Charities

Themes from a philanthropy dialogue in Davos

Date
Author
Julie Hutchison, Julia Kleiser, LGT Philanthropy Advisory
Reading time
3 minutes

Hands with jigsaw join together as team

At a glance

  • Nature restoration projects can illustrate collaboration for greater scale.
  • Female philanthropists show a trend in supporting mental health initiatives.
  • The lines between philanthropy and impact investing are blurring, as donors also want their investment portfolios managed in more positive ways.

Starting the year off with space to think and explore, this article reflects on themes from a dialogue which my colleague, Julia Kleiser of the LGT Philanthropy Advisory Team in Switzerland, invited me to contribute to during a roundtable event in Davos. The roundtable considered current trends in philanthropy, hearing from a number of donors and sector representatives.

On the topic of nature restoration, I shared the award-winning example of Restoration Forth, a project based around the River Forth in Scotland, where the planting of seagrass meadows and re-introduction of 30,000 oysters has been underway. The river has been degraded over the years, and these actions offer multiple benefits: improved biodiversity as the seagrass creates a habitat for fish, and reduced coastal erosion, as the seagrass acts to slow the effect of the waves. The oysters act a bit like water filters, reducing nutrients in the water which is beneficial for water quality. These are also actions which improve the river for those of us who live nearby. From a collaborative viewpoint, I was struck by the range of partners involved in delivering this project, and the variety of cross-sector funders including foundations, corporate-related donors, as well as the Scottish Government. 

Julia shared her perspectives on female philanthropists, including some names which deserve to be better known.

The rise of female philanthropists is being paired with an increasing focus on mental health funding. While we often hear about prominent figures like Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott, there are other notable female philanthropists whose work also deserves recognition. For example, Natasha Mueller directs her impact investing, philanthropy and advocacy towards mental health. Her commitment began after inheriting her father’s wealth, who suffered from bipolar disorder and depression and died by suicide when she was 17. She founded Kokoro, which has fostered a collaborative approach among funders to support mental health initiatives.

Similarly, Teresa Enke, the widow of Robert Enke, a former professional football player who died by suicide in 2009 due to severe depression, has been a relentless advocate for mental health in professional sports, especially football in Germany. She continues to ensure that Robert’s story brings awareness and fosters dialogue about mental health in a male-dominated sport.

Lastly, Dame Stephanie Shirley, born in Dortmund and a refugee from Nazi Germany, became the first woman software entrepreneur in the UK. Motivated by her son's autism, her philanthropy focuses on autism and IT-related topics. She has donated the majority of her wealth, almost £70 million, and is proud to have dropped-off the Sunday Times Rich List due to her charitable giving. These women are remarkable examples of impactful philanthropists.

Discussions at the roundtable event continued, with one donor commenting that philanthropy should not be seen in a silo. They elaborated, to explain they felt there is little sense in having a ‘pot’ to give away with a view to delivering positive change, if someone’s personal investments are not also orientated to have a positive impact too. This more integrated approach to how someone feels about their finances and the legacy they want to leave offers a more comprehensive approach when considering the question: what do I have and what can I do to make a difference? 

This communication is provided for information purposes only. The information presented herein provides a general update on market conditions and is not intended and should not be construed as an offer, invitation, solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any specific investment or participate in any investment (or other) strategy. The subject of the communication is not a regulated investment. Past performance is not an indication of future performance and the value of investments and the income derived from them may fluctuate and you may not receive back the amount you originally invest. Although this document has been prepared on the basis of information we believe to be reliable, LGT Wealth Management UK LLP gives no representation or warranty in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented herein. The information presented herein does not provide sufficient information on which to make an informed investment decision. No liability is accepted whatsoever by LGT Wealth Management UK LLP, employees and associated companies for any direct or consequential loss arising from this document.

LGT Wealth Management UK LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom.

How to make charitable gifts
Charities

How to make charitable gifts

If you are thinking of making a charitable gift, here are three of the commonly found approaches which you might like to explore. They range from quick and simple, to slower and more complex. Each option achieves different objectives.
hand adds to ascending stacks of coins
Charities

How philanthropy might reduce your capital gains tax bill

When it comes to the history of certain taxes, my memory stretches back to the 1990s when I first studied tax law at university. In the UK, the top rate of capital gains tax was consistent for many years at 40%, even with changes of government over that decade.
Contact us