Unleashing potential through generosity

Spark believes it has a big part to play in creating a better New Zealand, so it uses digital technology to power a more generous society through Givealittle, New Zealand’s crowdfunding platform for social good as well as volunteering and payroll giving from Spark employees.

Givealittle

The internet and the ‘power of the crowd’ can be strong enablers of generosity and Spark Foundation is proud to own and operate Givealittle, New Zealand's crowdfunding platform for social good. Thousands of New Zealanders use the site to help fellow New Zealanders in need and give financial support to the causes they feel passionate about, with 78% of New Zealanders aware of Givealittle. In FY17 Givealittle causes raised a total of $18 million in donations and reached a milestone of $70 million in donations since the platform launched in 2008. 

Spark Volunteer and Spark Give

Spark employees have continued to participate in volunteering and payroll giving programmes, which allow them to generously donate time or funds to causes oftheir choice. Spark Foundation has a network of more than 100 Ambassadors who support staff engagement in these programmes across Spark. In FY17 participation in the volunteering programme reached 24% (from 28% in the previous year) and 1,292 days of employee time were gifted, with a value of $387,600. Spark Give, the payroll giving programme, enables Spark people todonate to New Zealand schools and registered charities of their choice directly from their pay, and Spark Foundation will match on the first $500 of giving each year. In FY17 donations made up of employee giving and matched donations from Spark totaled $832,250, 2.7% higher than the previous year’s $810,000 and was distributed to 572 organisations. Since Spark Give launched in 2011, almost $5 million in cumulative donations has been gifted to 938 New Zealand schools and registered charities.

Disaster Relief 

Spark believes in using its core services to do the right thing in times of need. Spark provides support to customers who were impacted by local and international disasters. In FY17 Spark offered communication support following:

• Italy Earthquake Aug 2016
  • Free calls and texts to Italy 
• Kaikoura Earthquake Nov 2016 
  • Free use of nationwide Wi-Fi network with more than 1000 Wi-Fi zones around the country
  • Moving and termination fees waived for residents of Kaikoura affected by earthquakes
• Edgecumbe Flooding April 2017 
  • Free use of local Wi-Fi network and payphone network
  • Auto-diversion from landline to mobile services and 20GB of mobile data provided
• Wireless broadband to residents waiting for copper network fixes

Read more in Spark's FY17 Environment Social & Governance Report