Winners have been announced for 2021’s Australia’s Best Workplaces to Give Back. Mirvac has taken the top spot for the greatest contribution to pro-social activities this year, their support for employees includes unlimited volunteer leave and uncapped matched donations to charities of employee choice, providing outstanding support and flexibility for employee involvement.

King & Wood Mallesons were in the number two spot, followed by Origin Energy at number three. A complete list of winners is available at https://www.bestplacetogiveback.com.au/winners/2021/

These important awards provide an opportunity for pro-social employers to share their support for employees to give back via Payroll Giving, Paid Volunteer Leave, Matching Donations, Fundraising, Sponsorship or Staff Rewards.

GoodCompany CEO Ash Rosshandler said, “It’s incredible to see the collective impact made by those continuing to contribute at a time when Australians need it most. Given the challenges faced in recent times due to floods, fires and the pandemic, it’s so important to recognise those that are supporting these activities at this important time. Every year, businesses of all sizes are encouraged to enter, regardless of whether they have 100 or 100,000 employees, our goal is to recognise all good businesses large or small.”

Mirvac head of sustainability Sarah Clarke said, “Community service makes us all better connected. And we feel that we receive more than we give from those experiences. One of the big assets any company has is the capability of its workforce. Our people know how to solve all sorts of problems and it’s important that we use those skills not just at work, but also as a force for good in the community.”

The awards also provide a benchmark for organisations to understand how their participation and support stacks up against other organisations. For example, Paid Volunteer Leave is seeing an increasing trend, with the number of organisations offering unlimited volunteer leave growing year on year.

It’s also important to remember the impact on those that participate – helping others is a positive experience, so offering opportunities like this helps employees to stay engaged and promotes a positive mindset.

In more good news, also trending is the rising number of companies matching staff donations and the size of the matching per employee. In 2018, 17.5% of companies in the survey offered Uncapped Matching for staff donations and in 2021, 29% offered it!

“This year’s been a nightmare for Australian charities, with fundraising and corporate volunteering events cancelled,” Rosshandler said. “Yet at the same time the demand for charities across the board, especially those dealing with domestic violence, mental health and food security, is skyrocketing. So, it’s heartening to see some companies recognise this and increase the capacity and opportunities for their staff to give back at such a crucial time.”