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The amount every month doesn’t hurt me much – but it gives you a good feeling that you’re helping other people… read more

Chris Dunphy
Customer Service Officer
Clydesdale Bank

Chris says…

Each month I give £5 direct from my salary to the British Heart Foundation. The bank matches our personal donations pound for pound so my £5 become £10. This means the British Heart Foundation gets £10 which only only costs me £4.

I like supporting my chosen charity in such an easy way. There are heart problems in some of my family, so I want to give something back to this charity for making a difference to the people close to me.

The amount every month doesn’t hurt me much – but it gives you a good feeling that you’re helping other people.

Not long after I joined the bank a lady came round and explained to me about giving in the workplace and I signed up. Hopefully we can get more people to join in if we can make the benefits more noticeable at work.

Because I’m a higher rate tax payer, my charity actually gets £10 for every £6 I give. That’s the really good bit… read more

Lisa Condron
Company Secretary
London Stock Exchange

Lisa says…

At the end of each year I get asked how I want to spend my flexible benefits. So I scroll down a list of on-screen options and select charitable giving. Simple.

It was important to me I choose a charity that meant something to me personally. I had a grandparent who died of bowel cancer so I opted to make a donation each month to Bowel and Cancer Research.

Giving to charity direct from your salary is tax free. And because I’m a higher rate tax payer, my charity actually gets £10 for every £6 I give.

We all have our lists of things to do, don’t we? I guess none of us goes around with charitable giving at front of mind each day. But, yes, I’m grateful I’m in a position to do something positive. It’s great to be able to make a difference – especially when it’s this easy to support a good cause.

I think my travels have opened my eyes to the way some of the world treats the rest of the world… read more

Vicki Graham
Customer Service Officer
AECOM

Vicki says…

I give £5 each month to Amnesty International because they touch on issues I feel strongly about, like personal freedoms and human rights. I think my travels have informed my view and opened my eyes to the way some of the world treats the rest of the world.

A lot of people I know give to children’s causes or animal welfare, for example, which is great. I reckon half my friends must be running marathons or climbing mountains for medical research.

I wanted my gift to go somewhere with a different compass. I think everyone has to find his or her own connections.

A colleague came round at work to see if anyone was interested in charitable giving. I knew I wanted to find another cause to support and I knew my money would go further donated direct from my salary because the income tax otherwise payable on my £5 gift goes to Amnesty instead of the tax man.

I think it's a sign of a good employer if they have a scheme like this so staff can give to charity… read more

Lennox Kaminski
Delivery Team
Delice de France

Lennox says…

This has got to be the best way to give to charity because what you give is tax free. The charity you choose gets more money automatically on top of what you give. I don’t think there can be another situation where the tax man gives away something for nothing like that.

What I like about it is there’s no hassle. You don’t get stopped in the street and you don’t have to fill in a direct debit form.

Your employer does the paper work. I think it’s a sign of a good employer if they have a scheme like this so staff can give to charity.

Being happy at work isn’t just about money and mates. If you feel good at work then you feel good about everything. I don’t think it matters how much you give. You can give a lot or a little – either way your money goes further because it’s tax free.

To deliver life changing services we need regular donations, which is why Workplace Giving is so important to us… read more

Leslie Morphy
Chief Executive
CRISIS

Leslie says…

Homelessness is about more than having somewhere to sleep; a home provides roots, identity, security, a sense of belonging and a place of emotional well-being.

Our services are designed to help people by providing opportunities to regain confidence, build basic skills and to progress into further education and employment. Crisis offers sustainable routes out of homelessness towards a more secure future.

Crisis is in many ways a traditional charity: we rely largely on voluntary donations and receive little support from the public sector; without the generosity of our supporters none of our work would be possible.

Workplace Giving provides an invaluable source of income and a fantastic opportunity for people to make these donations simply and tax effectively. I would urge more employers to support the Geared for Giving campaign.

It’s definitely a good thing if your employer offers this scheme – it tells you something about their attitude… read more

Daniel Taylor
Floor Manager
H&M

Daniel says…

While I was at our Brent Cross store someone came round and explained all about the scheme and asked which charity I might want to support.

I decided to support a charity that maybe wasn’t quite as well known as some of the others. It’s great that you get to choose.

I give £5 every month to Refuge. They help women and children who are suffering from domestic violence. I think that’s a good cause to support.

Personally, I would rather give than receive, but everyone has to make up his or her own mind. There are lots of people who aren’t as well off, so I tend to think ‘we’re the lucky ones’. But I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.

