Annual News Report

December 612, 2011; issue 1154

CHARITIES
Biggest educational charitable organizations
in B.C. 16
Biggest enviromental charitable organizations
in B.C. 18
Biggest registered foundations in B.C. 19
Biggest health charitable organizations
in B.C. 20
Biggest social charitable organizations
in B.C. 21
list
Happy Holidays
WWW.raacoarerfoaadat|oa.ca
Putting the fun into employee fundraising
Games, teamwork, matching funds and aligning values help companies motivate staff to get on board with charitable giving
By Lorne Mallin
N
ovember was definitely
Movember at Vancou-
vers ZAG Group, where the
staff went positively hairy
a prime example of how
workplaces big and small are
encouraging employees to
buy in to giving back.
Steve Curtis, CEO of
the Vancouver-based multi-
business conglomerate, said
almost all male employees
grew moustaches and even
female staff wore cutout
Mostaches in the prostate-
cancer campaign.
Its really important that
people understand why were
doing things, said Curtis, a
survivor of cancer a rare
form of lymphoma diag-
nosed six years ago when he
was given two years to live.
Its almost gone, he
said.
In the last quarter, ZAG
participated in the Sun Run
and then supported Take
a Hike, which engages at-
risk youth in alternative
education.
One of the kids came
by and talked about his ex-
periences with Take a Hike.
Rather than just being about
raising or more, it was,
Heres the kind of person
were trying to help.
That talk took place in
ZAGs daily huddle in a big
circle in the centre of the
oce.
Well announce whos
raised money and put some
kudos behind it, such as a
dinner gift certificate or a
day o, said Curtis.
We make raising money
and doing events kind of a
game, he said. Our com-
pany is growing very quickly,
so we work a lot. Sometimes
we get a little pushback
around, Ahhh, one more
thing, we gotta raise money.
But weve really created an
environment around char-
ity thats fun and interest-
ing and we laugh and joke
about it.
Competition is key.
We usually make teams,
Curtis said. Sometimes it
will be supply versus sales
or sometimes it will be oper-
ations people working with
sales people.
He said employee buy-
ins can motivate staff to
stay with the company. It
also helps to attract the tal-
ented people that we need,
because ZAG has a repu-
tation as a place that helps
people do positive things in
the world.
Employee surveys
So does Scotiabank where
Michelle Henderson is man-
ager of community engage-
ment for B.C. and the Yukon,
a region that includes ,
employees.
We support the causes
that are important to our
employees, she said. We
survey our employees every
year so we make sure we put
our corporate dollars where
they want us to put them.
The bank is now title
sponsor of the province-
wide Scotiabank MS Walk.
Our support began many
years ago because one em-
ployee was passionate about
the cause. She participated
in the walk, raised funds,
and the bank would support
her through our matching
program. en she got other
employees involved and they
became enthusiastic. It just
snowballed into what it is
today.
All of the regions ma-
jor fundraisers have come
from the branch level. e
branches are very creative;
theyll do all kinds of things.
For the Scotiabank and BC-
SPCAs Paws for a Cause,
well set up a little doggie
pound jail in the branch
and well lock our employ-
ees in there. eyll have to
raise a certain amount of
money before well let them
out, Henderson said with
a laugh.
She said staff are given
the opportunity to engage in
volunteer activities during
business hours. Everything
is driven by our employees.
Meaningful team building
For the United Way of the
Lower Mainland, motivat-
ing workers to give is cen-
tral, with of the annual
fundraising campaign com-
ing from the workplace.
Approximately , vol-
unteers, , donors
and , organizations are
involved.
Caring for the commun-
ity has to be part of what a
company and its employ-
ees believe in, said Yuri
Fulmer, United Way board
chair. What United Way
can do is be a supporting
tool, enabling a group of
people to come together
selflessly and perhaps help
somebody theyve never met
and likely never will meet.
Fulmer said most team
building in organizations
is self-focused on the team.
What were talking about is
team building thats mean-
ingful. It brings the team
together in a spirit of co-
operation and helping, and
theres also a positive conse-
quence for somebody else.
He said United Way has
a unique place in being in
more workplaces than any
other charity. Companies
let us in to talk to their em-
ployees and were grateful for
the opportunity. If allowed
to, we can add meaningful
value.
Fulmer said the United
Way works with any size
company. Bigger compan-
ies are more visible in the
community so we can en-
counter them more easily.
But you know I have an of-
fice of five people and we
run a United Way campaign
equally successfully, said
Fulmer, president and CEO
of FDC Capital Partners.
news@biv.com
Movember moustaches are a growth industry at ZAG Group: (L-r) staffers Brett Ducross, Andrew
Robertson, Andrew Burke, CEO Steve Curtis, Vincent Skirzyk and Alastair Hughes
United Way board chair
Yuri Fulmer: caring for the
community has to be part
of what a company and its
employees believe in
Weve really created
an environment around
charity thats fun and
interesting and we laugh
and joke about it
Steve Curtis,
CEO,
ZAG Group