Top reads on corporate community investment and charity giving trends in Australia from our CEO, Lisa Grinham. 

 

Corporate responsibility

NAB’s online trading fees go to charity

Yahoo, 13 April 2017

AAP

NAB will become the first Australian financial institution to donate online brokerage fees to charity. Brokerage fees paid to nabtrade on April 19 will be donated to the Luke Batty Foundation, which works to raise awareness of family violence and boost funding for support services.

SumoSalad CEO: Don’t let CSR be “lip service”

My Business, 13 April 2017

David Grayson

Business owners like to think they make a difference through CSR, but according to Luke Aylis, SumoSalad’s CEO, it means nothing if you don’t actually believe in that responsibility… “We don’t do this to try to sell more stores or anything like that. We do it because we truly believe in what we’re here to achieve.” Read more

Zuckerberg says Facebook doesn’t focus on charity because its already doing good

Quartz, 11 April 2017

Leah Fessler

Big companies often pledge to do good for the world. This can mean donating money to charities, advocating for social issues, or championing employee volunteer programs. But to Facebook, giving back means focussing on social media. Read more

How to approach corporate sustainability reporting in 2017

Green Biz 2017

Tim Mohin and Jean Rogers

One reason behind the popularity of sustainability reporting is that transparency not only helps companies tell their story, it also drives improvements in performance. As per the business axiom, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” Transparency is a currency that builds trust. Read more

 

Giving trends

Collective giving trending for Australian philanthropists

Pro Bono News, 5 April 2017

Lina Caneva

More Australian philanthropists are engaging in collective giving in addition to their normal giving, according to the first detailed report on philanthropy released as part of the national Giving Australia Research. Read more

Insights about impact

Generosity, 5 April 2017

Christopher Baker and Wendy Scaife

Christopher Baker and Wendy Scaife explore how impact influences giving choices using data from Giving Australia 2016… If we built a word cloud of Giving Australia 2016, ‘impact’ would loom in large type. Read more

Charities need to be honest about running costs

The Guardian, 26 April 2017

Helena Wilkinson

As a result of public scrutiny, the way charities explain how they spend their money is changing. From raising funds to running an office, many of the end-of-year reports now offer a fuller picture of an organisation – rather than just what is spent on providing a service for beneficiaries. Read more

The Trust Virus: The Future of brands and giving

Fast Company, 5 April 2017

Jon Sharpe, CEO of Y&R London

Y&R London’s CEO Jon Sharpe discusses the tactics needed to fight rampant consumer cynicism undermining brands and charitable giving… Brands and charities must work harder than ever to convince an increasingly desensitized consumer and hostile media that goodwill initiatives are not mere marketing devices to boost sales or donations. Read more

Charity donation wasted on red tape

Sunrise Channel 7, 8 April 2017

Guests: Tim Costello and Sarah Davis

Australia’s biggest charities are demanding that the government simplify the system. View here

 

Technology in the sector

Text message donations breaking ground for Australian charities

Pro Bono News, 12 April 2017

Lina Caneva

An 18-month-long national telco pilot project trialing text messaging for charity fundraising has seen some “great successes” and some “total flops”, according to the Telco Together Foundation which is planning to extend the trial through 2017. Read more

Online tool to measure value of CSR and NFP work

Pro Bono News,  20 April 2017

Lina Caneva

The way Australian businesses measure the impact of their CSR strategies and charities measure their social outcomes will have a broader focus in 2017 with the launch of the Australian Social Value Bank (ASVB) online tool. Read more

 

Community connection

Donating makes you happy if you are giving freely and know where the money’s going

Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March 2017

Catherine Robson

A donation of $2.86 billion or $3.50. Two amounts sitting at radically different ends of the wealth spectrum. But giving away $2.86 billion or $3.50 has a similar effect – the hit of happiness that comes from helping someone else. Read more

Giving like a Rockefella, even if you’re not super rich

New York Times, 31 March 2017

Paul Sallivan

But along with the immensity of his largess, Mr. Rockefeller used his charitable gifts to instill in his children and grandchildren a sense of the family’s philosophy of giving. In doing so, he also transmitted family values — including humility, responsibility and engagement — to a group that now numbers 40, including spouses. Read more

Three places to volunteer your time

Broadsheet Sydney, 12 April 2017

Henry Brink

Volunteering is a generous and rewarding way to contribute to the community, but it can be tricky to choose a worthy cause that fits with your commitments. If you want to get involved, here’s three options to consider. Read more

Legacy of kindness lets Georgie Martin fly high like hero father

The Advertiser, 24 April 2017

Craig Cook

 WITH a passion for travel and flying, Georgie Martin wants to be an air steward and is gaining the skills to achieve her goal with support from Legacy. Read more

Let us remember our obligation

Beyondblue, 24 April 2017

Each Anzac Day Australians remember the sacrifices made more than a century ago during World War I. It is also an opportunity to offer support to past and current defence personnel who might be struggling with the psychological impact of war. Read more