NZ Entrepreneur Makes Generous Charitable Pledge

November 3, 2008

NZ Entrepreneur Makes Generous Charitable Pledge

A New Zealand entrepreneur has pledged to give 100 percent of profits from a new sector of his technology company to World Vision – with the goal to support an entire village of children in need.

While tougher economic times are looming for many, Andrew Schick believes New Zealanders are still better off than most and wants to use his business to help those less fortunate.

Mr Schick, the founder and company director of Data Lock, says he has always wanted to create a business that does more than just generate profit for its shareholders.

“Data Lock is a realisation of my passion to run a successful business that uses its profits to benefit children in need. Our long term goal is to gift $155,000 to Child Sponsorship each year, which would equate to over 300 children being sponsored,” he says.

Mr Schick’s passion to help the world’s children came about after years of practicing as a youth-based social worker, where he witnessed the plight of disadvantaged children worldwide, from the Philippines to Australia.

In order to fund his volunteer work, Mr Schick simultaneously established several successful IT businesses. As his entrepreneurial flair grew he realised that he could use the profits of his businesses to help under-funded organisations.

“We aim to maintain a 20% profit margin in Data Lock Home Backup that can be gifted to World Vision. Feeding the profits back to the people who need help most is my idea of success,” he says.

World Vision Chief Executive Officer, Lisa Cescon, says the organisation is thrilled to have the support of Data Lock and incredibly grateful for the generous donations to be made.

"This is an extremely generous, exciting development which is welcomed by World Vision New Zealand. Establishing a new business and channelling profits toward helping eradicate global poverty is an innovative and powerful idea. We congratulate Data Lock for this wonderful example of corporate social responsibility and undertake to spend this money wisely across the important work currently funded by New Zealanders in Africa, Asia, Central America.",” she says.

Customers who subscribe to the Data Lock Home service can be assured their money is going to the needy. The Data Lock Home system will be audited each quarter by World Vision.

Using the Data Lock system in your home is the ideal way to back up any personal files that could prove difficult or inconvenient to replace.

Mr Schick says it’s ever easier if your internet provider is Maxnet because Data Lock and Maxnet have an agreement to offer free data traffic for all Maxnet residential customers.

“We are excited to partner with Maxnet, who have provided a consistently high quality of service to its home and business clients over the past decade. This reciprocal partnership will help to grow the number of Data Lock subscribers so we can expand our support of World Vision,” he says.

For more information on Data Lock’s charitable partnership with World Vision or to find out more about how the Data Lock Home system can help protect your personal data visit www.datalock.co.nz/home

ENDS

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