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SumOfUs

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SumOfUs
Founded2011
TypeNGO 501(c)(4)
FocusAdvocacy
Area served
Worldwide
MethodOnline campaigning
Key people
Websitewww.eko.org

SumOfUs is a global non-profit advocacy organization and online community that campaigns to hold corporations accountable on issues such as climate change, workers' rights, discrimination, human rights, animal rights, corruption, and corporate power grab.[1] The organization renamed itself to Ekō in 2023.[2][3]

Founding

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Australian-American activist Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman is the founder of SumOfUs and was its executive director from 2011 to 2016. In November 2016, Hannah Lownsbrough replaced Stinebricker-Kauffman as the executive director of SumOfUs. In January 2020, Emma Ruby-Sachs, the daughter of activist Clayton Ruby,[4] took over as the organization's new executive director.[5][6]

History

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SumOfUs was launched in 2011 with campaigns targeting Google's links to the US Chamber of Commerce,[7] a campaign to thank Starbucks for supporting same-sex marriage in the United States,[8] and calling on Apple to force its suppliers to treat their workers more ethically.[9]

The organization says that since its launch, it has expanded to have five million members.[10][11]

SumOfUs has staff in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Lithuania, Colombia and the Netherlands.

Notable campaigns and reports

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In December 2013, after a week of pressure from SumOfUs members, Zara and major UK retailers Topshop and Asos committed to stop selling Angora from rabbits that were plucked live for their fur.[citation needed]

In February 2014, SumOfUs demanded in a petition that "the cereal maker [Kellogg's] get tough with Wilmar or end its supply and distribution joint venture with the company".[12] Kellogg's subsequently committed to buy only sustainably sourced palm oil.

In 2015, SumOfUs helped to push airline companies such as Delta to stop shipping hunting trophies,[13] lobbied Canadian officials to charge Nestle responsible water rates for drawing water from public lands,[14] and helped get Standard Chartered Bank to cancel its financing of Adani's giant Australian coal mine.[15]

In January 2024, Ekō's released a report that assessed the impact of popular social media platforms on young users. The report documented over 33 million posts on Instagram and TikTok directing "problematic content directed at young users", including content promoting misogyny, suicide, and eating disorders.[16]

Following Israel's 9-day siege on Gaza in 2021, 140,000 Ekō members contacted one of the world's biggest sports brands, PUMA, to withdraw their sponsorship of the Israel Football Association. They met with the CEO of PUMA to get their message across. PUMA ended its relationship with the Israel Football Federation last year, months after the current Israeli invasion.[17] Boycott movements also led a long-running campaign calling for Puma to end its sponsorship of Israel's national soccer team, which began in 2018. While the German sports brand terminated its sponsorship deal in December.[18]

Methodology

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SumOfUs uses digital technology to organize and communicate globally, connecting consumers, workers and investors from around the world.[10]

One of SumOfUs' primary functions is to amplify other corporate accountability organizations' campaigns by launching rapid-response campaigns.[citation needed]

The online campaigning NGO operates using lean start-up methodology, by adapting the "minimum viable product"[19] model to the online campaigning field. SumOfUs mirrors corporations' global perspective and power base – and transcends national boundaries to take advantage of transnational companies' vulnerabilities.[19]

Financial contributors

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SumOfUs is a registered 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit. Around 85% of SumOfUs funds come from small donations from its members.[15] SumOfUs publishes the source of revenues every year on its web site.[20] According to the Form 990 SumOfUs filed for 2016, $631,515 was contributed by a single anonymous person.[21] According to the Form 990 SumOfUs filed for 2015, $595,000 was contributed by two anonymous donors.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "After pressure from global corporate watchdog SumOfUs, Wilmar adopts industry-leading anti-deforestation policies". Voqal.org. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  2. ^ @Eko_Movement (25 January 2012). "We have a new name! 📣 Welcome to the global community of Ekō" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Corfield, Gareth (21 March 2023). "TikTok faces backlash from Left and Right-wing US politicians over Chinese ownership". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  4. ^ Fitterman, Lisa (4 August 2022). "Eloquent civil rights lawyer Clayton Ruby followed his powerful moral compass". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Coffee Meet Up with our New Executive Director Emma Ruby-Sachs". Ekō, formerly known as SumofUs via YouTube. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Our Board". Ekō, formerly known as SumofUs. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Google needs to quit the US Chamber of Commerce". Googlequitthechamber.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  8. ^ SumOfUs. "Thank Starbucks for standing up for gay rights". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  9. ^ SumOfUs (28 April 2012). "April 2012 Campaigns Update". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  10. ^ a b King, Alex (27 August 2014). "Sum of Us - Five Million Strong". Huck Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 September 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  11. ^ "5M SumOfUs". Fivemillion.sumofus.org. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  12. ^ Stanford, Duane D. (14 February 2014). "Kellogg to Stop Buying Deforested Palm Oil Amid Pressure". Bloomberg. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  13. ^ Graham, Adam H. (3 August 2015). "After Killing of Cecil the Lion, Delta Joins Airline Ban on Game Trophies". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  14. ^ Fumano, Dan (16 November 2015). "B.C. government criticized for water-rates 'flip-flop'". The Province. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
  15. ^ a b Liacas, Tom (29 November 2015). "How online activist groups are raising millions to keep corporations in line". Mashable. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  16. ^ Corbett, Jessica (31 January 2024). "Study Finds Over 33 Million Instagram, TikTok Posts Promoting Harmful Content to Kids". Common Dreams. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Olympics and FIFA: Ban Israel from international sports now".
  18. ^ Syed, Armani (8 February 2024). "12 Nations Call on FIFA to Ban Israel from World Soccer Competitions". Time.
  19. ^ a b Tsukayama, Hayley (8 January 2014). "SumOfUs: Online petition site passes 2.5 million members". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  20. ^ SumOfUs (7 October 2015). "Frequently Asked Questions". SumOfUs. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  21. ^ SumOfUs (31 October 2017). "Funding" (PDF). SumOfUs. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  22. ^ SumOfUs (3 November 2016). "Funding" (PDF). SumOfUs. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
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