Express Promotions Corporate Citizenship

Express Promotions has a proud history of Corporate Citizenship. In 2007 the company and employees contributed over $30,000 to our chosen community partners in Australia and overseas as well as many volunteer hours and participation in local events.

The Express Promotions “Make a Difference” team (affectionately known as MAD) oversees the company’s corporate citizenship activities and has very clear criteria for involvement organisations, they include:

• Long-term relationship
• Under privileged kids - stable, third world Asian/pacific country
• Under privileged kids in the local community (local and overseas)
• Must have direct feedback on progress
• Must be helping people to help themselves
• Internal fundraising activities to be for a specific capital item
• Able to make a significant impact

As a core group of organizations, Express Promotions supports: United Way (Geelong), Horizon House (Geelong) and Angkor Hospital for Children (Cambodia). After careful consideration, in February this year we are pleased to have also commenced support for Very Special Kids (Melbourne).

Developing a good relationship with our chosen community organizations is key to ensuring we meet their needs and in doing so, provide opportunities for our employees to become involved and experience the results. Results like a photo of the first ventilator being used at the Angkor Hospital for Children, going on a snorkeling trip in the bay with the young people from Horizon House or experiencing a “Seeing is Believing” bus tour of organizations, helps reinforce the direct impact that Express Promotions and it’s employees are having in their local community and overseas.

Express Promotions involvement with Horizon House over the last 8 years has ranged from fundraising for captial items (washing machine, dryer, BBQ, market umbrella, picnic & recreational equipment), to organising and joining in with the young people at activities such as water skiing, swimming with the seals, movie & pizza nights, paintball, Adventure Park as well as the annual Bunnings sausage sizzle (young people and carers help on the stand) as well as participating on the committee and helping organise a Dinner Auction evening.

Express Promotions have been supporting United Way Geelong for approximately 20 years, over 70% of employees contribute to United Way’s workplace giving. Express Promotions contribute an employee each year to the United Way Loaned Executive program, giving professional and personal development opportunities to it’s employees as well as contributing back to the community. The donation of dollars is obviously essential, but to be able to combine fundraising with fun, fitness and a challenge is a great cultural fit for Express Promotions employees. For this reason, United Way Fun Run’s, Corporate Triathlon’s and particularly the team building of the Corporate Head of the River Rowing Event have become a popular event on the Express Promotions calendar.

The Angkor Hospital for Children’s aim to “educate the local people so that eventually the AHC will be fully operated by an all-Cambodian staff “ is a great match for Express Promotions corporate social responsibility goals. The AHC has also struck a chord with Express Promotions employees in the last 4 years we have fundraised to support the purchase of a ventilator (in conjunction with local Rotary groups) and independently raised over $20,000 for paediatric CPR training manikins and training manuals. The bulk of the funds were raised in the “Mirror ball Dinner Auction” evening Express Promotions hosted in 2007.

The focus of the Make a Difference Team is not exclusive of Express Promotions social responsibility. Express Promotions employees also support and participate in other fundraising activities such as Relay for Life, blood donations at the Australian Red Cross, Shave for a Cure, Jeans for Genes Day, Red Nose Day, the Tsunami appeal and more recently the Victorian Bushfire appeal.

Given the individual initiative of Express Promotions employees together with the support for company initiated fundraising and events, is testament to the culture of corporate social responsibility alive and thriving at Express Promotions.

United Way Geelong
 www.uwgeelong.com.au
United Way Geelong Region is a volunteer-led non-profit organisation that leads, supports, and participates in collective, inclusive community efforts that build capacity and mobilise resources to improve lives and create positive, long term social change in the Geelong region.
Express Promotions has been supporting UW for over 20 years, to date approximately $110,000 has been contributed.

Horizon House
 www.baysa.org.au/partnership/horizon.htm
Auspice by the St John of God Foundation, Horizon House provides long-term housing, care and support to young people of Gee long who would otherwise be homeless.
Express Promotions has been supporting HH since 2000, to date approximately $20,000 has been contributed.

Angkor Hospital for Children
www.angkorhospital.org
The Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) opened in 1999 and was the first paediatric hospital in Siam Reap. AHC aims to educate the local people so that eventually the AHC will be fully operated by an all-Cambodian staff.
Express Promotions has been supporting AHC since 2005, to date $20,000 has been contributed.

Very Special Kids
www.vsk.org.au
Very Special Kids improves the quality of life for families of children with life-threatening illnesses.

Express Promotions has been supporting VSK since 2009, to date $5,000 has been contributed.