Public welfare organizations and media groups are uniting to promote innovative and sustainable models for the public good.

Xihan Action, which focuses on protecting intangible cultural heritage; Touchmedia, China's largest in-taxi interactive media company; and China Business News all took part in a forum on Friday in Shanghai designed to jointly explore more and better ways to bring new ideas to public welfare practices, unlock development bottlenecks and promote China's public welfare undertakings.

"People's kindness is not enough to support public welfare. We are trying to use the business model to help the projects," said Mi Cheng, Xihan Action sponsor and director-general at Shanghai King Olive Cultural Development Center.

Mi's organization is running a campaign called "protection of Dai paper".

The craftsmanship of making the special paper is kept alive by the Dai people, an ethnic group in Southwest China's Yunnan province, but faces extinction due to lack of funds. By cooperating with fashion brands, Dai paper is now used to wrap high-end clothing and as perfume blotters.

Micky Fung, founder and executive chairman of Touchmedia, said: "Despite their busy work, thoughtful executives and urban professionals have the ability to do their bit for the public good and to give back to society. We need to make public service 'easy to understand and accessible', bring together all stakeholders for in-depth discussions, consolidate public welfare resources and promote the sustainability of public welfare."