Giving Bizz

Think businesses are only there to make profits? Think again.

If Matthew Flinders Had Wings: Buxton Group managing director Richard Buxton is donating the first $500,000 in proceeds from his coffee table book, If Matthew Flinders Had Wings, to Alzheimer’s Australia. The book features photography and history of the Australian coast line. If the first print run is successful, Mr Buxton hopes to raise a further $500,000. He has himself made two circumnavigations of Australia, one by sea and one by air, following the path taken by Matthew Flinders between 1801 and 1803. To buy a copy of the book, go to www.epsilonresearch.com.au.

realestate.com.au and Red Nose Day: realestate.com.au occasionally gives community groups temporary free banner advertising space on its homepage. Recently realestate.com.au featured a smiley face with a big, red nose and the words “realestate.com.au supporting red nose day.” Community groups benefit from the 4.5 million unique browsers visiting the site each month. realestate.com.au pays one of its design agencies to design the banners. Look out for the next one, in support of Movember (growing moustaches in November to raise money for men’s health).

Melbourne Airport: Melbourne Airport continues its longstanding support of the arts in Melbourne with writer and director Dominic Allen this month winning the Melbourne Airport Award for Emerging Australian Filmmaker at the Melbourne International Film Festival. The airport provides the winning filmmaker with $5000 in cash and an airfare to the Berlin Film Festival, the Berlinale .

Saatchi and Saatchi and Reconciliation Australia: You may have seen the product of advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi’s contribution to Reconciliation Australia – an ad campaign challenging our stereotypical perceptions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The individuals working on the campaign volunteered their time and other suppliers worked for free or at significantly reduced rates. Paying standard rates for the campaign would have cost Reconciliation Australia between $200,000 and $250,000. If you missed the ads you can see them here.

Connex for Cancer Day: Outgoing Melbourne rail network operator, Connex , is counting the dollars from its fifth and final Connex for Cancer Day. At the time of writing, Connex’s 2009 efforts had raised $67,000 for the Peter MacCallum Cancer, and the total is expected to exceed $70,000. That will take the total raised over five years to about $400,000. Connex donated $1 from the sale of every ticket on July 30, and commuters also supported the cause by donating to tin rattlers.