Bryan de Lottinville, Executive Chairperson at Benevity, joined Purposely Podcast to share his founder story Benevity’s corporate purpose platform connects over 650 companies to 2 million causes in 208 countries and nations. Using 20 languages and 13 currencies they are making doing good around the globe fast, easy and cost-effective.
Users of the platform can give to the causes that matter to them and then companies can add matching donations and other types of rewards. The software also facilitates grantmaking, volunteering and positive actions, and embeds social action into customer experiences.
Bryan is a 'reformed lawyer' who re-evaluated his career when his daughter asked him what he did for a living. He wanted to make the world a better place and make his daughter proud. He was a self-confessed data geek who saw the need for technology to help global enterprises provide better social and business returns. He tells us how the initial iteration of the software was not quite right, and a drastic rethink was required. In fact those early lessons learnt from the start-up phase enabled Benevity to become a world leader in cloud-based software powering purpose-driven business. Impressively, they are doing this for hundreds of leading global brands including Google, Apple, Microsoft, Nike, SAP while facilitating more than $2 billion annually to good causes.
Benevity recently reached unicorn status with a valuation of $1.1 billion, welcoming significant new investment from London-based venture capital firm Hg Capital who recently brought in world-leading impact and sustainability funds, The Rise Foundation and Generation Investment Management. Bryan took this opportunity to stand down as CEO and hand the day to day running of the organisation to Kelly Schmitt who was Benevity’s President and CFO.