Call for CEOs to Get Behind Workplace Giving
1 June 2017 at 4:33 pm
To mark Workplace Giving Month, which started Wednesday, two leading Australian CEOs have joined forces to encourage Workplace Giving (WPG).
SEEK co-founder and CEO Andrew Bassat and JB Hi-Fi CEO Richard Murray are encouraging other business leaders to lead the way by setting up schemes in their workplaces.
Bassat and Murray won the 2016 Workplace Giving Award recognising the high participation rate of workplace giving at their respective companies.
Just under three out of four employees at JB Hi-Fi and 65 per cent of SEEK employees donate to charities directly through their pay.
Bassat said WPG, also known as pre-tax payroll giving, was a tangible way for employees to have a positive impact on society.
“Helping our 10 partner charities is very motivating and rewarding for our employees and this is reflected in our strong participation rate. We are proud to match employee contributions dollar for dollar to increase the impact our employees have on the causes these organisations support,” Bassat said.
Murray said since the scheme was introduced in 2008 JB Hi-Fi has raised $12 million for charity.
“This has only been possible because staff feel so connected to our charity partners and the great work they do using the funds that we have raised,” Murray said.
According to the latest ATO records, less than 5 per cent of Australian employees participate in a workplace giving program.
A spokesperson for the Australian Charities Fund said WPG participation rates grew to 26 per cent when employers signed up to the One Million Donors Campaign and provided strong leadership around setting targets.
“When you have a CEO setting targets and advocating its benefits – just like any other part of the business, participation rates skyrocket,” he said.
The Australian Charities Fund’s campaign aims to see one million Australians sign on to WPG giving by 2020 and create an additional $250 million each year to go to charities.
Australian Charities Fund’s CEO Jenny Geddes said the campaign was an important step to see Australian charities receive sustained funding.
“For charities, WPG continues to be one of the most efficient, effective and ethical ways to raise much needed funding,” Geddes said.
