Qudos Bank Arena announces new Corporate Social Responsibility community program

Qudos Bank Arena has officially announced its new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) community program with partners Foodbank NSW & ACT and Gotcha4Life and the extension of its long-standing partnership with Starlight Children’s Foundation.

The announcement follows a comprehensive staff survey, revealing that mental health and sustainability are of paramount importance to Qudos Bank Arena's team members.

Since its inception in 1999 in preparation for the Sydney Olympics, Qudos Bank Arena has been dedicated to making a profound impact on the local community and this program will deliver a range of benefits to CSR Partners including monetary and inventory donations – including publicity activities, ticketing, and experiences.

Steve Hevern, General Manager, Qudos Bank Arena (pictured below left with John Robertson) notes “Qudos Bank Arena is committed to driving positive change within the local Sydney Olympic Park community through focused CSR initiatives, aligning with the leadership demonstrated by the ASM Global Acts. We are delighted to announce Foodbank NSW & ACT, Gotcha4Life and Starlight Children’s Foundation as our official CSR partners. We believe these partnerships will not only benefit our business and team members but also have a significant positive impact on our community.  

“Sustainability is a core business value for Qudos Bank Arena, and our partnership with Foodbank NSW & ACT exemplifies this commitment. The Arena recently donated surplus food during the Tony Robbins event in September 2023 and plans to work closely with Foodbank to further identify surplus food for repurposing for the benefit of both the environment and those in need. Teams from the Arena and naming rights partner Qudos Bank, recently volunteered at the Foodbank Distribution Centre to undertake the packing of 591 hampers, totalling 8,535 kgs of food supply, in support of Foodbank’s impressive goal to assemble 40,000 Christmas Hampers over the ensuing months.”

John Robertson, Chief Executive, Foodbank NSW & ACT enthused “we are very excited to be joining Qudos Bank Arena as their new sustainability charity partner in 2023. Together, we will work to reduce food waste by redirecting surplus food from every major event at the Arena to people in our communities who need it most. We’re so grateful to also receive proceeds from their annual cloaking room program and look forward to seeing the positive impact of the partnership on the lives of Aussies doing it tough in our communities.”

Qudos Bank Arena has also announced a significant partnership with Gotcha4Life, a leading organisation dedicated to improving mental health and wellbeing. Founder and Director, Gus Worland, recently visited the Arena to introduce the Gotcha4Life program to all full-time staff with Worland sharing “we are thrilled to partner with the team at Qudos Bank Arena. With our shared goals of bringing people together to connect and creating more opportunities in the community for our youth to build their mental fitness, we believe this partnership will be a key enabler not just within the QBA community, but beyond. Together, we will work towards creating a future where we can all be supported to build our emotional muscles, so no one worries alone."

Qudos Bank Arena is also extending its collaboration with the Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organisation that has been bringing joy to the lives of seriously ill children for decades. Qudos Bank Arena initiated its partnership with the Starlight Children's Foundation in 2017 when it was selected as one of the charities to receive support after being voted in by the Arena staff. Over the past six years, the Arena has proudly donated a total of $110,000 that was gifted for a wide range of events. Through these efforts, Qudos Bank Arena has positively impacted the lives of 2,820 children during the course of our enduring relationship with Starlight to date.  

Louise Baxter, Chief EXecutive of Starlight Children’s Foundation, expressed her gratitude, saying, "Qudos Bank Arena is a spectacular venue with a wonderful team who are passionate about creating exceptional experiences. Seriously ill Starlight children and their families have enjoyed the joy and happiness of so many wonderful events and entertainments at Qudos Bank Arena. We are so thankful to the amazing Qudos Bank Arena team for their ongoing support of Starlight – helping us to brighten the lives of sick kids when they need it most and create lasting happy memories. Because happiness in childhood truly matters."  

In December, Qudos Bank Arena plans a special experience for a two-year-old named Happy Harry and his family during The Wiggles concert. This unforgettable experience will include a meet and greet with The Wiggles themselves, made possible with the collaboration of Accor, who is providing accommodation for Harry and his family.

In addition to the monetary donations, further opportunities are also being explored to support its CSR partners, such as donating event tickets and prizes, hosting events, complimentary function room hire, and encouraging its staff to volunteer and/or undergo workshops with its CSR partners.

Image top: Qudos Bank Arena exterior; Steve Hevern with John Robertson; Steve Hevern with Gus Worland; Steve Hevern with Louise Baxter. Credit Qudos Bank Arena

Qudos Bank Arena's CSR Partnership Launch 2023 video below