Digital participation body the Tinder Foundation has become a registered charity in England and Wales while retaining its staff-led mutual status.
Leading social inclusion organisation the Tinder Foundation has been granted charitable status in England and Wales.
The organisation, which was set up as a staff-owned mutual company, a form of cooperative, supports digital participation across the UK.
It claims becoming a charity is not at odds with its mutual principles and suggests it is paving the way for similar organisations with progressive employee participation arrangements to demonstrate their dedication to a charitable mission.
We’re delighted and proud to be a vanguard staff-led charity, and are keen to support other organisations to take the same ambitious steps forward - Helen Milner
Staff will continue to play a role in the management of the organisation at board level.
Chief executive Helen Milner said: “Our founding principles of mutuality are integral to the ethos of Tinder Foundation. All staff are invited to become members of the organisation, and we’ve always had staff representation on our board, so it was vital that we maintain these principles when becoming a charity. We’re delighted and proud to be a vanguard staff-led charity, and are keen to support other organisations to take the same ambitious steps forward.
“Charity status enables us to be much more influential as a catalyst for social change through digital. We’ve always worked collaboratively with the public, private and third sectors to address social challenges through digital technology - this will allow us to expand our reach.”
The organisation’s ambition to achieve charitable status supports its aspiration to spearhead innovation with a focus on those who most need support. It does this by championing the huge impacts digital technology can have, through the 5,000 strong UK online centres network.
Ben Brown, head of projects and a staff trustee, said: “Working at the Tinder Foundation coal face and sitting on the board is a great privilege as I feel I’m an embodiment of our organisation’s ethos to involve, participate and collaborate.
“We’ve always been very inclusive, but the opportunity to sit at board level and contribute to our strategic direction an equal footing is great. I’m really looking forward to discovering how we can maximise the opportunities that our charitable status brings.”
UK minister for civil society, Rob Wilson, added: “It is inspiring to see the Tinder Foundation breaking new ground and embracing its new charity status. By becoming a charity as well as retaining its mutual status, Tinder Foundation is helping hundreds of people to become more involved in their communities while also helping to build a more compassionate society.”
