Spring Things workplace fundraising campaign gives employees a platform to support WWF’s conservation work
This year, WWF launched its first workplace fundraising campaign through the Living Planet @ Work program, helping to engage companies and their employees in support of WWF’s conservation work.
In our pilot year of this campaign called Spring Things, we had just over 40 champions participate from companies nationwide. In all, their efforts raised close to $400,000 for WWF’s Arctic conservation program, our renewable energy mapping project, and more.
How did they do it?
Some held bake sales, some took polar dips into frigid lakes, and others climbed 1,776 steps to the top of the CN Tower. There were social events with music and raffles, dress down days, auctions, pot lucks, ice cream sundae bars, and 50/50 draws. On top of that, their companies matched these donations and generously topped up employee fundraising, all in support of the health and future of our planet.
Where do the funds go?
The critical funds raised through Polar Bear Week will be directed to WWF’s Arctic conservation program. Funds raised during Earth Hour Week will support the renewable energy mapping project, and all proceeds from the 24th Annual Canada Life CN Tower Climb will help WWF to achieve many other conservation goals.
Check out some fun Spring Things campaign photos:
Along with the passion and hard work of dedicated champions and their colleagues, we could not have achieved this incredible milestone without the leadership of six company CEOs (including WWF’s President and CEO, David Miller). Together, they stepped up to publicly champion Spring Things within their companies.
Thank you to these leaders and their employees for driving philanthropic action for the environment in Canada:
- Lloyd Bryant, HP Canada (co-chair of the Spring Things Committee)
- Rudi Blatter, Lindt & Sprüngli
- Louis Martel, Canada Steamship Lines
- Peter Melanson, Bullfrog Power
- Paul Mead, FCB Canada
- Gordon Hicks, Brookfield Johnson Controls
In the coming weeks, we will be showcasing each of these companies through a special blog series. We’ll learn more about their commitment to sustainability and the key to their Spring Things success. Stay tuned!
How did Spring Things come to be?
For the past 2 1/2 years, WWF’S Living Planet @ Work employee engagement program has helped to connect with a passionate group of green champions who represent companies across Canada and the globe. Many of these green champions were eagerly looking to do more: to usher in sustainable practices at work, engage colleagues, and make a difference to environmental conservation at work and on a larger scale.
In the last few years we’ve seen our champions successfully build green teams, implement sustainable procurement policies, write the first sustainability reports for their companies, clean up shorelines, and turn the lights off for Earth Hour. In the Fall, we started thinking about how we could help our champions take their passion and commitment to the next level. We knew they were up for the challenge, their employees were ready for more, and that the impact they could make to conservation would be significant.
We decided that a fun, creative, and flexible workplace fundraising campaign in the Spring season would be the perfect platform to help champions do just that and engage their fellow colleagues too. And that’s how the fittingly titled campaign “Spring Things” was born! Champions rallied their employees around Spring Things’ three events: Polar Bear Week, Earth Hour Week, and the CN Tower Climb. The success of our first ever Spring Things campaign is a true testament to the passion and commitment of our Living Planet @ Work community. We’re excited for what next year will bring and look forward to more champions and companies joining in on the fun!
Do you want to learn more about Living Planet @ Work and the Spring Things campaign for your company? We’d love to hear from you. Chat with our team! E-mail us at [email protected].
