# Justgiving CEO, Zarine Kharas, awarded the RSA’s Albert Medal for ‘democratising fundraising’

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/04/09/justgiving-ceo-zarine-kharas-awarded-rsas-albert-medal-democratising-fundraising/
- Published: 2009-04-09T13:52:02+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

![](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/newswire/Zarinekharas_1239285074.
jpg)

This year, the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce(
RSA), will award the Albert Medal to Zarine Kharas, founder and CEO of Justgiving,
for democratising fundraising and technology for charities.

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the RSA said: “In creating Justgiving Zarine 
Kharas changed the rules of the charity game, bringing web technologies within the
reach of every charity in the UK, and making it easier for all of us to support 
great causes. Hers is an inspiring example of the long-lasting social value that
a company can deliver under the right leadership.”

Zarine Kharas commented, “I am humbled and honoured to receive the Albert Medal 
on Justgiving’s behalf. The internet has been, and continues to be, a revolutionary
force, and we are proud to have harnessed some of its power for the benefit of charities,
especially the smaller ones.” Since early 2001, the site’s 7m users have collected
over £400m for 6,700 charities. The company expanded in to the USA in 2003, where
it is known as Firstgiving.

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At a lecture to mark the award on April 22nd, Zarine will argue that companies exist
primarily to create social value, not maximise profits for shareholders. In Justgiving’s
case, all profits have been re-invested in to the business and investors have yet
to make a return.

She will also argue that hierarchies and rules get in the way of innovation by holding
people and organisations back, rather than keeping them accountable. She will tell
how Justgiving is learning to work differently, with people working in teams and
managing themselves.

Recent recipients of the award include Sir Tim Berners-Lee in 2002 for his outstanding
contribution to the World Wide Web and Professor Stephen Hawking in 1999 for making
physics more accessible.

For more information, contact Jonathan Waddingham at Justgiving on 0207 067 0923
or jo******@********ng.com

www.justgiving.com

www.thersa.org.uk

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