Community

Thorn believes businesses should give back to the communities in which they operate and be a good corporate citizen in order to have a social license to operate. Thorn’s entire team is committed to developing and maintaining long term partnerships with community organisations, networks, and local communities.

As part of Thorn’s commitment, staff are encouraged to participate in community activities along with Thorn providing direct financial support, including matching staff donations dollar for dollar for approved activities. Among the initiatives supported by Thorn are White Ribbon, Digger’s Rest, Project New Dawn, Mission Australia, and the Children’s Tumour Foundation of Australia.

Thorn Group supports White Ribbon, Australia’s only national, male led Campaign to end men’s violence against women and promote gender equality and healthy relationships. Thorn’s support of White Ribbon is organisation-wide, involving all employees, brands and businesses under the Thorn Group banner, with all members of the leadership team being White Ribbon ambassadors.

White Ribbon is an organisation that works to prevent violence by changing attitudes and behaviours. The prevention work is driven through social marketing, the Ambassador Program and initiatives with communities, schools, universities, sporting codes and workplaces.

Statistics show that domestic violence and family violence are the principal causes of homelessness for women and their children. One woman is killed every week in Australia as a result of domestic violence and one in four children is exposed to domestic violence.

Thorn’s brands, in particular Radio Rentals, strongly align with White Ribbon’s core promise “We’ve got your back”. Radio Rentals and Rentlo employees interact with some customers who are directly affected by domestic violence.

By showing support for White Ribbon, Thorn aims to play an important role in the community; raising awareness and helping victims of domestic violence with basic needs and support.

Thorn actively supports the White Ribbon cause, through internal and external activations, including:

• employee engagement activities including fundraising lunches
• implementation of the White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation program across the organisation, including workshops and policy development
• a marketing activation plan to raise awareness and additional funds for White Ribbon across stores and websites including the sale of White Ribbon merchandise
• major sponsorship of White Ribbon events:
  • White Ribbon Night (held annually in July), host of “Have a Night In” event in selected stores
  • White Ribbon Day (25 November) - This year, Radio Rentals stores nationally hosted a Wear-A-Pair fundraiser, with Radio Rentals’ male employees (store network and head office) wearing a pair of heels for the day to inspire conversation and promote the important social cause.

NATURAL DISASTER

When disaster strikes across Australia, such as bushfires or floods, or there is a worthwhile cause needing assistance, then there is a good chance that someone from Thorn will be there to assist our customers and the community in general. Over the years, assistance has been provided in various forms, including free supply of bedding, washing machines and refrigerators to relief centres, substantial goodwill credits on customer accounts and the donation of products for fundraising.

In April 2017, Cyclone Debbie hit the Queensland coast and north coast of New South Wales, triggering heavy rainfall which led to significant flooding in the town of Lismore. Radio Rentals Lismore assisted a number of customers during that time. The focus was on helping Radio Rentals customers to get back on their feet as quickly as possible, which was done by processing claims for damaged items as quickly as possible with a focus on replacing fridges and washing machines as a priority, installing any replacement item at no additional cost to the customer. Other stores also provided assistance by sending stock from Queensland. The main goal was to make sure customers had their essential items during a very difficult time.

LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT

In June 2017, Radio Rentals assisted Morayfield East State School after a fire tore through its classroom, affecting the local community. Radio Rentals donated 110 brand new musical instruments, boosting the school spirit and supporting the school’s plan to build up a music program.