Westpac matches employee donations
(29 March 2010 – Australia) Westpac Banking Group announced at the end of last week it would pay out A$1.5 million to Australian-based charities, to match donations made by the bank’s staff under its Matching Gifts program.
Westpac’s head of community engagement, Samantha Brown, said Matching Gifts was the bank's largest corporate giving program and the first of its kind to be introduced among Australian banks.
Through Matching Gifts, Westpac’s employees can support charities that they feel passionately about and help those charities to make a genuine difference to local communities, Ms Brown said.
This year, approximately 600 charities received donations from Westpac, St George, BankSA and BT Financial Group employees.
The top 12 charities supported by Westpac Group employees account for one third of funds donated, with Oxfam Australia receiving the most support.
Since the program’s inception, more than 1,250 Australian-based charities have received A$22.5 million from employees and The Westpac Group, Ms Brown added.
The Westpac Group has also recently unveiled an Australian banking first by agreeing to match microfinance loans by its employees to disadvantaged individuals in the Asia Pacific region and Indigenous Australia through a special new initiative with World Education Australia.
Through Matching Gifts, Westpac’s employees can support charities that they feel passionately about and help those charities to make a genuine difference to local communities, Ms Brown said.
This year, approximately 600 charities received donations from Westpac, St George, BankSA and BT Financial Group employees.
The top 12 charities supported by Westpac Group employees account for one third of funds donated, with Oxfam Australia receiving the most support.
Since the program’s inception, more than 1,250 Australian-based charities have received A$22.5 million from employees and The Westpac Group, Ms Brown added.
The Westpac Group has also recently unveiled an Australian banking first by agreeing to match microfinance loans by its employees to disadvantaged individuals in the Asia Pacific region and Indigenous Australia through a special new initiative with World Education Australia.
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