The Tenzin Gyatso Institute, named after the 14th Dalai Lama, has been established to put into action his principles and ideals, including the values of compassion, religious harmony and universal responsibility. The Institute works in particular to further the dialogue between the Tibetan Buddhist wisdom tradition and the humanistic and scientific traditions of the West, through the Tenzin Gyatso Scholars Programme. The Institute also promotes the practices of training the mind in compassion, for which the Dalai Lama is recognized around the world. It is the lead partner of the Empathy and Compassion in Society Conference. www.tenzingyatsoinstitute.org

The Charter for Compassion is a cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Supported by leading thinkers from many traditions, the Charter transcends religious, ideological, and national differences and activates the Golden Rule around the world. The Charter for Compassion is the result of Karen Armstrong’s 2008 TED Prize wish and made possible by the support of the Fetzer Institute. www.charterforcompassion.org

Action for Happiness is a movement of people who are taking action in their personal lives, homes, workplaces and communities, to help create a happier society for everyone. We’re bringing together thousands of like-minded people, including parents, teachers, managers, community leaders, volunteers, policy makers, health and well-being experts and many others too. We provide information, inspiration and resources to help them make a difference, all based on the latest scientific evidence.  www.actionforhappiness.org 

The Spiritual Care Programme has trained healthcare professionals in compassionate presence worldwide since 1993. We work with hospitals, hospices and universities, and have trained more than 30,000 healthcare professionals and volunteers in all areas of healthcare and social services. The programme originally specialised in training those working and volunteering in end-of-life care, and supports many people facing serious illness, death, or bereavement, and their families. We now offer a professional training curriculum with a main focus on the integration of mindfulness, meditation and compassion to cultivate authentic communication and compassionate presence.  www.spcare.org

The Foundation for Developing Compassion and Wisdom is an international NGO that promotes peace in the world through Universal Wisdom Education, a system of inner development that enables people of all ages, cultures and traditions to lead a happy and meaningful life and be of service to others. It offers practical tools and programmes that help us explore reality, understand our mind and emotions, and grow to embody the universal human values of kindness, compassion, altruism and joy. www.compassionandwisdom.org

Mind with Heart is an international charity, based in the UK, dedicated to equipping young people with the social and emotional skills necessary to their well-being and to building a more sustainable society. Mind with Heart offers a complete social and emotional learning curriculum for KS3, KS4 and Sixth Form, a whole-school approach to cultivating mindfulness and empathy, trainings and events for all education professionals, including teachers, youth workers, lecturers and policy-makers and packs and videos to support youth and student events on the role of empathy and compassion in society. www.mindwithheart.org.uk

Ashoka’s vision is an Everyone a Changemaker™ world: one that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges; one where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem and drive change. For more than 30 years, Ashoka has identified and supported leading social entrepreneurs who are solving entrenched social problems across the globe. We’ve learned from our network of Ashoka Fellows that empathy is foundational to changemaking. That’s why Ashoka is supporting the ‘Empathy and Compassion in Society Conference 2012’. It’s also why we’ve launched Start Empathy: www.startempathy.org. Find out more about Ashoka’s work in the UK.

 The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine was founded in 2008 to promote, support, and conduct rigorous scientific studies of compassion and altruistic behaviour. CCARE investigates methods for cultivating compassion and promoting altruism within individuals and society through rigorous research, scientific collaborations, and academic conferences. In addition, CCARE provides a compassion cultivation programme and teacher training as well as educational public events and programmes. www.ccare.stanford.edu

The Compassionate Mind Foundation promotes wellbeing through the scientific understanding and application of compassion. It works in research, supervision and dissemination, and in particular supports research and teaching of the compassion-focused approach to human difficulties. The Foundation brings together a network of scientists who have a specific interest in the scientific study of compassion and its underlying processes, and facilitates communication and interchange between them.          www.compassionatemind.co.uk

The Human Values in Healthcare Forum (aka Healthcare Ethics Forum) was founded in the 1980s by a distinguished group of doctors following the revelation of the extensive involvement of the Medical Profession in the Nazi euthanasia programme. The Forum later widened its membership and arranged interdisciplinary conferences and colloquiums exploring and evaluating policies and practices that threaten or corrode the delivery of humane healthcare. The Forum’s mission is to promote compassionate and competent healthcare. www.humanvaluesinhealthcare.com