Surrey with his wife and young son. Linkshttps://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/ 

“In a way what we are doing, is we’re engineering social and cultural capital for those who don’t have it… that’s what mentoring is”In this episode we explore a new format for the show. Two charity CEOs having a panel discussion on the topic of mentoring: Bejal Shah, CEO of ReachOut and Verena Hefti, Founder and CEO of Leaders Plus.ReachOut is a mentoring and education charity, rooted in local communities. Working in under-resourced areas across the UK, ReachOut’s programmes support young people to grow in character and confidence, sparking change in themselves and society.Leaders Plus is a social enterprise working with individuals during maternity leave, shared parental leave and beyond, to progress in their careers whilst enjoying their young families. The Leaders Plus flagship Fellowship programme support parents to progress in big careers whilst juggling small children.We talk about the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of mentoring, how it applies to different age-groups and how each organisation measures that all important evidence of impact. And above all, how the experience of mentoring can have a transformational impact on an individual’s life and career trajectory. Recorded September 2022. Guest Biographies Bejal Shah is the CEO of ReachOut, a mentoring charity working in under-resourced communities to support young people to grow in character and confidence to achieve positive long-term outcomes. After leaving university, Bejal was determined to make a positive contribution to society and joined Explore Learning in 2009, forging a career in front-line education work. Following this she joined ReachOut in 2017 to head up their programmes nationwide, becoming the CEO in 2021. Bejal is passionate about supporting young people to be the best versions of themselves, helping them develop the tools to make decisions that benefit themselves and those around them, and achieve their full potential.Verena Hefti MBE is the CEO and Founder of the social enterprise Leaders Plus. She set up Leaders Plus in order to support leaders with babies and young children to continue to progress their careers. Verena believes that no one should have to choose between becoming a CEO and enjoying their young children. She stands for supporting parents to fulfil ambitious career dreams which she believes is essential to achieving gender equality at the top. Verena is also the host of the Big Careers, Small Children podcast.Previous to Leaders Plus, Verena ran leadership development programmes and events for 10 years in Switzerland, Denmark, and the UK, working with various organisations, including Teach First.Verena is from Switzerland and has MA in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester. She was awarded the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award and an MBE for services to working parents in 2022.Linkshttps://www.reachoutuk.org/https://www.leadersplus.org.uk/ 

“No child should die from hunger… we have the treatment… this treatment has 95% cure rate… and (yet) only 20% of the severely malnourished children in the world have access to this (life-saving) treatment”In a world where enough food is produced to feed everyone on earth, how is it that nearly 3 billion people - over a third of the world’s population - can’t get the food that they need to survive!Jean-Michel Grand, CEO of Action Against Hunger UK, shares his views on what is driving this global humanitarian crisis of hunger and what action needs to be taken to resolve it.We talk about crises in Africa, Pakistan, Ukraine and also Action Against Hunger’s programmes right here in the UK, developed in response to an increase in food poverty and food insecurity for millions of UK households.Jean-Michel lays down the challenge to the UK’s newly elected Prime Minister to put the UK’s international aid spending back up to 0.7% and to reclaim Britain’s position of influence on the global stage. He also shares some powerful leadership lessons learned over 20 years of being a CEO.Recorded September 2022. Guest Biography  Jean-Michel Grand has been the CEO of Action Against Hunger UK since 2003. He started his career in the humanitarian sector in 1994, as a logistician during the Bosnian war where he worked for two years before being deployed to mostly conflict and drought related humanitarian crises. He spent the subsequent six years in Chechnya, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Malawi and Zimbabwe, working for Action Against Hunger.  Jean-Michel represents Action Against Hunger UK on the International Executive Committee of the organisation’s International Network (which is present in over 50 countries). He was a Board member of VOICE,  the network of European Humanitarian NGOs and is currently part of the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) Board, as an agency member. He has also been part of the CEOs' “Sounding board” on effective management hosted by Bain and Company since 2006, and is a Director of ACFIN trademark licensing company. Over the past three decades, Jean-Michel has dedicated most of his efforts to addressing child undernutrition around the world and helping populations affected by humanitarian crises.  Linkshttps://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/