I met Fabien Lamaison who’s a French-American over a Gratitude 7:47 virtual event. Fabien is the Founder & CEO of bunny.money, a new banking app that disrupts giving by directly connecting community members with their organizations and processing donations without fees. With bunny.money, caring citizens can easily save and donate based on their financial wellness while their favorite nonprofits can fundraise for free.
Beyond the save for good® app, Fabien envisioned a community banking service enabled by decentralized finance & timebanking that will support the future of work, which is all about giving.
THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW SOCIAL & ECONOMIC FABRIC
WITH PEOPLE, PLANET & PROSPERITY IN MIND
As the world was plagued by the pandemic, and we were forced to take refuge in our homes, we were reminded of what is essential to us. The safety of our loved ones came first to mind. We worried about having a job and keeping our finances afloat to sustain ourselves. We missed our friends, the restaurants, the shops we like, the public places and the outdoors we normally enjoy.
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” -Helen Keller
Everyday we clap for the healthcare and emergency personnel on the frontlines, truly the real superheroes on Earth. We cherish the essential workers that provide us with all the goods & services we need. We also value the support of the local, national & international communities.
What we took for granted now becomes valuable again in the face of uncertainty, and incites us to reconsider what matters the most. Health is Wealth. Our common-wealth is the common good and public benefit.
We come to realize that the way out of the current health crisis, and out of our respective homes, is only possible if we help and respect one another. Solidarity and Gratitude are the foundation of any community, and we never achieve big things alone. Solidarity helps us become more than who we are. Solidarity makes us all superhumans, or simply more human again. #strongertogether
The new social & economic fabric
As we practice social distancing, social giving can be what makes us closer. We need each other as much as we complement one another. We need all the patrons & business owners. We need all the workers and volunteers. We need all the donors & the nonprofits that support our communities. We need to give. Time, Money. And Gratitude. A smile and thank you go a long way. Only with mutual support, can we grow healthily as individuals, thrive in our businesses, and prosper as society.
If COVID-19 has one silver lining, it is the realization of what unity & solidarity truly mean. We must act, but we must do it together. As we rebuild and reimagine tomorrow with a new emergency – Climate change & biodiversity protection – we have the opportunity to follow our values and build a better world, with a more inclusive social economy that protects the People & the Planet while bringing Prosperity. And this starts in the workplace. Millennials want their work to have a purpose, to contribute something to the world and they want to be proud of their employer. Up to 70% of Millennials volunteer, and not only do they give time but also money.
FUTURE OF WORK = LEARNING & SHARING WITH PURPOSE.
As we previously discussed, People have come to realize that financial security and safety are not enough; they want to feel valued, a sense of belonging, and they want wellbeing in the workplace. 9 in 10 millennials in the workplace would trade money for a workplace purpose. 77% of them say they’re more likely to volunteer when they can use their specific skills or expertise to benefit a cause, proving that work & giving go hand in hand.
Interesting fact: nearly all employees at benefit corporations feel valued, therefore feel better and lead happier, healthier lives. So what’s the secret? Purpose. When you work for a greater cause and good (“public benefit”), you find your work and life more meaningful. The same “feel-good” dopamine kicks in when you give time and money. To amplify their impact, Public Benefit Corporations, and Certified B-corp almost systematically promote volunteering programs to their employees. They give time & money to Nonprofit organizations, typically 1% to 5% of their time or revenues.
What if this could be scaled to all companies? Imagine working 3-4 days a week while volunteering to your favorite organization for the remainder of the week?
Universal Basic Income (UBI) could contribute to making this a reality of course, alongside Decentralized Finance (DeFi), which can bring prosperity in new ways. Indeed Time is a currency as much as money and can be tokenized. Timebanking has been around for quite some time – think of how farmers help each other for the harvest, construction, repairs, and how they share resources, and equipment.
As more automation comes in, the future of work will be about cooperation, learning from others, sharing our own skills and resources and having a greater & collective impact.
IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE, PLANET, PROSPERITY. IT’S ABOUT HAVING A PURPOSE.
Check out everything Bunny.money is about, and support their mission to build a better world. A world where everyone has a chance to achieve prosperity while respecting the other people and the environment.