Multibanks are community-based initiatives that collect and redistribute surplus products from large companies, primarily Amazon UK, to individuals and families experiencing poverty or vulnerability. The Multibank model collaborates with various businesses to receive and redistribute goods—from household essentials to clothing and electronics—through a network of local charities, schools, and professionals.
These items can include shampoo, cleaning products, washing powder and nappies. Clothing and other household essentials can be delivered.
The products will vary depending on which fulfilment Centre the Multibank is aligned with and who the other donor organisations are and what they may have. These can include children’s books.
Why Are Multibanks Needed?
- Tackling Rising Poverty: The Multibanks provide essential items to families and individuals in need, directly addressing the material needs that come with financial hardship. By redistributing goods, they alleviate some of the burdens faced by those at risk of poverty.
- Creating Environmental Impact: Surplus items from major corporations often go unused or are discarded. Multibanks create a sustainable solution by repurposing these goods, helping the environment by reducing waste and promoting a circular economy.
- Strengthening Local Communities: Through partnerships with local charities and referral networks, Multibanks reinforce community support systems, ensuring that assistance reaches those who need it most in a targeted and efficient way.
In essence, Multibanks bridge the gap between surplus resources and community needs, offering a practical, impactful response to social and economic challenges while fostering sustainability.
Multibanks across the UK
The Multibank initiative, pioneered by The Cottage Family Centre in Fife with Amazon UK’s backing, has become an innovative solution to address poverty and vulnerability through redistributing surplus products. Amazon support Community Organisation partners, who will be the key delivery partner, with funding to support both warehouse facilities and staffing.
The first Multibank, known as “The Big Hoose,” launched in Fife in 2021 in collaboration with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Working with Amazon’s excess inventory and donations from over 30 businesses, it provides essential goods to vulnerable families.
Based on the success of Fife’s model, a second Multibank was launched in Wigan in 2023, branded as “Brick by Brick,” to reach more communities in need. Today, Multibanks are growing, with new sites in London, Swansea and Teesside, with plans for another in West Midlands.
Achievements of more established Multibanks
Fife’s Pioneering Success
The Fife Multibank, supported by a network of 717 charities and professional referrals, efficiently channels essential resources to families across the region. An impact assessment by Social Value Lab, employing the Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology, revealed a return ratio of £5.98 for every £1 invested. This high-impact measure helped Amazon and other partners see the potential for scalability, providing them with critical data to support broader rollouts.
Wigan’s Rapid Growth
Established by The Brick in early 2023, the Wigan Multibank adopted a similar approach to redistribute products from Amazon and 24 other businesses. By partnering with 292 schools, charities, and professionals, the Wigan Multibank developed a targeted distribution network to serve people at risk of poverty. In its first year, Social Value Lab’s SROI evaluation estimated a return of £5.01 for every £1 invested, underscoring the model’s efficacy and potential. The Wigan findings further validated the Multibank’s adaptability and the positive social impact of connecting surplus resources to those in need.
Potential for Broader Impact
The success of the Fife and Wigan Multibanks demonstrated the adaptability and scalability of this model for addressing poverty across various communities. By repurposing surplus goods from large corporations like Amazon and collaborating with local charities and professionals, Multibanks present a cost-effective, impactful solution for supporting families while reducing waste. Future Multibanks can be fine-tuned based on lessons from Fife and Wigan, helping meet diverse needs in new regions.
Social Value Lab’s Ongoing Evaluation
Currently, Social Value Lab is expanding its partnership with Amazon UK to evaluate the impact of the four additional Multibanks in London, Swansea, West Midlands, and Teesside. These evaluations, launched in early 2024, build on the lessons learned in Fife and Wigan.
The new projects aim to evaluate immediate and long-term outcomes of these expanded efforts. This evaluation process includes:
- Theory of Change workshops
- Stakeholder engagement activities
- Beneficiary surveys
- SROI methodology application
This will support Amazon, and its partners to help more people and communities by optimising and expanding the Multibank initiative.
These continued evaluations will highlight areas for improvement, track progress towards set goals, and quantify social returns. Social Value Lab’s assessments ensure resources are used efficiently, helping Amazon and community partners maximise social outcomes and refine the model for wider application.
“The SVL team are always ahead of the game in terms of what questions to ask and are brilliantly autonomous about getting on with the analysis and report. We are grateful to the independent assessment of our work, and take their findings to heart,”
Eugenie Teasley, Head of Impact at Amazon UK.
These achievements will showcase a replicable framework for other communities looking to support vulnerable populations through surplus redistribution.
Looking Ahead
As the Amazon Multibank project continues, we are glad to have played a part in measuring their impact and progress since launching in 2021, and we look forward to seeing the outcome of other Multibanks across the country.
Measure Your Social Value
Are you looking to:
- Demonstrate your social impact to funders or stakeholders?
- Understand the full value of your community initiatives?
- Build a robust evidence base for expanding your programmes?
Let’s discuss how we can help measure and communicate your organisation’s social impact. Social Value Lab specialises in helping organisations understand and demonstrate their social value. Get in touch today if you’d like to learn more about how we can help you measure your social value and social impact.
