SumOfUs

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SumOfUs
Founded2011
TypeNGO 501(c)(4)
FocusAdvocacy
Area served
Worldwide
MethodOnline campaigning
Key people
Websitewww.sumofus.org

SumOfUs is a global non-profit advocacy organization and online community that campaigns to hold corporations accountable on issues such as climate change, workers' rights, discrimination, human rights, animal rights, corruption, and corporate power grab.[1]

Founding[]

Australian-American activist Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman is the founder of SumOfUs and was its executive director from 2011 to 2016. In November 2016, Hannah Lownsbrough became the new executive director of SumOfUs.

History[]

SumOfUs was launched in 2011 with campaigns targeting Google's links to the US Chamber of Commerce,[2] a campaign to thank Starbucks for supporting same-sex marriage in the United States,[3] and calling on Apple to force its suppliers to treat their workers more ethically.[4]

The organization says that since its launch, it has expanded to have five million members.[5][6]

SumOfUs has staff in the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Lithuania, Colombia and the Netherlands.

Notable campaigns[]

In December 2013, after a week of pressure from SumOfUs members, Zara and major UK retailers Topshop and Asos committed to stop selling Angora from rabbits that were plucked live for their fur.[citation needed]

In February 2014, SumOfUs demanded in a petition that "the cereal maker [Kellogg's] get tough with Wilmar or end its supply and distribution joint venture with the company".[7] Kellogg's subsequently committed to buy only sustainably sourced palm oil.

In 2015, SumOfUs helped to push airline companies such as Delta to stop shipping hunting trophies,[8] lobbied Canadian officials to charge Nestle responsible water rates for drawing water from public lands,[9] and helped get Standard Chartered Bank to cancel its financing of Adani's giant Australian coal mine.[10]

Methodology[]

SumOfUs uses digital technology to organize and communicate globally, connecting consumers, workers and investors from around the world.[5]

One of SumOfUs' primary functions is to amplify other corporate accountability organizations' campaigns by launching rapid-response campaigns.[citation needed]

The online campaigning NGO operates using lean start-up methodology, by adapting the "minimum viable product"[11] model to the online campaigning field. SumOfUs mirrors corporations' global perspective and power base – and transcends national boundaries to take advantage of transnational companies' vulnerabilities.[11]

Financial contributors[]

SumOfUs is a registered 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit. Around 85% of SumOfUs funds come from small donations from its members.[10] SumOfUs publishes the source of revenues every year on its web site.[12] According to the Form 990 SumOfUs filed for 2016, $631,515 was contributed by a single anonymous person.[13] According to the Form 990 SumOfUs filed for 2015, $595,000 was contributed by two anonymous donors.[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "After pressure from global corporate watchdog SumOfUs, Wilmar adopts industry-leading anti-deforestation policies". Voqal.org. 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  2. ^ "Google needs to quit the US Chamber of Commerce". Googlequitthechamber.org. Archived from the original on 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  3. ^ SumOfUs. "Thank Starbucks for standing up for gay rights". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  4. ^ SumOfUs (2012-04-28). "April 2012 Campaigns Update". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b King, Alex (2014-08-27). "Sum of Us - Five Million Strong". Huck Magazine. Archived from the original on 2014-09-02. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  6. ^ "5M SumOfUs". Fivemillion.sumofus.org. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  7. ^ Stanford, Duane D. (February 14, 2014). "Kellogg to Stop Buying Deforested Palm Oil Amid Pressure". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  8. ^ Graham, Adam H. (August 3, 2015). "After Killing of Cecil the Lion, Delta Joins Airline Ban on Game Trophies". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  9. ^ Fumano, Dan (November 16, 2015). "B.C. government criticized for water-rates 'flip-flop'". The Province. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Liacas, Tom. "How online activist groups are raising millions to keep corporations in line". Mashable. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Tsukayama, Hayley (January 8, 2014). "SumOfUs: Online petition site passes 2.5 million members". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  12. ^ SumOfUs (2015-10-07). "Frequently Asked Questions". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 2015-01-20. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  13. ^ SumOfUs (2017-10-31). "Funding" (PDF). SumOfUs. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  14. ^ SumOfUs (2016-11-03). "Funding" (PDF). SumOfUs. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
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