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Each year, Bank Australia employees can use their volunteer leave to make contributions to the community and environment in a range of ways. This year, not-for-profit and customer community grant recipient Sustain the Australian Food Network provided our team with a valuable opportunity to support food justice in Victoria.
Sustain is a “think and do” network, specialising in designing and building sustainable and healthy food systems. They work with governments, councils, and community leaders to help map local food systems, and develop evidence-based and achievable policies and programs. Bank Australia’s support through the community customer grants program helps Sustain feed 100 families per month.
A group of 27 Bank Australia employees participated in a day of food preparation and learning with Sustain in April 2024. The team went on a tour of the food forest Sustain cultivates in their Oakhill Food Justice Urban Farm. Located in Preston, the food forest is a site where food is grown and then donated to food relief initiatives. They also learned how to peel heirloom tomatoes and helped the Sustain team prepare for an upcoming community tortilla night.
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On their tour of the food forest, they learned about sustainable and regenerative food production, and sampled Indigenous plants including saltbush.
“Through Sustain, colleagues and I had the opportunity to work at Oakhill Farm in Preston, where we harvested the last of their summer crops which go to food relief organisations. We were able to get our hands dirty and try something new. This experience allowed us to bond as a team but also get greater understanding of Sustain’s work and the positive impact they create for over 100 families each month.” said Dumindi.
Bank Australia will continue encouraging employees to take their volunteer leave in 2025, as a valuable part of giving back to the community and living the values of our business.
This case study was featured in our Impact Report to read more about our impact over the 2024 financial year you can read the full 2024 Impact Report here.
