Published: Jun 21, 2022
corporate social responsibility in Australia
In recent years, the corporate sector has become more involved in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives as a way to address audiences both within and outside of their business sector. CSR is an umbrella term that includes taking responsibility for society and the environment, as well as creating economic opportunities by investing in human resources, education and health care.
NCS Australia takes CSR seriously, aiming to harness the power of technology to give back to the community we serve in a meaningful way. Most recently, we have been a part of three corporate social responsibility events that have been an amazing way to connect with the community we serve as well as each other; these were:
AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Course
The AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Speciality Course educates its volunteers on the vital role of coral reefs in the Australian marine environment. This course familiarises its volunteers with the current state of the coral reefs across the globe and how they can help improve the health of these coral reefs. Maintaining our coastline within Australia is vital to our national economy, industry, arts, social life and cultural identity, with more than 85 per cent of Australians living within 50 kilometers of the sea (1). It is therefore highly important, now, more than ever, to understand the environmental consequences of how we use the coast, and assist our community in maintaining our marine environment, by not only educating ourselves of the maintance and protection of our coral reefs, but the conservation of our nations coastlines. NCS team members Craig Ridley and Gordon Eddie in February took part in the AWARE Coral Reef Conservation Speciality course. This allowed Craig and Gordon to dive into Port Phillip Bay and assist in cleaning the marine environment and receive an education on the importance of the preservation of our nation’s coastline. Gordon Eddie, ‘was happily surprised at how clean Blairgowie Pier was and employs our community to leave Australia a little better than we found it.’
Australian Red Cross Retail Volunteering Appeal & Lifeblood Drive
Australian Red Cross retail volunteers help create lively communities by running the organisations Red Cross shops. They sort donations, liaise with customers and create eye-catching displays, all while helping raise money for the organisation’s services through making sales (2). In March, members of NCS’ Melbourne team volunteered at the Australian Red Cross sorting facility in Derrimut to assist in facilitating stock by helping pick, pack and sort both donated and new goods. Volunteers at the Australian Red Cross’s various distribution centres help to ensure a consitent supply of quality merchandise at the Red Cross shops, by inspecting a categorizing clothing donations for distribution to the organisations network of fund-raising Red Cross Shops. The funds raised for the Australian Red Cross go towards various humanitarian efforts, including disaster emergency relief, homelessness relief, assimilation of asylum seekers into the Australian community and blood and plasma donation for those in need. Our team also contributed to the organisation’s LifeBlood Drive. These donations of life-giving blood and plasma can be made into many different life-giving medical treatments – with a third of all donated red cells going to patients fighting cancer (3).
Beyond Blue Speaker & Painting Exercise
Beyond Blue has been providing support and services to people in Australia for over 20 years (4). This organisation is our nation’s most visited and recognisable mental health organisation and has a key focus on supporting individuals suffering from depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. As part of the organisation’s mental health advocacy, Beyond Blue aims to promote mental health and wellbeing, be a trusted source of information and work with the community to prevent suicide. In December 2021, speakers from Beyond Blue joined NCS teams across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane both virtually and in office to participate in a painting exercise and to open up a conversation about the importance of mental health. NCS team members were encouraged to paint a picture that represents their mental wellbeing. Beyond Blue speakers are members of the community who volunteer their time to speak about their experiences, to raise awareness of depression and anxiety, and reduce stigma. NCS Australia is an organisation that believes in the importance of our people, the community and the environment. We believe that we should be accountable not only to our customers and investors, but also to our people and communities. In the past year we have raised $1,345.00 for Beyond Blue and look forward to working with Beyond Blue in its initiative to improve the mental health of people in Australia.
