Did you know that Workplace Giving engages your employees, has a positive impact on the community and, ultimately, improves business performance?
A successful Workplace Giving program will bring your organisation's values and culture to life - helping your staff find a greater sense of purpose at work, and get involved with activities that develop pride, foster teamwork, enhance motivation and create social change.
What is Workplace Giving?
It is when employees make small, regular donations through their pre-tax pay.
It's simple, low cost and extremely effective.
You can also boost the impact of your Workplace Giving program through donation matching, fundraising, volunteering, skill sharing and in-kind support.
Why Workplace Giving?
It's a win-win-win for business, employees and charities. You enjoy greater staff engagement, retention, productivity, reputation and social impact.
Your staff give together in a smarter way and build a sense of pride in their employer and Clean Up Australia, as your nominated charity gets much needed, regular funds, and access to a valuable partnership.
WHY CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA?
Three decades ago, an "average Australian" had a simple idea to make a difference – and the late Ian Kiernan’s dream of bringing Aussies together to improve the environment has seen Clean Up Australia grow into the nation's largest community-based environmental event.
But we know that Australia's waste challenges can't be solved in just one day. Over the past three decades Clean Up Australia has evolved to provide practical solutions to help us all live more sustainably every day of the year, and along the way, emerged as one of the country’s most recognised, credible and trusted environmental organisations.
WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN:
Why Workplace Giving is important for your business:
Today the focus of Clean Up Australia is as much on preventing rubbish entering our environment as it is removing what has already accumulated. We facilitate meaningful and positive action, by reaching the next generation of young people through practical activities and educational programs delivered in schools right across the country.
We give young Australians the tools to act – to get out there in streets, parks, playgrounds and beaches, cleaning up, fixing up and conserving the environment, making a practical difference in a hands-on way. Critically, we also provide the resources, know-how and skills that deliver lasting change.
Your involvement will help us provide free materials and educational resources to schools all year round, supporting a new generation of Australians to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment.
What will it take from here?
Executive support is vital for workplace giving success
Align workplace giving with business objectives and values
Identify a team member to develop and manage the program
There is no one-size-fits-all program. To ensure you get the best program for your organisation, your staff and your charity partners, follow these simple steps...
Determine a Structure
Will your Workplace Giving program only focus on pre-tax payroll giving, or will it include company matching, workplace fundraising, volunteering days, skills sharing and/or in-kind support?
Set a Goal
Aim for at least 30%-50% staff participation. Build in other targets, such as number of volunteering days and value of in-kind support, as relevant.
Do Your Bit
Employer matching motivates employees to participate and has a positive impact on company culture. So, if you're serious about workplace giving, consider including a matching option.
Talk to your Staff
Get your staff involved right from the start. They need to know why you're establishing a Workplace Giving program and how it fits with your culture, business strategy and values.
Implement your Program
Current payroll systems or accounting software can facilitate workplace giving. The set-up process is quite straightforward - similar to a self managed superannuation fund or health fund.
Workplace Giving doesn't affect an employee's superannuation and payroll tax calculations like salary sacrificing. Workplace giving reduces the donor's PAYG liability, but it doesn't decrease their gross income. Workplace Giving eliminates the need for employees to keep records of charitable donations and guarantees they receive the tax benefits of donating each pay.
We recommend you consider engaging a third party provider to process donations to make it easier.
There are plenty of platforms available to help make workplace giving easier.
Clean Up Australia has a presence on the following platforms:
Clean Up Australia will collaborate to bring your program to life, create cut-through and engage employees in Workplace Giving. Together, we'll create a campaign to:
Show leadership
An endorsement from your leadership team builds credibility and shows staff that supporting the environment is important to your organisation's culture.
Cover the essentials
What - is Workplace Giving
Why - the business is establishing the program; linking messaging to culture, values, strategy
How - employees can get involved
Who - Clean Up Australia, their charity partner is
Launch with a bang
Make sure your program takes off: sending an email just won't cut it!
Launch your program with bang to create excitement and have some fun.
Engage leaders - 95% of employees think giving should start from the top with CEOs and managers leading by example.
Share the vision - employees who understand why the program has been implemented and why Clean Up Australia was chosen are more likely to get involved.
'Seeing is believing' - get Clean Up Australia involved in the launch.
Mobilise your champion network - they can help distribute program collateral, answer questions and co-ordinate launch events.
Motivate - consider an incentive such as double-matching if employees sign up at launch.
Make "the ask" - 73% of employees sign up at launch or after a prompt. Desk-drop, email and make donation forms available at the launch event
Make the "ask"
Inspire - let employees know they will be joining a giving movement and making a difference to improve the environment together.
Keep 'sign up' simple - ask staff to donate $2 or $5 from each pay packet.
Craft your key messages
Use your internal channels
Embed in employee value proposition
To help attract great staff and build a giving culture, follow these tips:
Recruitment
Promote Workplace Giving as a benefit to prospective employees. Share information about the program on your website and during your recruitment process to show prospective employees that your business is investing in the community and the environment.
New employee Induction
• 63% of employees would be happy to be automatically included in their company's workplace giving program. So, include an opt-out clause in Offer of Employment letters
• Include the workplace giving sign-up form in all 'new starter' packs
• Ask a champion to speak at inductions and get new staff excited about Workplace Giving and Clean Up Australia
• Send new employees a letter from the CEO, sharing why the business encourages giving through the workplace and why it's important to your culture
Keep it fresh
Like most things, Workplace Giving programs need some attention to keep them performing at their best! We recommend:
Tailor staff engagement opportunities
Identify other ways your staff can take part by creating an annual program plan.
Clean Up Australia offers support and can help facilitate staff engagement events year-round.
Whether you just want a small team to organise themselves for a Clean Up, or you would like support running a multi-site impactful day, Clean Up Australia can help.
Clean Up Australia also offer workplace information sessions, corporate training seminars and sustainability talks online or in person.
Clean Up Australia
Clean Up Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.