Workplace Giving Australia award winners announced

Workplace Giving Australia (WGA) has announced the leading Australian for-profit and charitable organisations to have excelled at community generosity.

The awards are driven by leading WGA to celebrate the excellence, social impact and leadership. Eighteen groups out of 61 were recognised for their contribution, including charitable organisations STREAT and WWF Australia.

Among the leading for-profit organisations is Best Overall Program winner, SEEK, the Origin Foundation, the REA Group and The Funding Network.

CEO of WGA, Jenny Geddes, said: “We’re delighted to see the growing support for workplace giving and the outcomes achieved by those recognised at the awards.

“These programs help business leaders connect and engage with their people, and generate a genuine sense of pride through the workplace as the collective effort delivers much needed funding and awareness of social issues.”

As a pillar of the WGA’s One Million Donor campaign, the awards aim to promote the success of workplace giving as the most efficient, effective and ethical form of charity donations from working Australians and encourage others to participate.

One of the key goals of the campaign is to see a million Australians give at work direct from their pay. By achieving this milestone, the program hopes to create an additional $250 million each year from working Australians to charity.

CEO of STREAT, Rebecca Scott, winner of the Most Innovative Charity / Employer Partnership with SEEK, said: “This wonderful partnership started in 2014, with a lunch-time talk and some delicious STREAT catering at SEEK in St. Kilda Road.

“In many different ways and in many locations that’s essentially been repeated thousands of times. Most importantly, it has helped fund the training of over 50 young people who really needed a hand. That’s truly delicious.”

SEEK Group Human Resources Director, Kathleen McCudden, said the organisation is really humbled to be recognised for its work in the community.

“Since launching our workplace giving program, more than nine out of 10 of our employees feel that SEEK’s commitment to social responsibility is genuine. Our ongoing partnership with STREAT has enabled both SEEK and our employees to continue to have a positive impact on society.”

The Award Winners are:

Best Overall Program: SEEK

Most Innovative Charity / Employer Partnership: STREAT with SEEK

Best Launch or Refresh (Employer): King and Wood Mallesons

Best Launch or Refresh (Charity): WWF

Best Public Sector Program: Queensland University of Technology

Best Pro Bono / Workplace Volunteering: Origin Foundation

Most Unique Innovation: Joint winners – REA Group and The Funding Network

Additional Award Winners:

Best Overall Program:

• JB Hi-Fi (Silver)
• King & Wood Mallesons (Bronze)

Most Innovative Charity / Employer Partnership:

• SecondBite in partnership with 7-Eleven Australia (Silver)
• Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation in partnership with Event Hospitality and Entertainment (Highly Commended)

Best Launch or Refresh of WPG Program (Employer):

• PETstock (Silver)
• Flight Centre Travel Group (Bronze)

Best Pro Bono / Workplace Volunteering:

• Bain & Company (Silver – joint winner)
• Deloitte Australia (Silver – joint winner)

Most Unique Innovation:

• SAP Australia & New Zealand (Bronze – joint winner)
• WWF (Bronze – joint winner)