We Are What We Do

We Are What We Do is a Community Links (charity) project (registered charity number 1018517). It is a global social enterprise sustained through the voluntary efforts of partners from across all sectors and funded through the sale of products.

The movement aims to inspire people to use their everyday actions to change the world and is funded by proceeds from the sale of two books – "Change the World for a Fiver" and "Change the world 9-5". The guiding principle of We Are What We Do is that small changes x lots of people = big change.

All the actions in the book aim to improve someone’s life or contribute to change in the wider world. We Are What We Do seeks to move these things into the mainstream and out of the realm of the “do-gooder”.

We Are What We Do began as a whispering campaign and was launched in September 2004 with short TV films, national action days, a website and the first book – "Change the World for a Fiver" which featured 50 simple actions.

The second book, "Change the World 9 to 5" was published in September 2006 and clocks up a further 50 actions.

In 2007, We Are What We Do teamed up with fashion designer Anya Hindmarch to launch the "I'm NOT a Plastic Bag" reusable shopping bag. The project brought to life the movement's first action from "Change the World for a Fiver": "Decline plastic bags whenever possible". The bag was launched in the UK, USA, China and Germany.

We Are What We Do have recently announced (June 2008) the launch date of its third book in the Change the World series. "Teach Your Granny to Text & Other Ways to Change the World" will be launched on 2nd October 2008 and will contain 30 actions created by and for children. The book will be published by Walker Books and Short Books and is designed by New Future Graphic and written by Tanis Taylor.

The small We Are What We Do team works out of the offices of the Brunswick Group in London.

In addition to salaries, proceeds from the sale of "Change the World for a Fiver", "Change the world 9-5" and the "I'm NOT a Plastic Bag" reusable shopper have been used to develop and maintain the We Are What We Do website create and manage an education programme, and fund overseas editions of "Change the World for a Fiver".

We Are What We Do works with a range of creative partners to develop new products and initiatives which are modestly priced (and therefore accessible to as many people as possible) but which make a modest surplus which are used to develop and sustain the movement around the world.

"Change the World for a fiver" was number one in the Swiss bestseller list, one in every 100 Australians has read it and more than half a million copies have been sold worldwide. Businesses such as Accenture, Morgan Stanley, Coca Cola and the Inland Revenue have adopted action programmes, nearly 4,000 secondary schools are using educational materials and more than 400,000 individuals have registered activity on the website.

Examples of the actions from the books:
* Action 05: Smile and Smile Back - 13,569 actions registered
* Action 01: Decline plastic bags whenever possible - 12,465 actions registered
* Action 31: Turn off the tap whilst brushing your teeth - 10,727 actions registered
* Action 21: Turn off unnecessary lights - 10,489 actions registered
* Action 03: Fit at least one energy-saving light bulb - 8,756 actions registered

External links

* [http://www.wearewhatwedo.org We Are What We Do]
* [http://www.community-links.org Community Links]