On 1 March 2018, Equity Trustees launched its Workplace Volunteering and Giving Program. The Program enables all permanent full-time and part-time employees to volunteer their time and/or money to charitable causes. Money is donated to our selected charities from the employee’s pre-tax salary – which means they obtain the tax benefit immediately – but better still, Equity Trustees provides uncapped matching of all employee donations!

Our five official charities – one for each of our five Philanthropy pillars – were selected by a staff survey and we’re proud to be supporting them through our Program:

• Lort Smith, the busiest animal hospital in Australia (located in Melbourne).
• Mirabel, which provides advocacy, referral, research, practical and emotional assistance to children affected by drugs as well as their carers.
• First Step, a unique wrap-around addiction and mental health outpatient clinic with a fully integrated legal service.
• Women’s Health & Family Services, which provides medical, counselling, drug and alcohol support, domestic violence, mental health and other health services for Western Australian women and their families.
• Wintringham, a Victorian not-for-profit welfare company specialising in the housing and care of older people who are homeless or vulnerable to homelessness.

The Workplace Volunteering and Giving Program is an initiative that speaks to our values, deepening our community impact and our commitment to being a good corporate citizen.