People are social creatures, and have a responsibility to their fellow man. The more successful one is, the more chances they have and therefore more responsibilities they bare. This also applies to successful businesses and it is no accident that any serious business has a significant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Charity and philanthropy only make sense if it’s not just a meaningless display of empty gestures and words, but proceed onto real and significant action. Social responsibility, solidarity and charity are such fundamental values, that they are essential components for ensuring a businesses success in the long term.
We sponsor sailing, as my husband is a big admirer of the sport. Although sailing is mostly a passion of wealthy people, this isn’t always true of the competitors of the sport itself, of which there are individuals who have been tremendously successful without having come from a privileged background. We primarily support young people with an outstanding track record, who would otherwise be unable to produce the required funds to finance their activities.
We feel supporting the arts are important too. We provide a year’s grant to one young, talented visual artist every year, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to support themselves through selling their art alone, much like a scholarship.
I often participate in inspiring workshops and conferences, where I can share my experiences of the world of national taxation systems and cross border financial planning, with an audience of professionals. Passing down knowledge is very inspiring for me, because at these times I feel that I am also contributing to a greater wisdom that I too benefited from early on. If any one of us sees further ahead than the other, it is because they stand on the shoulders of giants, of whom they can thank their intellectual foundation. It is an exceptionally elevating feeling to be able to share knowledge that is much needed by others.
For this reason, I feel that giving societal and professional lectures are my civic duty.