How JLL turned office surplus into safer spaces, new businesses and community hubs
Donor: JLL
Location: London
What was donated:
50 computer monitor stands
3 laminators
3 toasters
4 brand-new bar chairs
10 green bar stools
14 white foldable chairs
Sector: commercial real estate
Charities that benefitted:
The Hawa Trust
The Community Closet Hackney
The Soul Shack London
MB Community CIC
What happens when a global firm likeJLL helps its tenants clear out an office? It uses A Good Thing and connects with charities that need those very items. This match demonstrates how one business’s clear-out can simultaneously support a women’s trust with office essentials, help a beautician start her business from home, and furnish a community hub in London.
A refurbishment with a bigger purpose
When JLL began managing an office asset at 40 Leadenhall, the firm found itself with a surplus of high-quality items. As tenants moved in and cleared out, they left behind everything from monitor stands to bar chairs. For JLL, an annual paying supporter of A Good Thing, there was an opportunity to practise circular economy – something the firm is a big advocate for in its industry.
Martha Smellie, Sustainability Manager at JLL, told us:
“A Good Thing has made it easy for us to donate multiple items that would have otherwise been discarded. Hearing why charities need these items and how they’ll be used makes the experience even more rewarding, as you begin to understand the real impact these donations can have.”
Using A Good Thing aligns perfectly with JLL’s sustainability and social value approach at a building level, as the firm wants to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill while also supporting local charity groups.
One donation, four different stories
The magic of this match lies in how each set of items found a perfect – sometimes unexpected – home. The Hawa Trust, a London-based charity working to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and support survivors, spotted a handful of the listed items on the A Good Thing app and put in a request. The 50 monitor stands, 3 laminators and 3 toasters the charity received are practical tools that will support the Trust’s daily work of offering non-judgmental care, creating educational resources, and empowering women and girls to live safer, more dignified lives.
The four brand-new bar chairs went to The Community Closet Hackney, which supports families moving out of homelessness. Co-founder Krista Brown had some lovely feedback on this generous donation:
“We were able to give two families 2 stools each – both single mums of 3 kids. One mum had no seating at home (other than a sofa!) and the other one will use the stools to launch a new business from home (she is a beautician). They were both over the moon – thank you!”
Separately, The Soul Shack London received six green bar stools from JLL. Founder Shanelle Webb explained they’ll be placed in the window of a new community café that’s about to launch, and added:
“I really like the name of the app – A Good Thing. It’s very self-explanatory. This really is a good thing!”
Finally, the 14 foldable chairs went to MB Community CIC for its new community hubs. Founder Omari Alert explained the vision:
“We’re creating welcoming spaces for families and young people. Donations like these mean we can set up faster and direct every penny we have into the actual activities and support. These chairs will literally help us seat our community.”
A good thing for both businesses and charities
This match shows the potential for a single business’s surplus to meet diverse local needs simultaneously. By choosing to donate through A Good Thing, companies like JLL can save valuable time and effort, while also ensuring their items create direct community impact.