Virgin Unite

Did you know that 1 in 6 adults in the UK have some form of criminal record? For many, minor past offences still impact their lives, through lack of job opportunities, housing rights, and more. FairChecks is pushing for a change in the outdated criminal records disclosure system. We support this movement for a fairer future: https://virg.in/3zSfOiU 

Since Hurricane Beryl struck on July 4, it has devastated several pockets of the Caribbean, destroying thousands of homes across Jamaica, St Vincent, and the Grenadines.   The first major hurricane of the Atlantic season, Beryl took only 42 hours to intensify from a tropical depression to a major hurricane – a rapid intensification that has only been recorded six other times in Atlantic hurricane history.   Power outages and severe infrastructure damage was recorded in Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.   Virgin Unite and the Virgin Group are committed to supporting communities in the Caribbean and have been working with partners, including Fauna & Flora , to provide care for those affected in the most effective and sustainable way.   Beyond donating to the Canadian Red Cross, Virgin Unite is supporting the Union Island Environmental Alliance (UIEA), an organisation at the heart of the conservation efforts in the Caribbean. The UIEA team is working tirelessly on several rebuild efforts and if you’re able, more help is still urgently needed.   To learn more about the response work and how you can help visit the Hurricane Beryl Appeal page to learn more: https://lnkd.in/eSDgWjka

Richard Branson shares his thoughts on the best way forward for Israel and Palestine. A Land for All. Here’s more: https://virg.in/4bVlmX6

This year, Virgin Unite is celebrating 20 years of collaboration and looking back at some of the incredible work it has been involved in with some great partners. In 2013, Virgin Unite partnered with Virgin Money, The Northern Rock Foundation and Project North East to run a pilot programme that provided funding for early-stage entrepreneurs. The project inspired the launch of Virgin StartUp, a not-for-profit organisation that exists to help founders across the UK to start up and thrive. Read more about 10 years of Virgin StartUp helping founders start, scale and grow their businesses: https://virg.in/46bOHvg

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and many more injured. Virgin Unite is proud to support The Superhumans Center as in awe of the work it does to provide lifesaving prosthetics and rehabilitation to so many brave Ukrainians wounded by war. We encourage everyone to learn more about this incredible organisation and to do what you can to support Superhuman’s lifesaving work: https://superhumans.com Olga Rudnieva Andrey Stavnitser

Virgin Unite's Local Legends is a £1 million fund to support community-based UK charities and we're looking forward to announcing the next round of selected charities soon! 

Congratulations to the incredible team at AKQA Bloom for winning a Silver Lion at Cannes for the design of the Planetary Guardians brand that uniquely “Listens to Earth” AKQA, alongside Aza Raskin and the team at the Earth Species Project, used AI to capture sounds from three natural systems – the Great Barrier Reef, the Amazon, and the sounds of the Arctic Tern, a bird that travels around 44,000 miles from pole to pole each year. The logos are more than intriguing visuals. They offer science in a uniquely creative format, becoming a tool that helps humanity be synchronised with the Earth. After all, our planet doesn’t need us to give it a voice; it needs us to listen. https://lnkd.in/g-g6iKtJ

"Problems that span generations require leadership that does too.” 🤝 Driven by this purpose, in 2023, our friends at We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) set out to explore obstacles and opportunities for heightened collaboration among generations. Virgin Unite is proud to be partnering with WAFF as a key champion of #IntergenerationalCollaboration and had the privilege of participating in the launch of this brand-new Global Study, produced in partnership with The Possibilists and WU (Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien) (Vienna University of Economics and Business) designed to share the results of their findings, case studies, and global recommendations that can be implemented by any organisation or individual. Want to learn more? Check out WAFF’s Global Study here: https://lnkd.in/dnJA_N2D

#Mission2025 is a high ambition coalition of leading businesses, mayors, investors, cultural leaders, health leaders, scientists, youth activists and civil society for 1.5°C-aligned outcomes at #COP30. Over the next 18 months there is a need for loud voices across the globe to showcase their support of collaborative momentum towards 1.5C. Join us on a decade-defining mission to secure the success of our economies and the well-being of our people and planet. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ekqx4bG2

#TheCranesCall, a documentary on the mission to secure accountability for war crimes in Ukraine, premiered at #Tribeca2024. The powerful film was made by HiddenLight Productions - congratulations to all the team.