Community Involvement

JBWere has a long history of being actively involved in the broader community, as a contributor to the advancement of social responsibility within the corporate marketplace.

It is well known that for a company to be successful, its prospects are enhanced by being part of a healthy and vibrant environment. JBWere strives to make a meaningful impact on society that also delivers significant business value. Our determination to act with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in our engagement with our community partners forms part of our Business Principles and is at the heart of all our community-related initiatives.

JBWere encourages and rewards the generosity of our people through the following community programs:

Charitable Giving

JBWere Workplace Giving

JBWere supports its people to make regular donations from payroll to any of our thirty-nine charitable partners. The program is administered by The Australian Charities Fund with all costs covered by JBWere, which means 100% of every donation is received by the nominated charity. JBWere also matches employee donations to the value of $1,200 per employee annually (and subject to an overall firm-wide cap). The program provides a simple and tax effective way for our employees to participate in charitable giving, and the firm's matching effectively doubles employees' contributions.

MLC Community Foundation – Matching of Employee Fundraising Program

The MLC Community Foundation was established in 2008 to support Australian communities by investing in key areas of need and employee interest. It is chaired by Christopher Thorn, Executive Director of JBWere's Philanthropic Services division.

Fundraising is a popular avenue for JBWere employees to assist a chosen eligible non-profit organisation. It gives staff the opportunity to direct donations to causes and charities that they care about.

JBWere employees can apply to the MLC Community Foundation to have their fundraising efforts matched, through the MLC People Program.

Volunteering

JBWere encourages employees to volunteer their time and skills to contribute to the causes they care about.

All JBWere employees are entitled to two days' paid leave every year. Through our alliance with National Australia Bank (NAB), JBWere employees are able to access opportunities posted on the NAB intranet-based Volunteer Planner. Additionally, employees can organise their own volunteering opportunities with a charitable organisation they feel passionate about.

Employee volunteering provides a simple, but powerful way we can increase the morale of our people, build goodwill and enhance our reputation; and community organisations benefit from the dedicated resources and skills provided by volunteers.

Worlds of Work (WOW) Program – The Foundation for Young Australians

WOW is a ground-breaking program run by The Foundation for Young Australians that builds students’ capacity to effectively participate in the future worlds of work. Over five days, WOW brings twenty-five Year 10 students from state secondary schools to explore the critical question: "What does it take to succeed in the global worlds of life and work?"

JBWere staff regularly welcome students into our Melbourne boardroom for creative, interactive sessions that provide insight into our business and enable students and staff to chat about getting on in life and work. The WOW program provides a wonderful opportunity for our people to apply their skills and experience in a meaningful and rewarding way through volunteerism.

For more information, please visit The Foundation for Young Australian’s website here.

Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF)

JBWere is a national councillor of the Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) and an advocate for the mutual benefits of connections between the arts and business.

Through AbaF's Woodside Better Business program, AbaF connects arts organisations and artists with business expertise. Expert advice is delivered through adviceBank while boards of arts organisations looking for business directors can find them through boardBank.

JBWere is looking to engage its people in these skilled volunteering programs which provide a great way to contribute to the community and develop personal skills in a creative environment.

JBWere Philanthropic Services

The JBWere Philanthropic Services team is a unique market leading offering available to JBWere clients. Since 2001 the team has been committed to contributing to the ongoing development of the philanthropic and the non-profit sectors in Australia. The team works with individuals, families and businesses to develop and implement strategic philanthropic goals that meet their particular needs. The team also works with non-profit groups, their boards and staff, to enhance their ability to achieve their mission. For more information, please visit the Philanthropic Services website.