Securing the naming rights each year to Australia’s largest charity bike ride would tick the corporate social responsibility box for most businesses. Your company name gets to be linked with a worthwhile charity, it’s good for the brand and for reputation – duty done.
But for mining services contractor, MACA Pty Ltd securing the naming rights to the MACA Cancer 200 two-day ride event held in October is only the beginning of the organisation’s commitment. 2018 was a watershed year for this event and its beneficiary, the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. The Perkins decided to take the event in-house. This meant a change of name, an assemblage of team and, most importantly, the continuation of MACA’s support as title sponsor. MACA did not disappoint.
Funds raised from the Ride support WA cancer research at the Perkins. With 50,000 men and women likely to die from cancer this year, the MACA Board and Executive know that only medical research will improve that figure.
In seven years, MACA has raised over $7.2 million for the Ride. More than 1500 riders have ridden under the MACA banner. MACA’s contribution has directly funded groundbreaking research in melanoma, liver cancer and other hard-to-treat cancers.
MACA has lost several staff to cancer and has offered support to staff going through treatment and to families who’ve suffered loss.
MACA once flew a young employee to Perth, a cancer survivor working on a mine site in Brazil, to participate in the Ride that he’d raised funds for. MACA says that supporting cancer research has made them a better business and better people.
Participate, give back to the community, fundraise to help a good cause; those are the edicts staff at MACA operate under. And not just staff. Suppliers, contractors and business partners are also encouraged to support the MACA Cancer 200. Whether it’s supplying raffle prizes, donating to fundraising events or getting on their bikes to ride, the MACA message is clear; if you do business with us, you support the Ride.
By instilling a culture of giving in their workplace and corporate relationships, the company has changed the way they do business. And it has helped them prosper. They know staff want a sense of purpose in addition to work. The Ride has helped staff become more engaged. Business partners and customers want to be aligned to a company with good values, one that is involved in the community.
MACA now uses their support for cancer research as part of their business brand not for branding opportunities nor to be seen as socially responsible but because, as MD Geoff Baker says, “it’s the right thing to do.”
