What is the nonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group?

The nonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group is Virgin Unite.

Virgin Unite is the working name of The Virgin Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group. Richard Branson and Virgin employees created it in 2004 to coordinate the group’s charitable efforts and apply business skills, employee volunteering, and fundraising to social and environmental problems.

Its early priorities included HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, rural health care, and support for grassroots organizations. Virgin Unite has also worked on issues such as climate change, entrepreneurship, and ending obstetric fistula. The organization operates internationally rather than serving as a foundation for one Virgin company or product line.

The name can be confusing because Virgin Unite succeeded earlier charitable bodies, including The Healthcare Foundation. “Virgin Foundation” is its formal charitable identity in some descriptions, while Virgin Unite is the public-facing name associated with the Virgin Group’s philanthropy.