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Officeworks - Communities
Officeworks is committed to supporting the local communities where it operates and doing what it can to help build strong connections that help others overcome challenging circumstances and thrive.
Officeworks recognises each community is different and each faces unique challenges. That is why it empowers its teams to support their local communities in ways that are relevant and right for them and their customers. To help achieve this goal, this year, Officeworks established a local community engagement team, with dedicated team members across the country working to support their teams to better connect with and support their local communities.
A key initiative to support its commitment to raise $5 million for local causes by 2025 is Officeworks’ annual Round Up to Make a Difference fundraising campaign, held in June each year. The campaign provides customers with the option to round up the cost of their purchase to the nearest dollar at the point of sale. At the same time, giving team members the opportunity to champion causes and organisations that are important to them.
Due to the significant impact of COVID-19 on communities and particularly the not-for-profit sector, Officeworks identified the need to make a more meaningful contribution by focusing its efforts on two important areas of health and education. During the Round Up to Make a Difference campaign in June 2020, Officeworks saw its customers and team members work together to raise more than $1 million to support 17 organisations across Australia working to improve health and education outcomes. These much-needed funds enabled the organisations to continue to achieve positive outcomes, such as Backpacks 4 Vic Kids providing 650 children with a Me Bag that contained essentials like soap, toothbrushes and two sets of clothes.
Officeworks team members have formed strong, ongoing relationships with each organisation, which has led to additional opportunities to support them, including team member volunteering and providing support through in-kind donations.
Next year, Officeworks will continue to hold the annual Round Up to Make a Difference campaign focusing on supporting health and education causes while continuing to build ongoing relationships with the organisations it supports. With challenging circumstances continuing into the year ahead, Officeworks will keep its communities front of mind for its team members by encouraging a workplace culture where giving back and making a difference is celebrated and rewarded.
Help 30,000 students who need it most by 2025
There is a significant gap in education standards among students living in disadvantaged circumstances and those living in remote Indigenous communities, where literacy and numeracy levels are substantially lower than non-Indigenous communities.
Officeworks is a leader in providing educational products and has a clear growth strategy in the education sector. Therefore, promoting strong educational outcomes for all Australians, no matter what their circumstances, is one of Officeworks’ strategic priorities. Officeworks, along with its long-term partners The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) and The Smith Family, identifies opportunities to support those students. The impacts of COVID-19 have highlighted the digital divide for Indigenous and disadvantaged students.
Through sponsorships and community support for the Wall of Hands and Back to School Appeals held during the 2021 financial year, a total of 7,525 Australian students will be supported through sponsorships and educational resources through a $3.2 million financial contribution. Officeworks will continue to work with ALNF and The Smith Family to identify where the fundraising support will have the greatest impact. Officeworks team members and customers have shown passion and generosity throughout the year, greatly contributing to the goal to support 30,000 students across Australia who need it most by 2025.
