Originally published in IT Wire. Written by Alex Zaharov-Reutt.
Aussie Broadband has announced it has joined Pledge 1%, a global movement that encourages businesses to be a force for good.
Community Impact Manager, Caroline Kennon said Pledge 1% is simply about committing company resources to help improve communities.
“At Aussie Broadband, we’re in business to change the game. This includes how we, as a company, can make a positive impact on our community – both locally and nationally. This isn’t motivated by needing to tick boxes or big-noting ourselves – it stems from our value of being good to people and our strong Board and Senior Leadership Team commitment to community service,” said Kennon.
Pledge 1% participants have the freedom to pledge any combination of product, equity, profit, or time to whatever charity or cause they choose. Aussie Broadband is pledging up to 1% of staff time, driven largely through its generous 3 days of paid community service leave, and 1% Profit (EBITDA) through a combination of donations and sponsored internet connections.
One of the organisations that Aussie Broadband supports by providing broadband services is the Perth Observatory.
Matt Woods from the Observatory says Aussie has helped live stream astronomical events like the total lunar eclipse not only Australia, but to the world.
“We us use our Aussie Broadband connection not only for our day-to-day operations, but also to send back data on space junk from one of our telescopes to the US,” said Woods.
“It also allows us to store thousands of glass plates off-site on servers so they can be used for research and not lost for time. Students and researchers from around the world use our R-COP telescope for their research and studies. Aussie Broadband is allowing the observatory not only to be a gateway for Perth but for everyone around the world.”
Co-Founder and CEO of HoMie Clothing, Nick Pearce also thanked Aussie Broadband for its help.
“We’re an organisation that supports young people affected by homelessness and hardship to equip them with skills and experiences to help them prepare for their future.
“We’re super grateful to Aussie Broadband for their support in providing us internet access to facilitate our thriving e-commerce business,” Pearce said.
Pledge 1% Chief Executive Amy Lesnick said that as a global community, member companies are coming together to share ideas, tackle common challenges, amplify each other’s efforts, and to encourage their teams and partner ecosystems to do whatever they can to help in this immense time of need.
“This level of collaboration has the potential to drive significant social impact, unlocking millions in funding, product donations, and talent to support frontline workers and to address increasingly critical issues around racial injustice, mental health, small business viability, and education.
“Together, we are a force for good.”
More about Aussie Broadband’s Community Impact initiatives is here.
More about how Aussie is making an impact via Pledge 1% is in the video below:
