Conservation, cancer research and backpacks for kids: How Suncorp people are giving back to the community

Since enhancing Suncorp’s approach to workplace giving in 2024, the Collective Giving program has empowered our people to make a difference in the community and choose how and who they support. 

Under the program, Suncorp supports employees though fundraising - matching donations dollar-for-dollar to a certain amount. Suncorp also offers one paid volunteer day per year, which many people organise as a team activity. 

Suncorp Chief Executive People, Legal & Corporate Services Belinda Speirs highlighted the importance of empowering employees to give back to the community and choose their impact.  

Ms Speirs said: "It’s been a year since we launched our new approach to workplace giving, Collective Giving, which is how Suncorp empowers employees to make a difference and to give their time, money or skills to support the causes they are passionate about.

"I take pride in being part of an organisation that has a strong focus on community impact and supports each and every one of us to give back in our own way. It strongly aligns with our purpose of building futures and protecting what matters.” 

Driving across outback Australia for cancer research

Steve and Michelle Cratchley have been at Suncorp for a collective 45 years and have worked across many areas of the business. In their spare time, the couple swap their desks for rally cars and jet off on adventures across outback Australia as part of Box Rallies, raising crucial funds for cancer research. 

The Box Rallies caught Steve's eye as a fun way to see Australia and meet new people, all while raising money for a great cause.  

“We were offered a place in our first rally from Mackay to Hobart in 2016, and Suncorp kindly donated our first car to us, which was a 2000 Ford Fairlane.” 

The Box rallies have raised more than $56 million for the Cancer Council since it started in 2009. Now, they run five exciting and challenging outback charity car rallies a year. Michelle said there are events for everyone, even the kids, and plenty of ways for non-drivers to also get involved. 

“Around 500 people join each rally, including some with mechanical, medical and other skills to support the drivers throughout the rally. The support crews go ahead of everyone and use bright pink tape to mark any hazards and corners to keep the drivers safe,” she said. 

A real sense of community, connection and resilience shine through their stories. 

“It’s not just about raising money for cancer research; the impact these rallies have on local communities and small outback towns is immense. You can imagine the impact we make to these small towns when 500 people rock up needing a place to sleep, food and fuel,” Steve said. 

“But the one thing I really love about the rally is that you’re put in a buddy group and the aim is to start and finish with the same group. If someone needs to stop, or has a flat tire, we all stop to help. 

“It’s an incredible bonding exercise because you could have a CEO, a doctor, a couple of tradies, everyone from all walks of life in the same team; we’re all raising money for the same cause.” 

Steve and Michelle recognise Suncorp’s Collective Giving program role in supporting their involvement in the Box Rallies. 

"The team at Suncorp have been really fantastic. Whether it’s the Claims team, the Total Loss team, leaders and colleagues we’ve had over the years, everyone has been really encouraging and supportive," Michelle said.

Stepping into nature to give back and build teamwork – with a beautiful view too

Harrison Zhu has worked for Suncorp New Zealand in the Wellington office for less than a year, however he quickly noticed the organisation’s strong sense of community, including the opportunities for its people to ‘give back.’ 

He said: “I heard that Suncorp was a community-oriented organisation, and I was pleased to see the Volunteer Day initiative where employees can go out into the community and give back."

It was not-for-profit environmental organisation ‘Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ)’ that piqued Harrison's interest. The organisation brings volunteers together to plant and care for native trees, control pests and weeds, and protect threatened species.

Harrison explained that there was an opportunity to support the growth of native saplings in the area, by weeding out surrounding tall grasses that block the sunlight the saplings need to thrive. 

Native plants and trees play an important role in the local ecosystem, and regularly removing fast-growing, interfering grasses to give them room and sunlight is a big job that requires many hands. 

“If you can clear the grasses once or twice throughout summer, then the saplings will then get established, and establish their own system,” he said. 

It was manual labour with a clear purpose and a view. Harrison spent a cold but sunny half-day outdoors on top of a hill boasting a beautiful view of the harbour, with manageable tasks that suited all levels of physical ability (and gardening skill). 

“Most of our team were able to come together on the day, which was great. We gathered at the site, listened to a health and safety briefing, and got our gardening tools and instructions.  

“The team from CVNZ were very considerate and accommodating to people's physical level activity,” he said. 

His favourite moment, apart from the team building and comradery, was the sense of achievement. 

“At the end of the day, you look back to that hill, you can clearly see where we have done the work, where the saplings are now very visible and ready grow.” 

Caring for local kids in their time of need, starting with kindness in a backpack

Lakshmi has been at Suncorp for more than 12 years and is a delivery lead in Consumer Insurance within the Customer Experience and Strategy team, based in Victoria. She is passionate about delivering initiatives that empower our people and provide a seamless and efficient customer experience.

Her commitment to making a difference for our customers extends to her personal commitment to making a positive impact to the lives of vulnerable children in the Victorian community. 

Lakshmi is a volunteer at not-for-profit organisation ‘Backpacks 4 Vic Kids’, which aims to assist in comforting 45,000 Australian children who are placed into foster care or emergency accommodation each year. These vulnerable children are often relocated to different homes quickly without much more than the clothes they are wearing at the time of displacement.  

Backpacks 4 Vic Kids rely on volunteers like Lakshmi to provide and pack age-appropriate backpacks and nappy bags filled with essential items to help get displaced children through the first 48 hours of care.

The backpacks include items such as toiletries, clothing and extra love items such as soft toys, blankets and games to provide some comfort and ease anxiety during what can be a scary and highly emotional experience for them. 

Lakshmi explained: “The contents of the backpack are carefully packed depending on the age (newborn babies through to 18 years), and if it’s intended for a girl or a boy. It’s completely run through community efforts and donors.

“One backpack at a time, they make a real difference to young lives. It is such a great cause, but at the same time it breaks your heart to see how many children are in need.” 

The idea of supporting the charity came to Lakshmi through Suncorp’s Collective Giving program, specifically the Volunteer Day initiative inspired by her wider Customer Service and Customer Experience Strategy team rallying the teams together across different states.  

"I was looking for something that was close to me, fulfilling, and enabled team bonding at the same time," she said.