Originally posted here.
By Alison Michalk
Quiip is thrilled to reach $100,000 in donations as part of our philanthropic commitment to give back with partner Pledge 1%.
As one of the first 250 companies in Australia to gain B Corp Certification – meeting the B Corp’s standards of verified social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency – Quiip, in 2018, joined other B Corp leaders, including Patagonia, Keep Cup and Who Gives a Crap, in the global movement to build a new economy. One that is inclusive, equitable, and regenerative.
At Quiip, we believe that social responsibility and economic sustainability are just as important as the bottom line and that companies can, and should, strive to impact positive change. As such, Quiip is proud to be part of a global mission of people who believe that companies should look after people, the environment, and communities.
Whilst Pledge 1% commitments can involve offering 1% of staff time, product, profit, and/or equity to a charity or social enterprise – Quiip goes beyond by pledging at least 1% of revenue each year. And we’re proud to admit we’ve just reached the milestone of passing $100,000 in donations since launching as a B Corp in 2018.
In response to the current climate emergency as a company, we have used the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework, and focused on donations that related to Climate Action and/or Reduced Inequalities. For the latter we have chosen to support First Nations organisations operating in the climate space.
Of course these are still broad focus areas, so it’s important to us that everyone at Quiip has input into how we invest our revenue and which charities we choose to support as part of our philanthropic commitment. Choosing where we donate our 1% is a team effort, engaging and empowering our staff with the knowledge that we are making a real time difference. An initial shortlist of non-profit organisations is pulled together from staff suggestions of charities they have come across, supported, or been involved in. This process doubles as a great team building exercise as we learn about the why behind the charities that make the list. Our wonderfully diverse team put forward a multifarious collection of charity suggestions covering unique interests and passions, lived experience, charities that are local to the areas they live in (we are, and always have been, a fully remote workforce) and charities that align with individual visions and beliefs.
The final shortlist is then put up for a company wide vote, with the four charities that receive the most votes becoming the major recipients of our 1% Pledge. One such charity selected by this process is Seed Mob, Australia’s First Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth-led climate justice network.
Generous support from Quiip has enabled us to train and up-skill young mob to lead strategic actions and campaigns to protect country, culture and our futures, and we are so excited to see what more we can achieve together.
- Eleanor Guerra, Seed Mobs Business Development Manager
The additional recipients this year were the Climate Council, Karrkad Kanjjdji Trust and Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA).
In addition to financial donations Quiip also offers selected not-for-profits support via our Pro-Bono Purpose Project (PPP) initiative. We also operate with a “cross-subsidisation model” which sees significant discounts for non-profit clients. In FY23 we offered over $100,000 in discounts alone in addition to our donations.
There’s no doubt that Pledge 1% is a win-win situation. As a company, we know we are living our values and witnessing first-hand how this translates to making a tangible impact.
"Donating a percentage of our revenue, and our skills, to support the great work of these organisations is both a privilege and in my mind, a necessity. I strongly believe that B Corps can create a new economy and drive the systemic change the world needs. And I love being inspired by the philanthropy within the movement,”
- Quiip founder and CEO, Alison Michalk.
To learn more about Quiip's impact, stay tuned for our FY23 Impact Report to be published shortly. You can view our FY22 Impact Report here on the Quiip blog.
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