Listen Up

Very few people are going to try to bully England Rugby World Cup champion, and second all-time scorer for his country, Ben Cohen. And yet when this elite athlete retired at the top of his game in 2011, he established the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, dedicated to stopping bullying and promoting tolerance in sports. As the Foundation’s Chairman, Cohen travels the world to help raise awareness about the immediate and long-term impact of bullying, and to support the imperative of character, respect and equality. In his declared call to arms, Cohen says he lost his father to violence when he stepped up and defended someone who was being attacked, and wants to help prevent this from happening to other families. These days, Ben reaches out via social media, StandUp branded merchandise, and speaking events. StandUp is the first social-commerce brand developed for the benefit of the anti-bullying cause. Its profits are shared with the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation. The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, Inc. is based in Atlanta and is also a registered Charity in the U.K. On November 27, Cohen will share his story at the Edgerton Center on the campus of Sacred Heart University.