Banif staff dress down for charity
Continuing to build on the fantastic results of their Casual Fridays initiative, Banif Bank staff have collected over €2,000 for different causes in the second half of 2015.
The Casual Fridays initiative was conceived with the idea of giving employees a hands-on approach to charity whilst promoting a more positive workplace. On the last Friday of every month, Banif staff trade their ties and heels for tees and trainers, and make a small donation towards the cause chosen for that month.
Causes are often suggested by employees themselves, as was the case with Dar Pirotta, which hosts a number of persons with special needs who require constant care. Banif pitched in to buy them a washing machine, which will help take some of the load off the staff. Next up was kellimni.com, a website that provides free, anonymous support to young people, born out of a partnership between Appoġġ, the Salesians of Don Bosco, Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and SOS Malta. Banif’s contribution helped with the launch of a new and improved site with smart messaging, which will be better equipped to help today’s youths. Another staff member, who is a member of Fgura United FC, suggested that a month’s collections go towards the club’s fundraising activities in aid of Puttinu Cares, and as always when such worthy causes are involved, the Bank and its employees duly obliged.
October saw the Bank doing its part and getting directly involved in promoting breast cancer awareness. Together with a number of educational and supportive initiatives carried out during the month, October’s Casual Friday collections were allocated to Europa Donna, a local Breast Cancer Support Group. Lastly, the Banif team got into the Christmas giving spirit by helping to pay for a Christmas meal organised by Ċentru Leap! for individuals who didn’t have anyone to spend the festive season with.
“Obviously it is good fun to be able to come into the office in casuals every now and then but what is really great about Casual Fridays is that we, the employees, get to choose exactly who our collections will be helping that month,” said Ann Marie Fenech, Relationship Officer at the Bank’s Corporate Banking Unit. “I have suggested a few causes myself in the past and they were always taken up. This helps us feel that we are actually making a difference, no matter how small.”
