What is Virgin Unite?
Virgin Unite is the not for profit foundation of the
Virgin Group, founded by
Richard Branson and headed up by CEO Jean Oelwang. We’re all about getting the right people together with the right ideas (and a little entrepreneurial magic) to help build a better world for everyone. We believe it’s time for a revolution – a good one that is!
Staying in touch with Virgin Unite?
You can stay in touch with all our latest news by signing up to our newsletter or by joining the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow:
@virginunite /
@jeanoelwang
Like:
facebook/virginunite
Making a donation to Virgin Unite
Virgin Unite’s overheads are covered by Sir Richard Branson and the Virgin Group, meaning that 100% of all donations go direct to the frontline where they are needed most.
There are a number of ways that you can make a donation:
Online donation
You can make an
online donation with us at any time online. Don’t forget if you’re in the UK to tick the Gift Aid box!
Cheque
Please send a cheque made payable to Virgin Unite to:
Virgin Unite,
50 Brook Green,
London,
W6 7RR
If there is a specific Virgin Unite initiative you’d like your donation to go to, please indicate.
Bank transfer
If you wish to make a bank transfer our details are:
Bank: Lloyds TSB
Account Name: Virgin Foundation
Sort code: 300002
Account No: 01250340
Please make sure you email us, marking the subject of the email ‘Donation’, and tell us where you would like the donation directed to.
Setting up a fundraiser
If you’re feeling inspired and want to set up your own fundraiser in support of Virgin Unite or if you’re looking for a friend who’s fundraising on the Virgin Unite website then look no further… Visit our
fundraising page!
If you have any problems, setting up a fundraising page or finding a friend’s page, then feel free to
contact web help.
I can’t find the charity I want to donate to?
Donations via Virgin Unite’s website can be made to a select number of Virgin Unite campaigns. If you can't find the UK charity or cause you would like to fundraise for on Virgin Unite’s website, then head on over to
Virgin Money Giving.
I’m locked out of my account
Don’t worry, just let us know and we’ll have it fixed in no time!
Contact web help.
Can Virgin Unite support my charity?
We’d love to support all of the social activities and initiatives that our fantastic community are involved in, but the reality is, we’re a small team and until we invent a people-cloning machine, it’s just not possible! Right now, we are currently supporting a high number of Virgin businesses as well as our own initiatives and partners, which means we just don't have the resources to offer any additional support. We’re sorry to disappoint but wish you and your charity the best of luck.
I have a sponsorship request, I want a raffle prize, or tickets on the spaceship, or a free flight... Can Virgin Unite help?
While we’d love to be able to support your request to sponsor your amazing team or fantastic fundraising event or even offer a wonderful Virgin related prize, I’m afraid that at this time we are limited to supporting our own initiatives and partners. We do wish you the best of luck and really hope that you find the support you’re looking for.
Can I apply for a grant from Virgin Unite?
Unfortunately, we aren’t a grant-giving organisation. All of our activities are either linked to the Virgin Group or involve select partners with whom we leverage initial investments for significant impact. Sorry we can’t help more. But here are some great grant-giving
organisations that might be able to help you.
Working at Virgin Unite?
For current vacancies check out Virgin Group careers.
Interning at Virgin Unite?
Are you energetic, passionate and willing to get stuck in to make a real and lasting difference, and have some fun along the way (we are Virgin after all)? We have a number of year-round opportunities to volunteer or intern in our London and New York offices.
Send us your CV and tell us what you can bring to the table:
people@virginunite.co.uk
Ever wonder what Richard’s up to?
Keep up to date with all of Richard’s Virgin Unite adventures from campaigning to protect sharks, to his speaking events around the world to arguing the war on drugs hasn’t worked. There’s never a dull moment!
Follow:
@richardbranson
Like:
facebook/richardbranson
RB's blog:
http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog
Requesting Richard’s time
If you’re an organisation that would like to request Richard’s time to speak at an upcoming event then please get in touch.
Request Richards Time
Getting in touch with Virgin Unite
Hopefully you’ve found all the answers in our handy FAQs but if you have any specific queries relating to a complaint or compliment, or you are a staff member looking to get in touch with us then let us know.
Contact Us.
Getting in touch with other Virgin businesses
Got a specific question for a Virgin business? Visit the business section on
Virgin.com. You can choose by business or region to make sure that you contact the correct business.
Got a Big Idea you want to share with Virgin?
If you've got a big idea that you think Virgin will be interested in, visit the
"Got a big idea" section on Virgin.com and you'll find all the instructions on submitting a business proposal.
What is Global Leadership & Advocacy?
Virgin Unite works closely with partners to incubate new approaches to gaps in global leadership. We identify the gap, build the plan, find partners, recruit great management teams and then launch these new initiatives. To date we have successful launched The Elders, the Carbon War Room and the Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean and South Africa. Watch this space for some exciting new initiatives.
Who are The Elders?
Founded in 2007 by Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, Peter Gabriel and Sir Richard Branson and incubated by Virgin Unite, The Elders comprises 10 visionary leaders who speak freely, are fiercely independent and use their experience and wisdom to work on behalf of humanity. They work both publicly and behind the scenes, collectively and individually. The Elders are Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Lakhdar Brahimi, Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, President Jimmy Carter, Ela Bhatt, Gro Brundtland, President Fernando H Cardoso, Muhammad Yunus and Graça Machel.
Virgin Unite was instrumental in building the initial concept plan, in bringing together this group of passionate and influential partners who provided $18M in support of this initiative, and in recruiting a strong management team led by Mabel van Oranje.
The Elders have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help resolve a number of conflicts, including in Zimbabwe and the Middle East, and have recently launched a campaign to put a stop to the practice of child marriage.
What is the Carbon War Room?
Virgin Unite helped support Sir Richard Branson to bring together a group of the world’s top entrepreneurs to launch the Carbon War Room. Together, they are working to address climate change issues in several different sectors: shipping, energy efficiency, aviation and renewable jet fuels.
This global initiative harnesses the unique influence, resources and spirit of entrepreneurs. The vision is to mobilise capital, innovation, expertise and international collaboration to deliver sustainable new market models to reduce carbon. The Carbon War Room will increase the effectiveness of efforts already underway; it is not about duplicating existing efforts but will focus instead on filling gaps. The former Costa Rican President José María Figueres is the President of the organisation, leading some of the best entrepreneurial minds to help speed and scale solutions that will deliver a low carbon economy.
In 2011, the Carbon War Room launched shippingefficiency.org, engaging with owners, ports, banks and brands to tackle the carbon emissions of the shipping industry with the aim to accelerate the capital needed to upgrade the shipping fleet. The Carbon War Room have also launched the ‘Green Capital Global Challenge’, a consortium that aims to unlock billions of dollars of investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies for US commercial real estate. Most recently, the Carbon War Room launched renewablejetfuels.org, to help reduce emissions from the aviation industry by accelerating the scale-up of the renewable jet fuel industry.
What are the Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship?
The Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship act as a launch pad for enterprising young entrepreneurs to create successful businesses. In 2005, the first Branson Centre was established in Johannesburg, South Africa by Virgin Unite and Sir Richard Branson. The second Branson Centre launched in 2011 in the Caribbean, led by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite along with lead partner Virgin Holidays.
Both Centres provide aspiring entrepreneurs with business advice, mentorship and access to business networks and resources.