Why are the names of pledged members made public?

Giving What We Can is unusual among charities in maintaining a public list of members who have taken a giving pledge. We do this because we see it as an effective way of publicising the cause, like a petition or public demonstration. By publicly showing our commitment to give we hope to inspire others to join us, and to help create a culture where giving is a normal and expected part of everyone’s life.

Being open about our giving also helps us to stick to our commitments and to forge a sense of community. We are certainly not interested in boasting about giving, but we believe that the benefits of modesty are outweighed by the benefits of making a public stand.

While we feel that it is important that membership be public for the reasons set out above, our list of members only displays name, and no contact details or private information. However, if this really is a barrier preventing you from joining us, please contact us and we should be able to accommodate you in keeping your name anonymous or pseudonymous.