# Bank staff giving likely to decline

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/02/16/bank-staff-giving-likely-decline/
- Published: 2011-02-16T12:08:08+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Ireland’s biggest banks, Bank of Ireland and AIB, will continue to support charity
and community groups despite their well documented problems. However, schemes that
depend on staff contributions will probably decline if staff numbers reduce in the
years ahead.

Staff reductions seem inevitable. Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) general
secretary Larry Broderick said he anticipated ”significant job losses at AIB” and
feared ”up to 2,000 job losses between AIB and Bank of Ireland restructuring and
a merger of Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide.”

Bank of Ireland, for instance, has two significant staff giving programmes. To date,
over 7,500 employees have taken part in Give Together, whether through volunteering
or fundraising. Over 2,300 volunteer days have been given and employees have been
involved in raising more than €13.5 million for the benefit of over 1,200 different
causes.

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Bank of Ireland also has a Third World Fund which has enjoyed substantial support
from staff and its annual income is close to €750,000. Funding is typically €3,000
to €30,000 per project, with occasional larger projects approved. Almost 600 individual
projects have been supported since 1982.

AIB’s main charitable vehicle is the Better Ireland Programme which has given out
nearly €18 million since it was set up in 2001. Last year Better Ireland gave €10,000
to 182 local branches to be shared among three shortlisted groups.

Both banks have received very signifcant support from the Irish government to stay
afloat and AIB has recently been delisted from the stock market. Media speculation
is that as well as a reduction in staff numbers, branches will close.

Financial institutions were amongst the biggest contributors to charity over the
years of Ireland’s economic boom, including high profile support for particular 
campaigns.

www.bankofireland.com

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