Mark Lyttleton is the founder and chair of trustees of Percent for Good, a movement launched to encourage positive social and environmental change by inviting professionals to donate 1% of their earnings to charity. This article will delve deeper into the work of Percent for Good, as well as providing an overview of some of the key benefits of charitable giving.
Percent for Good is a conduit through which forward-thinking, socially conscious professionals can pledge 1% of their salary to support causes dedicated to building a better world. Percent for Good’s expert team completes all due diligence to ensure that even time-poor professionals can support meaningful causes easily and confidently every month. The charity’s enhanced engagement means that donors can see for themselves the tangible impacts their donations are driving in the world.
Percent for Good’s carefully curated Cause Portfolios cover the enabling sectors of Health & Wellbeing, Nature & the Environment, Cost of Living Crisis, Education & Arts, and Social Mobility. Each Cause Portfolio features a hand-picked selection of high-impact charities. Candidates are selected in line with the charity’s stringent criteria. To qualify, charities must demonstrate strong governance, a great board of trustees and an excellent leadership team, as well as sound financial reserves and a credible plan.
Recognising that charities with an income between £500,000 and £10 million tend to lack the fundraising capabilities and brand recognition of bigger charities, Percent for Good focuses on causes with limited resources that have a compelling vision, demonstrating the potential to make a big impact on some of today’s biggest real-world challenges. The organisation specifically targets under-appreciated charities that are making a real difference on the ground. Leveraging partnerships and volunteers to deliver great results, Percent for Good could be a truly scalable solution to some of the biggest challenges faced by modern society.
Giving not only benefits charities and the service users they support but also has tangible benefits for benefactors too. Altruistic activities help to alleviate stress, enhancing emotional resilience and wellbeing. By contributing to causes they care about, an individual gains a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life. Numerous research studies show that giving increases production of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin – the brain’s ‘happy’ chemicals – leaving donors happier, less stressed, less anxious and less depressed. Triggering a ‘helper’s high’, charitable giving has been shown to improve mood, combat loneliness and enhance life satisfaction overall.
Percent for Good was founded by Mark Lyttleton following a 20-year career working in the City of London. Mr Lyttleton came to appreciate the importance of giving back to society in various forms, and he was involved in a Payroll Giving scheme himself in one of his professional positions. Mark Lyttleton appreciated the simplicity of the giving process, but found himself with little spare time to research the charities he was giving to.
Percent for Good grew out of a need to encourage charitable giving while simultaneously empowering benefactors by providing them with autonomy over the charitable causes they support. Many working professionals are cash rich but time poor. They want to ensure that their donations reach the right people and have the most impact. In addition, many people feel intrinsically drawn to a particular cause and want to be able to contribute to that with confidence.
Percent for Good enables donors to pledge regular donations easily, supporting causes they feel passionate about, through charities that have been carefully assessed and selected for their impact on the ground. Percent for Good’s Cause Portfolios are an innovative addition to the giving space, enabling donations to be spread across different sectors and charities, widening the impact of individual gifts.
