Where did the idea for Sharity Impact come from?

The idea behind Sharity Impact originated from two main directions. Firstly, during my tenure as the Managing Director of GE Hungary, I noticed a lack of a reliable system for supporting good causes. There was no guarantee that significant financial resources could be directed towards local communities where our company operated and from where we primarily expected workforce. We didn’t receive feedback from major international charities, despite allocating significant resources to them. Additionally, employee engagement was largely unsuccessful as we didn’t necessarily support causes that resonated with them. On the other hand, my co-founder, a philanthropic lawyer, faced the issue that several smaller local charities he supported couldn’t access resources from larger companies. In summary, the donation system lacked transparency, feedback, adequate guarantees for donation provision and utilization, the donation process wasn’t simple enough, and those who couldn’t afford it didn’t experience the joy of giving back.

The other direction stemmed from my passion for marketing and communication, which I studied in the USA. I saw the huge influence of advertisements and marketing on consumer behavior but felt it wasn’t utilized enough for sustainability purposes. About 7-8 years ago, my partner and I decided to invest significant financial resources, work, and energy into Sharity.

What is Sharity and what are its main activities?

Sharity’s main activity revolves around connecting positive social impact with activities performed by companies, such as corporate communication, advertising, PR, and employer branding. Companies commit to providing support to a chosen NGO when their communications, advertisements, etc., are viewed through the Sharity platform, on a monthly basis, in addition to the communication/advertising fee. The platform transparently summarizes which charitable areas and campaigns the company supported throughout the year, aiding companies in their ESG reporting.

Did you do market research first, or did you fall in love with the idea and think you could make it happen through fire and water?

Initially, we believed in our ability to address the aforementioned problems and started referring to it as a passion project. Before investing significant resources, we validated the problems and phenomena we experienced regarding donations and the advertising market with a Big 4 consulting firm.

How is Sharity doing now? In relation to its plans and sentiments, and also in terms of actual performance?

Sharity has outgrown its status as a passion project. While we were angel investors in the project and funded it from our own resources until we had the finished product, the app itself, with basic developments and additional features, societal and market demands necessitated us to elevate it to a higher level. A serious financial and business plan was drawn up two years ago, which led to venture capital and private equity investment last year, and we’ve met our targets for the first year. The emotions are positive, seeing major multinational companies using our services provides significant validation and motivation. Beyond emotions, important metrics include having over 22,000 registered users and over 800,000 transactions on the app.

How does a registration to your platform work, what is the procedure? How can they find out about you?

Registration on our platform is straightforward, involving email verification, and is free and anonymous for users. NGOs register on a web platform, adhering to transparency standards, and their registration is also free. Our office assists in their registration, ensuring compliance with Sharity’s Transparency Standard, which includes accounting and feedback provision.

We constantly promote Sharity on social media, and our user base and the number of NGOs embracing transparency are increasing. We also participate in various events organized for good causes, using our digital technology and other resources to support fundraising efforts.

For example, in your successful collaborations with JYSK and SYNLAB, what was the concept?

Regarding successful collaborations with companies like JYSK and SYNLAB, the starting point was identifying companies open to sustainability and innovative digital solutions. Both companies were open to continuous brainstorming, helping us tailor our services to their needs.

Where do you see Sharity in 5 years?

In five years, Sharity envisions operating internationally, focusing on the CEE+ region from 2025/2026 onwards. Preparations are already underway, with plans to make the app multilingual this year and having Dentons as a strategic partner assisting with legal compliance and expansion in the region.