ChairClub, South African manufacturers of world class office seating, has partnered with the Adopt-a-School Foundation to launch an initiative that supports local education by undertaking a commitment that, for every chair sold from the ChairClub office chair range, the company will donate a school chair to one of a number of disadvantaged schools in rural and urban communities across the country.
ChairClub MD Travers Hathrill outlines the company’s recently launched Buy One, Give One campaign:
What was the thinking behind the initiative?
Given these tough, uncertain times, we wanted to create a positive movement in the country by creating awareness around inequalities and inadequacies in disadvantaged and rural schools to ensure positive learning experiences which will lead to greater opportunities for our youth. We are also keen to get corporates to understand that by buying local, they are not only supporting communities but they are also supporting South Africa as a whole.
What is ChairClub’s main objective for this campaign?
To create more awareness around the fact that ChairClub is not just about locally manufacturing internationally designed office chairs, but it is also about job creation, skills development and training initiatives. We also want to educate people on the benefits of sitting in an ergonomic chair and in turn ensure that the education sector is supported with the same advantages. The chairs we will donate will be as good and as comfortable as any top of the range school chair.
How will it work?
For every office chair from our range that we sell, a school chair will be donated to a targeted school. So if a company acquires 100 new chairs from us for their office space, we will donate 100 chairs to a school chosen by Adopt-a-School. There does have to be an accumulation of 100 chairs at a time before delivery takes place.
Why did you decide to partner with Adopt-A-School?
Because it’s a recognised and credible non-profit organisation that is doing great work and creating environments conducive to teaching and learning.
Who chooses what schools the chairs will go to?
Adopt-a-School is responsible for the identification of schools that will be targeted across South Africa.
What criteria do the schools have to meet to be part of this campaign?
The need for chairs at disadvantaged and deprived schools is communicated to Adopt-a-School through their network.
How can you guarantee that chairs donated will reach the intended school?
ChairClub is responsible for managing the delivery process through our partners and suppliers and we will feedback successful deliveries and use thereof to our corporate partners.
Can a company that orders chairs choose what school they would prefer to support and is there any incentive for that corporate to continue supporting the school in other ways?
Absolutely. Should any buyer have a charity, school, church or other beneficiary of their choice they can stipulate that the chairs go to that institution.
When did the campaign launch and how long will it run for?
We launched the campaign at the start of May. Assistance in the education sector in South Africa is a long-term plan and so is the relationship between ChairClub and Adopt-a-School.
