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March 5, 2009
Payroll giving is "the idea for the times" because it enables people lucky enough to be employed to easily give to those less fortunate. So David Gonski, leading businessman, philanthropist and CSI board member told a packed audience from the corporate, community and government sectors at the launch of a research report into payroll giving on Tuesday March 4.
Payroll giving, also known as workplace giving, allows immediate tax deductions when employees elect to have charity donations regularly deducted from their pay. "The Giving Business" was the result of a collaboration of CSI with PricewaterhouseCoopers together with payroll giving providers Australian Charities Foundation, Charities Aid Foundation and United Way, aimed at raising the profile and popularity of this form of giving.
Among the key findings were that awareness of payroll giving remains alarmingly low among businesses; that businesses have an exaggerated perception of the complexity of setting up such a program, and that with relatively simple measures to improve take-up of the programs there is realistic potential to dramatically raise the amount donated by this method.
PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO Mark Johnson said that is was in tough times like the present that organisations "can actually speak out and say what they stand for", and PwC had no intention of pulling back from its efforts to give back to the community. Peter Shergold said he was delighted CSI had been involved in such an important project: "Payroll giving is a simple and easy way for individuals and employers, working together, to meet growing community needs".