Community Investment
Building a better future for the next generation
As a proud New Zealand company made up of thousands of Kiwis from all walks of life, Telecom is strongly committed to the success of our communities. Investing in our communities is something we are all passionate about and it is a key part of our Corporate & Social Responsibility programme.
Right across New Zealand there are community groups doing amazing things and we focus our community investments on partnering with many of those groups to help build a better future for all New Zealanders.
Telecom's investment in things like faster broadband and better mobile services is about giving all New Zealanders the tools to help them do amazing things, both now and in the future. That's why our community investment programmes also have a strong focus on the future and giving passionate young New Zealanders the chance to shine.
Our partnerships are not limited to funding, but also involve our people and utilise our capabilities, reach and expertise.
Here are just some of the organisations and initiatives that we are a part of.
Supporting organisations and initiatives that support learning, including:
Helping organisations that help kids, including:
Creating opportunities for family time:
Encouraging and supporting our people to help their communities:
Working with great New Zealand charities:
And although it might not directly benefit NZ children, we also support several small business initiatives in New Zealand:
For more information on our sponsorship activities, please email sponsorships@telecom.co.nz
First Foundation
A lack of funds, role models and knowledge about study options prevent some New Zealand students from achieving their full potential.
First Foundation offers a unique four-year scholarship programme that provides talented students from low-decile high schools with tertiary fee assistance, paid work experience, and one-on one mentoring.
Telecom is the Principal Sponsor of the Foundation, who has provided this 'hand up' to 189 young New Zealanders since being established in 1998.
This year we have further increased our support by committing to sponsor 12 new scholarships across Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
To date, we have 17 First Foundation scholars working within the group.
For more information on First Foundation, please visit www.firstfoundation.org.nz
Hector's World
Hector's World gives young children the skills and knowledge to become confident and capable online citizens. This is provided through an engaging, fun, web-based tool that provides lessons for 2 - 9 year olds in how to use ICT and the internet safely.
Telecom supports Hector's World with in-kind support in the form of internet hosting, PR and profile raising activity.
For more information on Hector's World, please visit www.hectorsworld.com
Starship mobile phone recycling appeal
Telecom has partnered with the Starship Foundation to help turn technological trash into essential equipment and services for Starship kids.
Mobile phones of any make and model, regardless of condition can be recycled. Phones in working order are refurbished and exported, while those beyond repair are recycled through the correct environmental channels.
Starship then receives more than 50% of the profit from refurbishing and reselling these phones.
Telecom supports Starship, the National Children's hospital by diverting all mobile phones returned to us for recycling to Starship, and by providing recycling envelopes in all our retail stores.
For more information on the Starship Mobile Phone Appeal, please visit http://www.starship.org.nz/phone
NZ Centre for Social Innovation
The NZ Centre for Social Innovation creates a space for innovation, where Government, business and community partners can come together to focus on some of our most pressing social needs, and a home where social innovators can collaborate, share and find support.
Telecom is a foundation partner.
The Centre is governed by a small working board of Trustees, with guidance and strategic advice provided by a national Advisory Board. Chris Quin, CEO of our ICT business Gen-i, sits on the board.
Telecom Trees
In December 2008 we built a 27-metre high Christmas tree made entirely from lights in Auckland's Victoria Park.
From phone boxes placed around the base of the tree, children could ring Santa to make a wish. Their voices magically activated the lights on the tree, their wishes making a beautiful light show as they travel up to Santa.
We also provided drop boxes for visitors to donate gifts to families using Women's Refuges across NZ.
This year we will erect two trees, in Auckland and Wellington.
Natural Disasters
When disaster strikes, Telecom provides support to affected communities by making our resources and expertise available and working 24/7 to restore communications to homes and businesses, often in challenging conditions such as the South Island snowstorm in 2006.
Most recently, Telecom provided support for the Philippines flooding, Samoan tsunami and Australian bushfires, in the form of free calling to each country, and matching dollar-for-dollar employee donations.
In Samoa, Telecom also provided roaming mobile phones for the Red Cross and NZ High Commission to help Kiwis. Chorus, Telecom's network business, is also helping with the rebuilding by providing telecoms equipment.
Christmas food bank donations
Every Christmas we run a company-wide food bank collection, with Telecom matching employee contributions.
In 2008 the programme resulted in five tonnes of food being collected for charities such as Salvation Army, City Missions and local food banks.
The Springboard Trust
The Springboard Trust aims to improve the lives of young New Zealanders by helping school principals become more effective leaders.
Our employees volunteer as 'capacity partners', running workshops and providing on-going professional assistance to principals, to allow them to grow and achieve their goals more readily.
Telecom also provides on-going strategic and HR support while the Trust develops.
Rowing for Prostate
Telecom supported the Rowing for Prostate team, who came second in the Indian Ocean Rowing race. The team's goal was to help bridge the gap in cancer awareness, education and prevention amongst men, their families and communities across New Zealand.
Our own Matt Hampel, Mobile Marketing Manager for Telecom Retail, was one of the four-man team who took up the challenge.
Telecom provided the team with in-kind technology support and funding.
For more information on Rowing for Prostate, please visit www.rowingforprostate.com
IHC
The IHC Telecom Art Awards were established in 2004 to encourage and recognise creativity from New Zealanders with an intellectual disability. Over the years it has become an important event, with over 400 people entering in 2009.
Telecom has been the sole principal sponsor of the Awards since their inception, providing funding, in-kind technology support, and strategic advice.
For more information on the IHC Telecom Art Awards, visit www.ihcartawards.co.nz
Heart Foundation
To promote a healthy lifestyle and school environment, and to boost uptake for their education programmes in schools and early childhood centres, we partnered with the Heart Foundation to launch DigiVillage, an interactive website that makes it easy for schools, and children, to improve heart health.
Complete with a healthy tuck shop, a school hall, classrooms, whare, a playground and DigiTV, DigiVillage is a platform for schools and early childhood centres to access free Heart Foundation programme resources and share heart healthy information and learning stories.
DigiVillage enables the three Heart Foundation education programmes - Jump Rope for Heart, Healthy Heart Award and School Food, to be brought to life in an exciting online environment.
For more information on DigiVillage, visit www.digivillage.org.nz
Made from New Zealand
Telecom helps fund the Made from New Zealand website, which aims to bring together New Zealand entrepreneurs, businesses and non-for-profits into one online Global Business Community to make us well connected and well promoted globally.
Visit www.madefromnewzealand.com
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