“I take enormous pleasure from giving something back to society and to making a positive difference to other people’s lives. I feel honoured to put my name to the Giving pledge and to sharing such a worthwhile commitment with like-minded people.”

Statement from Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC: May, 2013
It is with great pleasure that I make a commitment to the Giving Pledge. I am full of admiration that so many wealthy people have now promised to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable causes, either during their lifetime or in their will.

I outlined my intentions in 2005 that I wanted to leave the majority of my assets to a charitable foundation in my name. I did this when I wrote a book, Dirty Politics, Dirty Times, about a difficult episode in my life. I used the opportunity to say that I have never been a great believer in inherited wealth. After my death, my family will be the trustees of the foundation so that they will be able to enjoy spending money on worthy causes in my name. I also intend, however, to provide well for my family so that they have a financially secure and, hopefully, happy future.

My parents instilled in me a work ethic and social responsibility: I believe these values formed the roots of my eventual commitment to philanthropy. During my career as an entrepreneur and businessman, I have been fortunate enough to have created wealth. It is the major proportion of these earnings that I intend to put to good causes over the years and decades ahead.

During the 1980s when I started investing in the United States, I discovered that one of the most appealing traits of American life is the tendency of many wealthy individuals to see it as part of their civic duty to support charities. Over the years, I became a convert to philanthropy and I started donating to deserving and innovative causes. I saw that some of the best ideas to emerge in the US had their roots in charities and the freedom to innovate that they provided.

As a self-made man, I am determined that when I donate to charitable causes the donation should not be frittered away or lay stagnant in a bank account. I therefore favour in most cases a hands-on approach towards philanthropy, driving a charitable project forward in the same way that I would seek to progress with a business. I also prefer to donate to subjects close to my heart: for example, to fighting crime, to supporting education and to championing the military, in general, and gallantry, in particular. I am proud, for example, that my first major charitable enterprise, Crimestoppers, is this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of its formation and which to date has led to 120,000 arrests.

I take enormous pleasure from giving something back to society and to making a positive difference to other people’s lives. I feel honoured to put my name to the Giving Pledge and to sharing such a worthwhile commitment with like-minded people.