Mark Buckman and Mark Lollback join social impact brand Thankful for Aus launch
Multi-product and multi-cause social impact brand, Thankful, has is expanding into Australia, opening its first local office in Sydney. Thankful launches in Australia with an Advisory Board including: former Telstra and Foxtel marketing head and now Accenture Interactive senior advisor Mark Buckman, former GroupM CEO Mark Lollback, Major Matina Jewell (retired) CSP and Emergent CEO, Holly Ransom.
Mark Buckman
The announcement:
The world’s leading multi-product and multi-cause social impact brand, Thankful, has announced it’s expanding to Australia, opening its first local office in Sydney.
A social enterprise, Thankful partners with brands and organisations to raise awareness and funds to address systemic global challenges and help communities in need.
Thankful initiatives are designed to enable brands and consumers engage with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to improve our world, now and for generations to come.
Creating ‘Thankful Moments’ across the world to drive positive change, its causes include: championing human rights, building safe and inclusive communities, defending animal rights, ending hunger, promoting better health, protecting children, saving the planet, as well as, taking action to create a sustainable, equitable and happier world.
Founded by Australians, Kim McDonnell and Mike Chuter in the US, the organisation has attracted a range of high profile American investors including the Ford Motor Family Office, Dr. John Wilkerson and Adam Growald Rockefeller.
Thankful’s innovative business model merges a product licensing program, global cause awareness campaigns and a non-profit arm. McDonnell and Chuter have returned to Australia to set up local operations that will focus on a range of local initiatives, including Thankful4Farmers.
A collaborative initiative, Thankful4Farmers brings together industries, brands, influencers and consumers in a united effort to amplify awareness and generate scalable funding to create transformational impact to support sustainable agriculture and regional communities.
Thankful CEO, Kim McDonnell, said the organisation was expanding ahead of two major and impactful initiatives launching locally in coming months – one focussed on improving Australians access to nutritious food for improved health outcomes and another on delivering a globally scalable solution to household food waste.
“Australian consumers more than ever before expect brands and businesses to give back to the community and have a clear purpose,” says McDonnell. “We’re proud to have worked with leading organisations across the world to drive positive change, spread thankfulness and deliver a meaningful impact. And we’re beyond excited to be launching in Australia to make a real difference locally.”
As Thankful opens its local operations, a range of products with the thankful logo are hitting supermarket shelves with brands embracing the opportunity to co-brand products and experiences to demonstrate their commitment to social challenges and recognise that doing good is good business.
Brands and companies jumping on board locally to give back to the community include: APG Workforce, Vittoria Food and Beverage, Chief Nutrition, Gathered Goods Hampers, Outback Lamb, Red Tractor Foods, and Signature Wines, as well as, Aria, BEA, Chiswick, Chophouse and North Bondi Fish.
Thankful has attracted a range of well-known identities and business professionals across the globe, including Australian Chef Matt Moran, who is Ambassador for the Thankful4Farmers initiative.
“I’m really proud to have been a part of Thankful overseas and now here in Australia,” says Moran. “I’ve seen firsthand the real impact they’ve had abroad bringing together communities to drive positive change and I’m excited to see them connect business with consumers locally,” said Moran.
Source: Thankful media release
