Facebook launches a new version of Workplace, exclusively for non-profits

Facebook's dedicated social network for the office, Workplace, has undergone a 2.0 revamp to create a separate platform just for charities, non-profit and educational organisations.

Aptly named Workplace for Good, the new platform will offer organisations all of the tools available to businesses via Facebook's Workplace Premium service, but for free.

Built like a G-Suite, Slack and Skype all rolled into one, this includes everything from live video streaming and a Workplace mobile app with instant messaging, to unlimited file, photo and video storage, collaborative project groups and administrative controls to manage company communities.

Designed with large-scale international companies in mind, Workplace also supports integration with existing company software services like G-Suite, Microsoft Azure, and Okta. Indeed, the original platform counts major names like Starbucks, Spotify and Booking.com among its more than 30,000 user organisations.

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"Since we started Workplace in 2016, we've been overwhelmed by the response of thousands of non-profits using the platform and deploying it company wide," said Julien Codorniou, vice president of Workplace by Facebook, speaking to City A.M. this morning.

"In reply to that demand and strong adoption, we've created a dedicated team and platform to manage community organisations, giving them the same product they'd pay for, for free."

The platform has already been rolled out to several charities and non-profits across the globe, including Save the Children, Comic Relief, Unicef and It Gets Better.

Kate Cooke, head of network communications at the World Wildlife Fund, told City A.M. that the company found Workplace for Good to be invaluable when working across worldwide efforts like Earth Hour, particularly in mobilising volunteers and increasing company engagement.

"Modern productivity has been really undersold by traditional institutions as a source of value," continued Codorniou.

"When you work in a non-profit as a volunteer or a new staff member, often you don't have a desk, or even an email address. To attract the next generation of workers, companies need access to tools which are easy to use on mobile and prioritise a user-friendly experience."

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CityAM

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