Participate

Close the Gap’s success largely depends on the generosity of its donors and strategic partners. Following Close the Gap’s philosophy, the best way to proceed is by creating win-win situations for both its donors and strategic partners as well as for Close the Gap and its stakeholders.

In this light, Close the Gap created the “Friends of Close the Gap Programme”, where its most committed partners are encouraged to contribute their niche expertise rather than just IT assets or cash.

Indeed, the “Friends of” programme allows to support Close the Gap in four different ways:
1. Material donation
2. Financial contribution
3. “In-kind”/philanthropic  contribution (via niche expertise) and/or
4. Project adoption

As a consequence of the creation of the WorldPC platform, a fifth medium will be added in 2011:
- E-waste contribution
This will allow corporations to actively support IT material recycling in developing countries and take-back of several damageable components in Europe.

This programme is interesting for corporations as it creates win-win situations at the following levels:

• the CSR level (Corporate Social Responsibility) by offering added value to CSR programmes and contributing to the growth of the partner’s company: socially, in terms of employee awareness and involvement as well as for the community investment programmes and economically, in terms of Social Return On Investment;
• the logistical level for the end-of-life ICT hardware by the advantage of one single point of contact;
• the project level by the selection and the follow-up of social projects from A to Z knowing that this aspect also allows employees to become directly involved in a project;
• the visibility level by the extended network and business opportunities for partner companies and
• the communication level by the availability of “ready-to-use” communication material, for internal (employee awareness) and external (various stakeholders) communication

Close the Gap has two types of available partnerships. A company becomes a “Friends of” as soon as its structure supports Close the Gap by giving IT assets to the organisation. If this same company wants to financially support Close the Gap or to adopt a specific project in a developing country, this company becomes a strategic partner.

The awareness communication campaign 2009-2010 “I LOVE MY PC” was a great success, providing internal involvement of employees and communities amongst partner companies with a very simple message: “Take care of your computer. Your company is giving it a second life”.

The communication agency of Close the Gap – Leo Burnett Brussels – is currently working on a new campaign for 2011 and 2012.