Workplace Giving: Maximise Your Impact and Make a Difference

How does workplace giving benefit you, your organisation and Compassion? Find out how you can maximise your impact together—it’s a win all round!

06 Apr, 2023

Workplace giving in Australia has seen a significant increase in recent years, according to Workplace Giving Australia. While COVID-19 devastated the world with lockdowns, restrictions and social distancing, many agree that in the post-pandemic world, we have become more conscious of social, economic and political issues.

Current research indicates this shift is also reflected in the workplace. Employers have become more intentional in engaging with corporate social responsibility and actively look to engage in charitable endeavours, because they know it’s important to their employees.

You can maximise your impact for children living in poverty by engaging in workplace giving through your organisation!

What is workplace giving?

Workplace giving is a cost-effective joint relationship between employers, employees and charities. Compassion is registered with a range of workplace giving providers like Good2Give, Good Company, Benevity and Catalyser, who facilitate simple ways to give online and from your pre-tax salary.

There are hundreds of Australian and international organisations that utilise a workplace giving platform. Find out if your organisation is registered with one of our partner workplace giving platforms below.

What are the benefits of workplace giving?

For many not-for-profit organisations, planned giving through the workplace provides a reliable source of income, reduces processing costs and helps connect new donors with charitable causes.

Here at Compassion Australia, we benefit only when an employer operates a matched giving system. There are a number of generous employers who match the donations of their employees, allowing them to double their impact and help Compassion to release more children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Workplace giving also helps Compassion to reach more supporters and keep them informed of opportunities to partner with us—particularly in times of significant and urgent need.

But the benefits aren’t just one way. You and your employer can also benefit from workplace giving.

How does workplace giving benefit me?

Workplace giving can often be the simplest and most tax effective way to engage in charitable giving. You can donate a portion of your pre-tax salary to a charity like Compassion and, instead of waiting until the end of the financial year, you may be able to enjoy the benefits of reducing your taxable income straight away.

Supporting Compassion through workplace giving can also be a great conversation starter with your co-workers and networks to advocate for children in poverty, raise awareness about Compassion’s work and even share about Jesus!

How does workplace giving benefit my employer?

Employee engagement has become an important topic of conversation in recent years. In a post-pandemic world, employee retention rates and recruitment have been challenging for many organisations. According to research conducted by the Australian Charities Fund, the changing nature of the employer–employee relationship, technology innovation, competition for talent, the nuances of the millennial generation, evolution of leadership, increased competition and customer expectations have all contributed to the positioning of employee engagement as a critical competitive advantage for organisations.

Ultimately, companies that offer positive ways to interact with their workforce and give generously are the companies with highly engaged employees and happy, united teams. When your company supports you in giving to what matters to you, you feel proud to be a part of the organisation and feel more aligned with your company. Research shows the happier and more engaged employees are in their workplace, the more productive they tend to be, resulting in a mutually beneficial impact.

This means that employers and employees can collaborate to make a significant difference in the world together!

How to set up a workplace giving program

If your organisation doesn’t currently operate a workplace giving program, this is a great opportunity for you to add value to your company as an employee and build awareness of workplace giving.

You can encourage your employer to register with one of the four platforms (Good2Give, Good Company, Benevity and Catalyser) and even advocate with your organisation to engage in corporate social responsibility. For more information, you can head to the platform links above to find relevant information to share with your human resources department.

What happens next?

After your employer registers with one of our partner workplace giving platforms, you will be able to give to our regular campaigns and Critical Needs, by searching for Compassion Australia in your account. You can give both one-off giving and recurring donations through workplace giving. Remember this way of giving is only beneficial to Compassion if your employer matches your donations!

After you establish your giving though your employer’s workplace giving platform, it is essential that you contact us on 1300 22 44 53 or at compassion@compassion.com.au, so we can make sure everything is in place on our end.

Once this is set up, you may also hear from us from time to time with news of your impact and current issues affecting children in poverty. If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact us. We are here to help you maximise your impact!

Note: Any donations to Compassion Australia through workplace giving will not appear on your end of financial year tax statement as the tax benefit will have already occurred with your employer. If you have given to Compassion through other methods throughout the year, we will send you a separate tax receipt for those donations.

Words by Sidhara Udalagama.