Communities

Digital Poverty Alliance

Currys partnered with the Learning Foundation in 2021 to launch the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) as a Founding Partner, a project that quickly grew into a leading initiative. In 2024, the Learning Foundation officially became the Digital Poverty Alliance, reflecting its success and impact.

We continue to be an active and engaged member of the DPA’s work, providing advice and support on strategy, events and reports. For example, we contributed to and supported the DPA launch of its National Delivery Plan (NDP) in June 2023. With six key missions and a set of clear actions, the Plan sets out a roadmap for how to end digital poverty by 2030 and serves as a vital framework for ensuring digital technology is integrated into all our lives in a way that builds a stronger and more equal society. We were also delighted to support the DPA’s inaugural End Digital Poverty Day on 12 September 2023 to fundraise for and raise awareness of the issue of digital poverty in the UK.

Read more about the DPA’s National Delivery Plan on their website at https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/uk-national-delivery-plan/

Read more about our work on digital poverty in the 2023/24 Annual Report

Tech4Families

It’s never been more important to make sure families can get online. One way we’re doing this is to help families who need a laptop to get one. During the year funds collected from our stores in the UK have supported vulnerable families in need by providing life changing access to digital technology through Tech4Families.

In our first two years of working together, we have raised nearly £500k through Pennies. 10% of the donations made at the point of sale in Currys stores directly support Pennies to grow the microdonation movement, the remaining 90% funds Tech4Families.

Find out more about Tech4Families, including how to apply, at https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/tech4families/

All Digital Weeks on Partnering for Impact: How Collaboration Drives Digital Inclusion:

Jennifer Neely, Development Manager at the Digital Poverty Alliance, and Catrin Hale, Group Social Impact Manager at Currys, talk about our shared experience of Tech4Families and reflect on how businesses and charities can partner together to deliver scalable programmes of support for digital inclusion.

Digital Empowerment: The Tech4Families Initiative and Its National Impact:

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance talks to Dr Becky Faith, Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies and Catrin Hale, Group Social Impact Manager at Currys, about the significant findings of the DPA’s research into our Tech4Families scheme, which sheds light on the persistent digital divide in the UK and its profound effects on children’s education.

Local Fundraising

Community fundraising is encouraged right across Currys, and each year our colleagues support many causes which resonate locally.

Our UK Retail colleagues have climbed, ran, cycled, dressed up and completed incredible challenges to raise thousands of pounds for charities important to them.

Fighting digital exclusion in the Nordics

Each country within the Nordics uses their position and role in society to help fight digital exclusion. We work to raise awareness increase knowledge, and enable access to people who are falling behind in the rapid development of technology.

To connect, play or learn with technology should be easy and fun but that is not always the case. That is why we support organisations and associations with products and guidance – in addition to financial resources. The support we provide is based both on an open application process and long-term partnerships for local, national and global initiatives, including a key focus on combating digital poverty.

Through our annual research, Tech Trouble, we have identified a number of groups that due to age, socioeconomic status, disabilities, language and cultural barriers, or other matters, find themselves on the wrong side of the technological divide in the Nordics.

The survey enables us to keep track of customer challenges when it comes to technology.

Our latest survey found one out of four people in the Nordics find it difficult to keep up with the changes in technology and one out of two say technology has become so expensive they were prevented from buying it because of economic reasons. Almost one out of three say the language of technology has become so complicated it is hard to keep up.

• one out of three people in the Nordics find it difficult to keep up with the changes in technology;
• 42% say they have products at home that they do not know how to use;
• people over 60 worry the most about keeping up with digital development;
• one out of three respondents say they would stay more in touch with relatives over 75 if they were active on social media.

Sweden

Our Elgiganten stores in Sweden are the main partner of the nonprofit organisation Stiftelsen Laxhjalpen, supporting their Homework Help programme in Sweden, which helps students in vulnerable areas to pass primary school and get a high school qualification. In 2023/24, we donated computers to a loan pool so that students who don’t have their own can borrow one so that they can participate in the digital Homework Help programme.

Denmark

Twice a year in Denmark, Elgiganten partner with the Danish People’s Aid and assist with financial aid and product donations. Elgiganten collect funds instore to support vulnerable families with children during their Christmas aid campaign and Elgiganten Denmark donated over £120k in 2023/24.