It’s definitely a good thing if your employer offers this scheme – it tells you something about their attitude. I think all companies should have it.

What does your company stand for??

Being Geared for Giving is a mark of what your organisation stands for.

Is yours the kind of company that cares deeply about its public reputation? Does your business plan take account of growing numbers of employees, consumers and other stakeholders who believe it’s vital for companies to act ethically?

More and more enlightened employers recognise and acknowledge the benefits of being Geared for Giving. Are you one of them?

Is your company already Geared for Giving? Yes / No

Fantastic! We’re delighted to know you already operate a Workplace Giving scheme. You have joined a growing number of forward thinking companies.

But, while some companies may operate the scheme, their colleagues are not always aware it’s there. Is that you? We hope not, we want every employer to operate the scheme to be truly Geared for Giving.

Are you truly Geared for Giving?

It means actively promoting your Workplace Giving scheme so that colleagues are aware of its benefits. Then they can make an informed decision about giving to charity. And when they choose to give, it’s about making the process straightforward.

Show your support for what matters to your staff

Many Geared for Giving employers choose to enhance their employee donations. There are lots of ways you can do this. And any enhancement you make shows you support the causes your colleagues care about. It also gives you an easy mechanism for supporting your corporate charity partner

Make your scheme award winning

In organisations successfully Geared for Giving, employees are encouraged to take part in Workplace Giving and to share a rewarding sense of ‘giving something back’. The government’s own Quality Mark for business encourages 10% staff participation in Workplace Giving – but why stop there? Who knows what you might do if you actively promote your scheme?

Doing something good is not always about the PR you receive, but more employers are using the success of their scheme to show the wider public that they are a good company. And why not shout about your success and encourage other employers by making your scheme award winning. Many HR, Payroll and CSR publications offer a range of awards that you could enter.

Help us spread the word

Let others know you are an enlightened employer, blow your own trumpet, be one of the cognoscenti. Display the Geared for Giving logo with pride.

Will you help us spread the word? We want to reach 1m more UK employees who don’t yet know about this fantastic way to give.

Some of the Geared for Giving companies featured on this site are holding business breakfasts or lunches with local/ sector companies to us spread the word. Others are marketing the scheme with leaflets in their office or branch network, door stickers, website presence, through their mailing lists or ongoing newsletters to customers. We have loads of ideas if you can help – please just contact us to discuss.

Contact us now

For help in actively promoting your own Workplace Giving scheme, contact us now.

To help us spread the word among fellow employers, contact us now

Some Workplace Giving schemes were put in place so long ago that no one knows they exist! If in doubt, let us check for you, contact us now

What to do if your company is not yet
Geared for Giving?

It’s easy to become Geared for Giving

If you don’t already have a scheme, it’s easy to launch one. Just follow these steps to become Geared for Giving.

Launch your Workplace Giving scheme

Set-up is quick and easy. There’s no cost. Simply choose your preferred payroll agent – an HMRC-approved ‘bank’ that transfers your donations to charity. Your payroll agent receives all deductions from your payroll department in one lump sum. Admin time associated with operating your scheme should be mere minutes a month.

Show your support for what matters to your staff

More and more companies are choosing to enhance their Workplace Giving scheme by adding value. You decide how – there’s a range of options to suit all budgets.

Promote your scheme – we’ll help you do it

Just give us a call on 020 8731 5871 to discuss the most effective options. We’ll help you promote your Workplace Giving scheme free of charge.

Make your scheme award winning

In organisations successfully Geared for Giving, employees are encouraged to take part in Workplace Giving and to share a rewarding sense of ‘giving something back’. The government’s own Quality Mark for business encourages 10% staff participation in charitable giving at work – but why stop there? Who knows what you might do (could achieve?) if you actively promote your scheme?

Help us spread the word

We want to reach 1m more UK employees who don’t yet know about this fantastic way to give. Will you help us get the message across?

Please contact us now or call 0208 731 5871

Contact us now

For help in actively promoting your own Workplace Giving scheme, contact us now.

To help us spread the word among fellow employers, contact us now

Some Workplace Giving schemes were put in place so long ago that no one knows they exist! If in doubt, let us check for you, contact us now

Become Geared for Giving

5 reasons for being a Geared for Giving company

A win-win scenario

  • It shows you care about the things that matter to your people
  • It underlines your commitment to community involvement and social responsibility
  • It gives you an easy mechanism for supporting your corporate charity partner
  • It represents an additional no-cost benefit you can offer employees as part of a voluntary/ flexible benefits package
  • It aligns your brand and reputation with a growing body of forward-thinking organisations in the UK.