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Corporate Australia can transform grassroots sport

We often forget the great stories of seasons gone. (Photo: Flickr user Alpha
Roar Guru
13th February, 2018
56

Sport is part of the Aussie DNA and is at the heart of every community, but now it’s time for corporate Australia to show its corporate social responsibility (CSR) credentials for grassroots sport.

For parents, weekends are spent ferrying kids, friends and teammates to local sports grounds. Monday coffee and watercooler time is where the weekend’s games are analysed and dissected. There are winners and losers, but we are united by a love of sport.

The AFL and NRL grand finals, Australian Open tennis final, State of Origin games and the Melbourne Cup continue to be among the most watched TV programs year in and year out.

Yet despite our love for sport, sports participation levels are declining and one in four kids are now overweight or obese. Physical inactivity contributes to 14,000 deaths per year and this inactivity costs the Australian health budget an estimated $1.5 billion every year.

Our sporting DNA is revealing some deeply disturbing scars which, if not addressed, will potentially undermine our sporting fabric, lead to unhealthier and less inclusive communities, and dilute the number of sports stars of tomorrow.

Major sporting and entertainment events and stadia investment by governments provide substantial economic benefits, and well-constructed and targeted sports sponsorships continue to deliver measurable marketing benefits for brands.

But the missing pieces of the puzzle are the human benefits of corporate investment in sport.

Typically, corporate investment in sport is made through sponsorship which, with some exceptions, tends to be focused on the elite and professional end of sport.

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While this is a fundamental part of our culture, are top-end sports sponsorships changing societies? Does elite sports sponsorship enhance physical and mental health in our community, foster social inclusion, or boost the academic and career outcomes of our young people?

Local Australian Rules Football

(Photo: Flickr user Alpha)

As a society, we are genuinely touched by the vast number of charitable campaigns which are usually borne out of tragedy or sorrow, or to right a societal wrong. All are very worthy causes.

But what is corporate Australia doing to demonstrate its corporate social responsibility to grassroots and community sport, and to the rusted-on love of sport their employees, clients and customers show every week?

These employees, clients and customers are the same time-poor volunteers who are happily on BBQ duties cooking the sausages and onions to make a few dollars for their local grassroots club so they can purchase new shirts, balls or training equipment for the season ahead.

They are the same parents who are flogging chocolates to friends and work colleagues to help their son or daughter travel to the upcoming regional or interstate championship.

It’s time for corporate Australia to step up and proudly showcase its CSR credentials and directly engage with their employees, clients and customers in a genuine, meaningful way. It’s time for corporate Australia to help heal our growing sports DNA scars.

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Further, it’s time for corporate Australia to seriously consider the brand, leadership and community opportunities that are provided by an investment in grassroots and community sport.

As the only sports body with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, the Australian Sports Foundation can provide a tax deduction for donations to sports clubs, sports projects and national or state representative athletes.

Whether through a matched giving program, that doubles the impact of the investment, or via workplace giving, donating to grassroots and community sport gives corporate Australia a chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the people it values most.

And, importantly, corporate and private donations are tax-deductible when pledged via the Sports Foundation – a very attractive proposition.

By responding to community sporting needs, that impacts employees, clients and customers, a sports CSR program is not merely a straight hand-out, but is instead is a real corporate-community partnership which makes a meaningful contribution at a grassroots level and effects genuine change.

Sport brings people together and is proven to have the power to inspire and engage diverse communities. As Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand.”

Nelson Mandela hands the William Webb Ellis Trophy to Francois Pienaar

(AFP photo/Jean-Pierre Muller)

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Sports sponsorship and new stadia invariably deliver a return on investment.

But a tax effective CSR partnership between corporate Australia and the Sports Foundation will help build a healthier, more active and more inclusive Australia.

Patrick Walker is the CEO of the Australian Sports Foundation. For further information about the Australian Sports Foundation, go to sportsfoundation.org.au.

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