Community Support

Woolworths Limited is committed to supporting quality grassroots initiatives with sustainable outcomes and does so through supporting partnerships with community organisations and charities in four core areas.

Health and Wellbeing

We believe that one of the best ways of contributing to the growth and development of Australia is by ensuring it is a nation of healthy and happy individuals, families and communities. 

Given the number and diversity of the communities that we serve around the country, we are extremely well placed to identify these issues and make a major contribution.

Sustainability and Environment

Beyond pure business and cost considerations, Woolworths Limited is highly aware of the steadily growing public and media awareness of climate change and its potential long-term effects on the planet and food supply. 

We understand, too, that these concerns are shared by our customers and the communities we serve. They will expect and appreciate steps we take to be part of the solution.

Our Sustainability Strategy is firmly entrenched within the organisation and community investment activities will help make this commitment tangible to our customers, staff and other key stakeholders.

Rural and Regional communities

As well as providing value-for-money food and groceries and good customer service, we are a major customer of farmers, growers and manufacturers through every Australian state and territory.

Right across the country, we are committed to helping sustain the communities that support our stores, not just in terms of providing jobs and services, but also in creating a wider range of opportunities to foster closer links between our stores and the communities they serve.

Education and Employment

As one of Australia’s biggest companies, we provide jobs for 190,000 employees. Over 45% of this workforce is under 25 years old, and we are also the country’s largest employer of trainees and apprentices.

We firmly believe that education is the most effective tool in breaking the cycle of economic and social disadvantage and skills, every individual is much better placed to secure a job and being able to enjoy some self-esteem and independence.

Reconciliation Action Plan

The Woolworths Reconciliation Action Plan was launched to advance opportunities for Indigenous Australians. The plan is a practical pathway towards greater inclusiveness within Woolworths and an important component of the company’s long term goal to have a workforce that proportionally represents Australia’s diverse population. It will help drive the establishment of effective training and employment programs to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to access and retain jobs across all Woolworths Limited businesses. The scope of the plan also considers how Woolworths can provide more opportunities and more effective outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers and supply partners. Click here to download the full copy of the plan.

 

We receive many requests from worthy causes. However, unfortunately, we are unable to support them all. In order to appropriately channel our support, our community investment does not provide funding for the following:

Unregistered charities or organisations

* Australian Business Number (ABN) is a mandatory for all organisations.
* Charities require Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status and must be authorised licensed/permitted to conduct charitable fundraising activities in the States/Territories in which they operate.

Charity advertising or promotions, unless part of a Woolworths specific campaign.

* Political campaigns and activities.
* Organisations with religious affiliation are not excluded, so long as participation is open to the community generally.
* Year end deficits.
* Sponsorship of individuals, including Woolworths Limited staff (see employee specific schemes).
* Overseas projects not linked to a Woolworths program.
* The replacement of funds provided by government, which does not bring additional benefits to people or communities
* Business-related conferences, awards and exhibition sponsorships.