Should the City Give More To Good Causes?
Influentials Debates
The Evening Standard is proud to announce the launch of a series of London Influentials Debates in association with YouGovStone.
Wednesday 12th December '07
Should the City Give More to Good Causes?
This debate was held at the Tate Modern. Guest speakers were Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Will Self, Camila Batmanghelidjh, John Studzinski and Arpad A Busson. Chaired by Chris Blackhurst.
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Video clips from the debate
Introduction to the Influentials Debate: Should the City Give More to Good Causes?
Introduced by Veronica Wadley, Evening Standard Editor - includes a background to : the debates, this year's Christmas Appeal and the Evening Standard's Charity Auction. Plus, an introduction to the panel by Chris Blackhurst, City Editor of the Evening Standard
Panel consists of : Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach - Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs International; Will Self - Author and Evening Standard columnist;
Camila Batmanghelidjh - Executive Director, Kids Company; John Studzinski - Senior MD and Global Head of the Corporate and Mergers and
Acquisitions Advisory Group of the Blackstone Group; Arki Busson - Chairman EIM Ltd and ARK.
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Question from audience member Teresa Lloyd (author of ‘Why Rich People Give’). How can we make the City give more to good causes and what are the constraints? Response by panel members Lord Griffiths and John Studzinski including comment on: engaging individuals who do not have a background of philanthropy, participation of employers, providing a framework for philanthropy, programmes of matching gifts, building connections with charities, mentoring programmes, corporate social responsibility, value shifts in the city, passion and impact, chequebook philanthropy and the culture of giving.
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Further response to Teresa Lloyd’s question by Will Self, Arki Busson and Camila Batmanghelidjh.Includes comment on: living in a culture where giving is not a given, secular society, religious precepts and morality, the autonomy of the individual to give, accountability and transparency, making the proposition attractive to the donor, re-channelling wealth to make a difference, the confused attitudes towards charities, partnership and respect, social care problems and building a proposition that includes a psychological model.
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Question from audience member Mike Dixon (founder of Whizz Kidz). How does the panel suggest that we can encourage a generosity of spirit in the city? Response from Will Self and John Studzinski. Comment includes: celebrity and the culture of giving, skewed dominate models, paradigms of giving, social responsibility, finding mechanisms, the face of humanity and dignity, dealing with giving at a human/client level and the benefit of being involved and investing time.
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Question from audience member. Does the panel have any ideas on how to get more attention on the human experiences of charity and less to the amount of money that is given? Response from Lord Griffiths, including comment on: inequalities in society, caring for other people, the climate of giving and facing the reality of emotional encounters.
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Question from audience member Guido Babarto. Does the panel think that there should be a political desire to help foster a more philanthropic attitude from big business? Response from Will Self including comment on: the nature of corporate business, knowing where your money is going and the National Lottery.
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Question from audience member. Would corporations be willing to change the business models to allow employees to engage in philanthropy? Response from Lord Griffiths including comment on: humility, the challenge of encouraging people to give their time and chequebook charity.
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Question from audience member. In relation to the ownership of academies, does the panel think that public property should be given over to private investors? Arki Busson and Camila Batmanghelidjh respond. Comment includes: partnerships with academies, inner city children, the mandate of trying to make a difference, accountability and measurability, widening the teaching model, problems with learning, educational outcomes and social health care.
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Question from audience member Milly Pachowick. What does the panel think putting a cap on the amount of money that an individual can take home? Response from John Studzinski, Will Self and Lord Griffiths. Comment includes: the historical context of giving, concepts of charity, value systems, progressive taxation, the new age of greed, old political paradigms, the globalised world, growing inequality, materialism and an unsustainable society.
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Comment from audience member. Charities are becoming more sophisticated about getting money, but tragically it’s costing more money. Camila Batmanghelidjh and John Studzinski respond. Comment includes: kindness being undervalued, models of social care being at the bottom of the pile, economic and emotional prosperity, human beings as commodities, resource allocation and merging charities.
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Question from audience member James Partridge, founder of ‘Changing Faces’.How can charities help the city to give more to good causes? Comment includes: educating the donor base and respect for humanity.
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Question from audience member Lindsey Hoy-Miller. What can the government do to help encourage corporate philanthropy? Lord Griffiths and John Studzinski respond. Comment includes: reforms on charitable giving, tax incentives, teaching volunteerism in schools and the building blocks of charity.
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Question from audience member regarding Romanian orphans. Response from Arki Busson including comment on opening homes for children.
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Each panel member gives their final response to the question of the debate ‘Should the City give more to good causes?’. Comments include: giving with a genuine spirit, taking the world as it is, encouraging people to give, education, tax and the culture of making money.
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