Helping our local communities through the Xero Community Appeal

2020 is certainly presenting us with some challenges and the impact on what’s happening in the world right now is not lost on us at Xero. 

We know how important it is to keep our community strong and we want to play our part in giving back to those in need. For this reason, we’re really proud to tell you about the Xero Community Appeal. 

For the rest of this year we’re raising funds for charities that help the most vulnerable and marginalised people to build resilience and mental wellbeing. So far Xeros have donated NZD $153,000 to support eight charities around the world. 

All funds go directly to the charities through our giving platform (powered by Catalyser).

Our aim is to help make life better for people in small business, their advisors and their communities around the world. If you would like to join us in supporting these worthy causes, it only takes a few minutes to donate. 

No amount is too small and if we each give a little, together we can make a bigger difference. 

Who are we supporting?

We’ve set up this appeal in every region where we operate as well as one global charity partner. 

• Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) globally – providing medical supplies and mobilise their people to help on the front lines in highly affected COVID-19 areas.
• Beyond Blue in Australia – providing mental health support through the Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service.
• Women’s Refuge in New Zealand – helping women and children experiencing domestic violence, especially important during COVID-19 when they are more at risk due to social distancing and self isolation.
• Save the Children in Asia – putting the most vulnerable children first, tackling the barriers to survival, learning and protection across Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Advancement Project in the United States – leading campaigns to accelerate racial justice on issues including voting rights, prison reform, policing, immigrant justice and education justice.
• Black Business Professional Association in Canada – serving the Black community’s business, professional and economic development needs.
• Samaritans in the UK – providing support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
• Won Life in South Africa – supporting the vulnerable within the community of Fisantekraal through health and educational services, especially those that are now affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.

How did we choose the charities?

To choose the charities we used a selection criteria including: alignment to Xero, impact per dollar donation, transparency and operational excellence. 

How does it work?

We’ve partnered with Catalyser to connect to each of the charities we’ve selected through one central giving platform. Catalyser is a female-led tech company backed by Telstra and EY and, in 2018, was named by the World Economic Forum as a New Global Champion of Innovation. We’re proud that Catalyser is also a Xero customer. 

The donations given by credit card are delivered by Stripe or PayPal which are payment platforms that help create user-friendly donation experiences. Stripe is one of Xero’s global partners enabling thousands of small businesses to receive invoice payments by credit or debit card, helping them get paid faster.

Xero’s commitment

For Xero, building a fast-growing but sustainable business means taking responsibility for our social and environmental impact, respecting the planet’s resources, helping to build thriving communities, and cultivating an engaged workforce.

For more information about Xero’s social and environmental initiatives, visit www.xero.com/socialimpact.