Is this work charity a scam or am I jumping to conclusions?

Online Scams Forum
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Hey folks, I manage a store for a UK retail company and I’m trying to figure out if this charity thing going on is legit or not.

They’ve been advertising this ‘Arctic Challenge’ through work apps, Facebook, and email. The idea is that five of the upper management, including the CEO, will go to the Arctic Circle, do some ‘extreme challenges,’ and try to raise £15,000 for the National Literacy Trust.

Here’s the thing—£15,000 seems like it would barely cover the cost of the whole trip for the five of them. When I asked how the event was actually being funded to make sure money was really going to charity, I didn’t get a clear answer. Management just said most of the funds were coming from the charity itself.

I reached out to the company running this challenge, and they said it costs £300 base and £2,000 per person, not including insurance, gear, and travel. So, each person’s looking at around £3,500.

They’re also asking staff to donate, but honestly, I’m not going to. Our hours have been cut, and my team is struggling. I’m trying to run a store on 93 hours a week for 6 people, and I’ve got 40 of those hours myself. It’s hard to keep the place running, and my staff isn’t getting enough hours or pay, let alone proper training.

I just don’t see how this is fair, especially when it feels like they’re funding their fun trip under the name of charity. Last time I checked, skiing, ice fishing, and exploring the Arctic didn’t exactly seem like hard work.

Anyway, I’ve linked the event details and management’s response below. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?

Link to the challenge: The Arctic Challenge: A day in the life | National Literacy Trust

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It says the team is made up of groups of four, and the minimum amount they need to raise is £2,000. I don’t think it’s charging £2,000 per person. From how I’m reading it, it seems like it’s £300 per group, and your group has to raise £2,000 for the charity to even join.

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@Willow
Here’s a screenshot of what they sent me, just so you can see what I’m talking about.

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Gerald said:
@Willow
Here’s a screenshot of what they sent me, just so you can see what I’m talking about.

Yeah, that’s pretty common with charity events like this. It’s the same deal with charity runs, or Habitat for Humanity builds. Participants have to raise a set amount, but that money is for the charity, not for the trip costs.

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Also, the money is going to the National Literacy Trust, not directly to your company. The way it looks, your company only has to cover their own flights and the £300 fee for their group.

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I really think you’re reading this wrong. It’s only costing your company £300 plus their own flights, and all the funds raised are going to the National Literacy Trust. Your company probably doesn’t even handle any of the money raised. The charity itself seems to be covering the event costs, which is why each team has to raise a minimum of £2,000.

I highly doubt your company is trying to scam anyone out of £10,000 or whatever—it’s likely just an opportunity to raise funds for a good cause while giving employees a team-building experience.

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@Willow
I get what you’re saying and thanks for responding. I still wish there was more transparency on the actual costs involved. My worry comes from seeing how the company’s been handling finances lately. Everyone below upper management is feeling the strain.

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So basically, you’re being asked to pay for someone else’s holiday under the excuse that it’s for charity? How is that even fair?

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Carl said:
So basically, you’re being asked to pay for someone else’s holiday under the excuse that it’s for charity? How is that even fair?

That’s exactly how I’m seeing it too.

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Gerald said:

Carl said:
So basically, you’re being asked to pay for someone else’s holiday under the excuse that it’s for charity? How is that even fair?

That’s exactly how I’m seeing it too.

Honestly, keep all the evidence just in case. It’s pretty shady, and you might need it to push back later if it becomes an issue. Better to be prepared in case you need to call them out.