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Earlier this month I attended an interesting presentation by a wonderful organisation that helps homeless people to become and (critically) feel as if they are useful contributors to society. It does so in a way that feels comfortable to the homeless person and is called Emmaus. It has been around for decades doing an excellent job–they have come across my radar once before. Tim Page, their Director, introduced Christine Whitehead and Anna Clarke who presented some research on the broader impact of a particular Emmaus project. The research was as impressive as the organisation and its good work–but what I noticed most on the night was their list of speakers; Hilary Armstrong MP, Stephen Timms MP, (Margaret Beckett was due to come but was detained by a vote), Terry Waite (Emmaus President), Harry Enfield–with Dominic Lawson in the audience! The organisation undoubtedly deserves this support but I found myself wondering–why do some organisations receive this, whilst others do not?

I reviewed in my own mind some of the others that achieve the support of stars, and how they go about it. Two came very quickly to mind. Belu Water, whom we have advised in the past, are well supported and even financially backled by such social investment luminaries as Gordon Roddick and Ben Goldsmith. Another, which I have been hearing quite a bit about lately is the Bright Ideas Trust, supported by a wide variety of organisations including: Bank of America, Herbert Smith (the law firm), Octopus Investments and the Prince’s Trust. How are these both able to attract such notable support? Do all three have anything in common?

Well they are a homeless charity, an ethical bottled water company and an organisation which helps young people to start up businesses–no common thread there. The Bright Ideas Trust is very recent, Belu has been going about 5 years or so while Emmaus started in France in 1949 by Abbe Pierre (also known as Henri Groues, who passed away last year)–no pattern yet. In fact, as I think about the style of organisation, its leadership, its form of operation etc. no obvious common themes immediately emerge–these appear three incredibly different organisations.

What does become apparent, but only after reflecting on the three for quite some time, is that their supporters tend to match the organisations and their distinct and unique styles. Each in turn has leveraged what they are and who they are with a base of supporters that suits them. At the Bright Ideas Trust, many of the supporters were keen to back a young black businessman, who himself was a bit famous, having emerged victorious from the UK TV programme called “The Apprentice”. In doing so, Tim Campbell won a one-year apprenticeship with Alan Sugar (a successful UK entrepreneur) and a serious following. He has shown flair and resourcefulness in converting this into his new passion, and drawing in those who already share, or wish to share in his vision and bask in his reknown.

Belu Water, which operates as a social business or enterprise, is attempting to build a successful, valuable and profitable company (although to benefit water-related charity projects around the world). In addition to the two folks mentioned above, it has secured funding from Biginvest (the investment arm of The Big Issue), London Rebuilding Society and has a “who’s who” of the UK social investment establishment on board in one form or another. These are attracted by the possibility of creating a new kind of venture, one which uses the rules of the market to create value and wealth for those who need it most. Again, matching supporters with what it is.

Emmaus is less radical (and less modern) than the other two. It delivers a service that the Government is obliged to do, but likely to be unable to do so on its own. What Emmaus does is no less important than the other two, despite its more conventional orientation, and its supporters are by and large, members of the political establishment–or just the establishment. It too has found support from the best of those who identify with its message.

And this is the point. There is no one route to success, or the support of celebrities, helpful, in many cases, in achieving success. Organisations need to figure out what they really are, get good at it, aim high, and find those with whom the message truly resonates.

Rodney Schwartz

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