Excellence in Corporate Volunteering - a case study

Westpac's Employee Volunteering Program was judged the winner of Volunteering Australia's 2007 Corporate Volunteering Award for Excellence. The Award, run in conjunction with the NAB Volunteer Awards, recognises best practice, innovation and community impact in employee volunteering programs.

Investment and innovation build dynamic programs
Westpac has a number of community programs to ensures the bank's involvement is sustainable, brings benefits to its employees as well as its community partners, and results in real value to the community. The Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships program is an innovative example of how they have linked the business objective of building strong communities with employee engagement and volunteering. The program began in 2001 and aims to foster economic and social development amongst indigenous communities. The program began in Cape York and brings together corporate, philanthropic and local indigenous partners. Westpac provides 50 one month secondee placements each year and four 12 month fellowships. 

Westpac has made a commitment to investing in long-term partnerships with groups such as Landcare, Surf Life Saving Australia, Mission Australia, The Salvation Army and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. These partnerships create opportunities for employee engagement and the investment has paid off in terms of employee morale and pride in the company they work for - 81% of employees say the community program makes them feel positive about working for Westpac.  Regular evaluation plays a crucial role in the ongoing success of the program, and helps them gauge staff interest and workplace morale. It also helps to identify ways to evolve the program and respond more effectively to community need.

Volunteering embedded in organisational culture
In fact, community involvement and volunteering are embedded in Westpac's organisational culture. Outstanding volunteer efforts are recognised as part of the annual CEO's Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Awards with teams and individuals being eligible to win up to $10,000 for their chosen charity. Visible involvement and support from top levels of the company's management has also influenced participation rates. Management recognises the team-building aspects and the development opportunities of employees using their professional skills while volunteering.

Employees are encouraged to participate in the program through a strong but flexible infrastructure which encourages choice, management endorsement which has proven to increase participation rates, and through a system of awards. Decentralising the running of the program amongst community champions and committees helps ensure employees have ownership of the program.

No shortage of volunteering opportunities
Volunteering opportunities are generated through their community partnerships, Matching Gifts, Westpac's workplace giving program, or when community organisations approach Westpac seeking support. The opportunities are posted on the intranet site and the program is coordinated by three Community Managers around the country who work closely with an extensive internal network of community champions. Communication between Community Managers and champions helps them to keep track of the level of activity that takes place.

Community committees within business units create a range of fundraising and volunteering activities. Such groups include the IT Community Focus Group, and People and Performance HR Specialists Next Steps Program for The Smith Family which prepares school leavers for the workforce. These initiatives have proven successful for galvanising management support, participation, employee skills and resources at the business level.

Some of the ways in which Westpac supports the community through its volunteering program include:

• Technology specialists investing 360 hours to enhance Mission Australia's internet site.
• More than 1000 employees participating in The Salvation Army's door knock appeal.
• Awareness and fundraising for Westpac Rescue Helicopters.
• Helping primary school children with their reading for an hour each week at Fort Street School, near Westpac's head office building in Sydney.

Tracy Daly, Senior Manager Community Involvement with Westpac, believes that the true value of the program to the community lies in the connections that are made and the opportunities which can flow from them. She attributes the program's success to the degree of choice employees are given in how and to whom they make a contribution. This approach not only means that diverse community organisations benefit from the program but also that each individual who undertakes volunteering is doing so because it means something to them.