CEO Message : July 2022

 

Since bringing together Workplace Giving Australia, Good2Give and ShareGift Australia, we’ve been busy ensuring we create a single team focused on serving our community across all elements of what we can bring to the party. Personally, it has been a pleasure both getting to know my team, and having the opportunity to meet many of those we work alongside from both the corporate world and the charities they support. A highlight has been learning from our valued partners on all sides of our operation – on what does and doesn’t work in this space, and on what is missing.

Collectively, we are clear on our purpose; to making giving part of everyday life in Australia and New Zealand.  To do this, we need to work with employers as they strive to increase their employee participation so that charities receive a consistent, sustainable and effective flow of funds.

Our dedicated and united team is already actively supporting wpg programs to grow in all its forms across every model and type with many of our giving community.  We know from these partners that their involvement has many benefits for their employees, for the charity recipients who do not have to go out and fundraise to receive these much needed funds, for our communities and for the partner themselves. It is our intent to work even more closely with even more corporates and with government to raise awareness of the benefits of wpg as well as making the programs within the workplace better able to deliver the increasing demands of their workforces.

Our mission remains to reach one million donors. Today we are only slightly over 20% of the way to achieving this goal with less than 2% of Australian and New Zealand workers regularly giving from their pre-tax pay. This is despite the simplicity and effectiveness of this form of giving. A different lens on this conundrum shows us that even within the over 6,500 organisations that offer workplace giving, the participation rate is less than 5% from a population that regularly indicates a desire to participate more broadly in rates of 80% and over. Moreover, we know that many in our WGA family regularly achieve participation rates of 50%, 60%, 70%…and even more. It can be done, but it clearly requires systemic change. We also note the Australian Federal Government commitment to doubling philanthropy by 2030, a goal which is unlikely to be achieved without corporate support.

Bringing leading wpg NFPs together was a great next step in our journey to success. With your involvement and support, the extended team and I look forward to working with you to dramatically reshape the way we as business people, as employees and as the community view giving and the role of the workplace in this imperative.   In supporting your efforts, we will deliver the best, and most trusted workplace giving platform, we will continue to raise awareness of what works (and what does not) for wpg and we will advance the wpg agenda through awareness and advocacy campaigns such as 1Mdonors, June Workplace Giving Month and our support for the National Awards recognising excellence and impact in the area.  Importantly, we will listen and learn from all our stakeholders; workers, employers, charity partners and the broader community to ensure wpg is serving them how they want and in the most effective way.

We remain committed 100 percent to the Australian and New Zealand markets and, as the only NFP fully dedicated to wpg in this market, we will invest in our people and our operation to ensure it works for you as you advance your participation in workplace giving.

Before signing off, it would be negligent not to note that after nine years at the helm of WGA, Jenny Geddes will be leaving us at the end of 30 June.  It has been a pleasure for me to work with Jenny over the past six months. I am sure you will all join the WGA Directors and I as we wish Jenny all the best as she takes the reins at Clean Up Australia as CEO after a merited break to revitalise. We are also looking forward to working alongside Jenny in a different capacity in the very near future.

In closing thank you and your teams for the dedication have already given to workplace giving.  Your support has been critical to the growth of workplace giving to date and on which WGA’s success is measured.

I look forward to continuing our work for you in the years ahead.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

David Mann,

Group CEO

Workplace Giving Australia, Good2Give, Sharegift Australia