Westpac employees mark 10 years and $20 million in charity donations
29 April 2009
The Westpac Group has commemorated 10 years and $20 million in donations to more than 1,200 Australian-based charities through its Matching Gifts program, one of the largest corporate giving programmes in Australia.
Following a record-year of contributions from employees, the Westpac Group, has donated $2.18 million to 550 charities over the past 12 months, including over $802,000 to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Appeal. This includes contributions from St.George, BankSA and RAMS employees. Over the past ten years, donations from the Westpac Group and its employees have totalled $20 million through Matching Gifts.
"The Westpac Group is proud to have been able to support such a diverse range of Australian charities over the past 10 years including The Salvation Army, Oxfam Australia, World Vision and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation," Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly said.
"Through Matching Gifts, our employees can support charities that they feel passionate about and help them make a genuine difference to local communities.
"Employee donations, which have been matched dollar-for-dollar by the Westpac Group, have helped fund breast cancer research, water sanitisation and infrastructure projects in developing countries, juvenile diabetes research, homelessness and mental health support services, as well as grass-roots organisations providing other vital community services.
"This year, the donations will also play a significant role in helping fund the Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, which launches today in Sydney."
Mrs Kelly said that workplace giving programmes were more crucial than ever in the current economic downturn with an increasing number of people now reliant upon community services.
"Unemployment and homelessness can have devastating impacts on communities and that’s why it is important to have a workplace giving scheme which enables our employees to support a variety of important charities through donations which are matched by the Westpac Group," she added.
"Matching Gifts played an integral part in facilitating a group-wide response to the recent Victorian Bushfires which meant that the Westpac Group was able to make a substantial financial contribution toward funding the rebuilding process."
Matching Gifts is the Westpac Group’s largest corporate giving programme and was one of the first of its kind when introduced in 1998 as part of Westpac’s innovative Community Involvement Programme.
Westpac Group Matching Gifts Top 10 Charities since 1998
Australian Red Cross, Cancer Council NSW, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Oxfam Australia, The Salvation Army, The Smith Family, United Way, Victorian Bushfire Relief Appeal , World Vision.
