Ashridge selects beneficiary charities for MBAid
Howard Lake | 4 December 2003 | News
Internationally respected business school Ashridge has chosen the British Red Cross and Mediation UK to take part in its new MBAid initiative.
To mark 15 years of the Ashridge Executive MBA, MBAid has been launched to provide pro bono consultancy services to charities, non governmental and voluntary organisations. Through the scheme, past and present Ashridge MBAs will work with organisations on key strategic, operational and business issues.
“We had over 20 applications from organisations to take part in MBAid for 2004 and it was naturally a tough decision in deciding the final two,” said Rob Peach, Chairman, Ashridge MBA Alumni Association.
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Work with both charities will start at the beginning of 2004. Consultants from the Ashridge MBA will be working closely with the retail department of the British Red Cross, analysing and making recommendations on market research data, with the aim of improving profitability across the network’s 400 plus shops. John Tough, Head of Retail, British Red Cross said: “Ashridge has a good reputation in the charity sector, which attracted us to the MBAid project. This is going to be a really valuable piece of work. We have the raw market research data, but the MBAid consultants are going to work with us to develop practical ways to increase the profitability of our shops, being one of our main revenue streams.”
Mediation UK, which is currently exploring a merger with National Family Mediation, will be working with the Ashridge consultants to define its future structure, relationships with stakeholders such as membership, government and charity commission as well as defining an effective governance structure. “Mediation UK has a very committed but small management team and workforce. Without external assistance, our resources would be tightly stretched in dealing with the strategy and implementation of merging with another organisation. MBAid is going to help us greatly In planning our future direction, “said Maurice Alston, Chairman of Mediation UK.
The voluntary projects are being funded by the Ashridge MBA Alumni Association through a series of activities this year including reunion dinners, master classes and two one-day workshops. On 6 December, Success Stories will examine what drives the entrepreneur when things are rough. Speakers will include Prue Leith OBE, Chair of the Ashridge Board of Governors and the Rt Hon Virgina Bottomley.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.