Community

Goal: To invest in the communities in which we operate and our people live and work

We will achieve this by having a coordinated approach to our community investments and partnerships that fit with our core business and values.

Our community investment programs will focus on 3 key areas ― education and literacy, environment, and rural and regional Australia.

We support a broad range of initiatives that reach communities right across our nation. These include:

National Literacy and Numeracy Week

Australia Post is committed to helping to develop the literacy skills of young Australians. We believe that education, especially in the areas of literacy, computer literacy and numeracy, underpins a healthy and vibrant society.

By supporting National Literacy and Numeracy Week, we aim to encourage children to get involved in opportunities to enhance their skills in these areas.

Australia Post Educational Resources

Australia Post offers a range of free education resources to provide teachers and students with an insight into Australia's postal service. These resources are an extension of our commitment to supporting education and literacy.

The Australia Post education website provides students with information and activities about writing letters, communication and the role of Australia Post within the Australian community.

Phiggles the Flying Scientist

Phill Higgins, or Phiggles the Flying Scientist, established his Flying Scientist program in 2001. With Australia Post's support, Phiggles has provided School of the Air students with a unique education experience and their only opportunity to enjoy an interactive group science session with a professional scientist.

Planet Ark - Cartridges 4 Planet Ark

The Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program was established to stop printer cartridges from ending up in landfill where they can pollute groundwater and soil. Australia Post supports the program by providing a cartridge collection point in more than 1700 of our retail outlets.

Almost 60% of cartridges collected are returned to the original equipment manufacturers for reuse, while the remaining cartridges are recycled with zero waste going to landfill.

Planet Ark - Festive Recycling

Australia Post and Planet Ark have teamed up for the Festive Recycling campaign to address general recycling issues including electronic waste and contamination of recycling materials.

During the busy Christmas and New Year period, the amount of recycling and waste material increases. By providing information on how to recycle correctly, Australia Post and Planet Ark aim to increase the quality and quantity of material recycled.

MobileMuster

In 2008 Australia Post joined with the Australian mobile phone industry's recycling program MobileMuster to become the first Australian business to provide free Reply Paid mobile phone recycling satchels through its outlets.

Customers can collect a satchel from their local Australia Post outlet and post their unwanted phone, battery and accessories in any street post box. The initiative helps decrease the volume of mobile phones and accessories going to landfill.

Green PC

Australia Post is a supporter of Green PC, a not-for-profit organisation that refurbishes computers donated from businesses and makes them available to those who might not usually be able to afford one.

Green PC also hires long-term unemployed people to refurbish the computers, providing on-the-job training and a formal IT qualification to help them break into the industry.

Oz Opera

Both Oz Opera and Australia Post believe opera and the arts should be available to as many Australians as possible - particularly those living in rural and regional communities. Since our involvement in 2004, more than 78,000 people in 90 locations around Australia have experienced an Oz Opera performance.

Our support has also enabled Oz Opera to take performances tailored to young audiences to more than 80,000 students a year and to conduct music and drama workshops for students at selected regional secondary schools.

Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal

Another initiative we support is Stretching the Envelope, a community grants program administered by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. The program offers small grants to fund projects in rural and regional communities in the areas of youth, education and arts and culture.

Grants of up to $1,000 are available to community groups in regional areas of Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.

Workplace Giving

Australia Post's Workplace Giving program was launched in 2009. It provides a simple way for employees to donate to charities. Payments are tax-deductible and Australia Post matches donations dollar for dollar, up to a maximum of $200 per employee per year. We consulted with staff to identify the charities they would most like to donate to. These charities are:

Australian Council of State Emergency Services (SES)
Cancer Council
Children's Hospital Foundations Australia
Heart Foundation
McGrath Foundation
RedKite
RSPCA
WWF

Australia Post community champions

The Australia Post Community Champion Award recognises and rewards the contribution of our many employees who volunteer their time and effort to charities, local community groups, schools, sporting associations and many other initiatives.

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