Media releases

Westpac and its staff top the $30 million mark in charitable donations

 

27 March 2012

The Westpac Group and its staff have donated more than $4 million to around 600 Australian-based charities as part of its 2012 Matching Gifts program, taking the total to $30.7 million for 1,600 charities over the last 13 years.

The Matching Gifts program is Westpac’s largest corporate giving program and was the first of its kind to be introduced amongst Australian banks. Westpac employees choose the pace and direction of giving from the bank with Westpac Group matching donations made by employees, dollar for dollar, to any tax deductible registered charity over the previous year*.

Christine Parker, Group Executive Human Resources & Corporate Affairs said that the Matching Gifts program had been a great success and that it would make a substantial difference for those in need.

“The Matching Gifts program is our largest community program and this means for the last 13 years, Westpac and its employees have donated on average $45,000 a week to charities all over Australia.

“We’re proud to support our employees’ generosity this way. We find it’s one of the most democratic ways for us to decide how we direct our philanthropic dollar and support the passions and interests of our employees at the same time.

“By matching our employees’ donations we are not only making an immense contribution to charities right across the country, but also bringing our people closer to their communities,“ Ms Parker said.

Charities and appeals benefiting from the 2012 Matching Gift payment included The Salvation Army, Oxfam Australia, Mission Australia and local grassroots charity organisations including Little Heroes Foundation in North Adelaide, Cape York Aboriginal Charitable Trust and Wheeling & Able in Newcastle.

The Westpac Group Matching Gifts program is just one part of Westpac’s wider commitment of supporting the areas and communities that Westpac does business with.

As Australia's first bank, Westpac has been a proud supporter of local sporting, cultural and fundraising events for almost 200 years, helping to foster a strong community spirit across Australia.
 

*To December 31 2011