VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mindset Social Innovation Foundation is thrilled to announce the appointment of its founder, Alison Lawton, to the World Refugee & Migration Council’s Canadian Task Force Against Global Corruption. This appointment recognizes Lawton's outstanding expertise and dedication to promoting social impact through investment.
At a conference on June 20 in Ottawa, the Council will publish a new paper by Lawton, co-written by Lauren Casey, proposing the creation of a charitable social impact fund that would utilize assets seized and confiscated from Russia as reparation and compensation for Ukraine.
"I am thrilled and honored to be joining both the World Refugee & Migration Council and the Canadian Task Force Against Global Corruption,” said Lawton. “I look forward to working with the members of these organizations to promote social impact and combat corruption on a global scale, and to help Canada take a global leadership position in establishing a fund to redirect Russian money back to the victims of Russia’s war in Ukraine.”
The proposed Canadian Ukrainian Social Impact Reconstruction Trust Fund (the "CU Trust") would establish a national Canadian fund that will serve as a model for a larger, global fund.
The fund will have a reconstruction and resettlement mandate and a social impact focus, specifically supporting the most vulnerable members of Ukrainian society, including women, children and wounded veterans.
Lawton's expertise lies in the intersection of for-profit and non-profit investment, with a strong focus on social impact. She has played a key role in promoting social impact through investment as an early supporter of the New York-based Venture Philanthropy Fund, Acumen Fund, and as a board member of Canada's first health-related social impact bond, Activate, a collaboration with the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Additionally, Lawton was a core donor, alongside Virgin Unite, in the establishment of MaRS Catalyst Fund (Amplified Fund).
Lawton has served on several boards and advisory positions, including UNICEF, Virgin Unite Canada, BC Advisory Council for Social Entrepreneurship, and was named an Honorary Fellow from the UBC Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation at the Sauder School of Business.
Lawton's vision for social impact and her dedication to promoting sustainable investment practices will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to the World Refugee & Migration Council’s Canadian Task Force Against Global Corruption's efforts to support the redevelopment of Ukraine.
Mindset Social Innovation Foundation is a Canadian charitable organization established in 2006, dedicated to investigating intricate social challenges that require unconventional approaches to problem-solving and reorganization. Their mission is to conduct extensive research on human rights issues and creatively disseminate their findings to the public through diverse media channels, maximizing impact. They strive to invest in partnerships that will contribute to creating a more fair and just society.
The Council advances bold ideas and concrete actions for resetting the global response to forced displacement through international cooperation and responsibility sharing. Chaired by former Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, Council members include leaders, practitioners and innovators from developing and developed countries across the globe.
The Canadian Task Force Against Global Corruption works to ensure that assets of kleptocrats and others engaged in grand corruption are not only frozen, but seized and repurposed for the benefit of victims of corruption and resulting conflict, including people who have been forcibly displaced. The Council is also supporting the global effort to create an International Anti-Corruption Court (IACC).
Contacts:
Mindset Social Innovation Foundation
Email: info@mindsetfoundation.com
Website: https://www.mindsetfoundation.com/
Media contact:
Cori Howard Communications
cori@corihowardcommunications.com
778-987-1345
World Refugee & Migration Council
Email: info@wrmcouncil.org
Website: https://wrmcouncil.org/
