Community engagement

Powerful partnerships for tomorrow’s generation.

We connect people to opportunities, to their communities and to the natural world. We do this through employee engagement and building powerful charity partnerships.

Charitable giving

Supporting tomorrow’s generation
The focus of our charitable giving strategy is tomorrow’s generation. We build charity partnerships to align with one of two main categories – People and Planet – to help us create a positive social and environmental impact for future generations, within local communities and across the globe.
Powerful partnerships strategy

A commitment to significant funding with partners where our support will help make a transformative impact.

people on a street

People

We are helping people overcome barriers and gain access to opportunities aligned to education, employment and financial wellness.

trees

Planet

We are protecting nature and addressing climate change.

Technology

Partnerships that are enabled through technology and innovation.

Engage colleagues

We want partners that engage our colleagues to use their skills in volunteering to benefit society.

Enrich connections

Enrich colleagues through meaningful connections to our partners.

Enhance fundraising

Colleague fundraising can be increased through company matching initiatives.

Strategic and regional charity partnerships

We aim to create fair and impactful charity partnerships which are aligned to our strategy and engage colleagues to use their skills to benefit society.

Our strategic partners

Hello World

Hello World

Supporting connectivity for communities via access to internet and digital education.

In 2021, we announced our partnership with Hello World, whose mission is to bridge the digital divide by improving connectivity for disconnected communities. Hello World partners with communities to build 'Hello Hubs' - solar powered internet kiosks, so that children can learn, access digital educational resources, and improve their future by connecting globally. Our funding is enabling Hello World to build 64 abrdn Hello Hubs across Uganda, with an aim to provide 80,000 people will access to the internet and digital resources.

Unesco

UNESCO

Promoting environmental sustainability through research and education

In March 2022, we announced a three-year partnership between the abrdn Charitable Foundation and UNESCO, and we are supporting UNESCO programmes focused on environmental sustainability, climate change and ocean science. During the second year of the partnership, our funding is supporting five projects in five countries, with key focus areas aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Each project places an important emphasis on education, as well as promoting the importance of innovative 'blue' and 'green' solutions for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

My BNK

MyBnk

Supporting financial education for young adults in the UK

In 2022 we partnered with MyBnk, whose mission is to empower young people to take charge of their future by bringing money to life. Over our three-year partnership we will support MyBnk to deliver financial education programmes to young adults in the UK through a series of money management workshops, focused on household finance including budgeting, banking, and digital financial skills – with the potential to reach up to 10,000 individuals during the partnership. We are looking for opportunities for our people to support directly through skills-based volunteering, as we reflect reflect a commitment to support financial inclusion as abrdn.

Our regional partners

In 2022 we asked of our colleagues to vote for an aligned charity partnership across the UK, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Americas. We have established two-year partnerships with the selected charities and are funding localised programmes in further support of tomorrow’s generation.

Street league

UK

Our UK partner Street League use the power of sport to support young people into employment.
Invest in girls

US

Invest in Girls are our partner in the US, their mission is to usher in the next generation of financially literate girls and increase the number of women working in finance.
Malala Fund

EMEA

Chosen by our colleagues in EMEA, Malala Fund are working for a world where every girl can learn and lead.
WWF

APAC

Our colleagues in APAC selected WWF Singapore as their partner. Our funding will contribute to the protection and restoration of forests in Thailand by supporting farmers to implement agroecology over four hectares, plant over 5,000 trees.

abrdn Charitable Foundation

Our giving strategy is governed through the abrdn Charitable Foundation, with our Board of Directors meeting quarterly to consider new partnerships aligned to our strategy.

aCF’s Board of Directors has six members, including two independent Directors. The Board provides oversight and guidance for our charitable giving activities.

  • Julian Baddeley - Director
  • Sarah Moody - Director
  • Rene Buehlmann - Director
  • Jim O'Connor - Director
  • Amali de Alwis - Independent Director
  • David Gorman - Independent Director

Charity Registration details (Address and OSCR number):

  • SC042597
  • 10 Queens Terrace, Aberdeen, AB10 1XL

To apply for funding from the abrdn Charitable Foundation you must meet the below terms and conditions:

  • You must be a registered charity with a valid charity number.
  • You must have a bank account in your charity’s name.
  • Your charity, or proposed project, must align with our giving strategy.
  • The charity must be inclusive and must not discriminate. It must not be in relation to the practice of religion or affiliated with any political party or organisation.
  • Your charity must have operations in our key locations in the UK or within 5 miles of one of our regional offices.
  • You can only apply for funding once in a 12-month period.
  • The funding request is not solely for one of the following: salary, general overheads and expenses, grant or bursary to be awarded to an individual, or related to event sponsorship.

How to apply for funding

  • Check proposal aligns with our charitable giving strategy
    We review proposals against our planet and people strategy for tomorrow’s generation.
  • Complete this expression of interest form
    Provide a few brief details to allow us to review your proposal.
  • We will contact you if funding is considered
    We will contact you if funding is considered for funding, we will be back in touch for more information.
  • Board of Directors quarterly review
    The abrdn Charitable Foundation Directors meets and reviews funding requests that are aligned to our strategy on a quarterly basis.
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