The Giving Pledge is a campaign to encourage wealthy people to contribute a majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. As of 2018, the pledge has 175 signatories, either individuals or couples; from 22 different countries. Most of the signatories of the pledge are billionaires, and their pledges total over $365 billion. It does not actually dictate that the money is spent in any certain way or towards any particular charity or cause, and there is no obligation to actually donate any money.
Video The Giving Pledge
Description
The organization's stated goal is to inspire the wealthy people of the world to give at least half of their net worth to philanthropy, either during their lifetime or upon their death. The pledge claims to be a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract. On The Giving Pledge's website, each individual or couple writes a letter explaining why they chose to give.
Maps The Giving Pledge
History
In June 2010, the Giving Pledge campaign was formally announced and Bill Gates and Warren Buffett began recruiting members. As of August 2010, the aggregate wealth of the first 40 pledgers was $125 billion. As of April 2011, 69 billionaires had joined the campaign and given a pledge, and by the following year, The Huffington Post reported that a total of 81 billionaires had committed. As of 2012, signatories of the pledge included: Hasso Plattner, David Rockefeller, Azim Premji, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Sara Blakely, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. By May 2017, 158 individuals and/or couples were listed as pledgers.
Benefits to those making the Pledge
- Receive credit for philanthropy without actually giving anything
- Avoid paying taxes to the federal government (If the pledge is valid, upon the pledger's death)
- Heirs may retain control of assets that would otherwise go to the government (If the pledge is valid, upon the pledger's death)
Signers
At least $365 billion of giving has been pledged by 139 individuals, with a combined 2016 net worth of $731 billion. Below is a list of all net worth amounts (pledges are not shown):
See also
- Altruism
- Charity (practice)
- Charitable organization
- Earning to give
- Effective altruism
- List of members of the Forbes 400
- Random act of kindness
- The World's Billionaires
- Venture philanthropy
- Volunteering
References
External links
- Official website
- Bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett in an Exclusive Conversation About 'the Giving Pledge, June 2010
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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