Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia social investment governance and portfolio management
Objective
SVA Consulting was engaged to support the Commonwealth Bank in its role as an investor for social impact by realigning the governance of their social investment activities.
Role we played
To deliver this project, SVA Consulting:
- Clearly articulated the new Foundation’s philosophy as an organisation, understanding how it would approach philanthropy and exploring its vision and mission
- Researched the domestic and global trends in philanthropy from international leaders
- Identified areas of focus, understanding the known causes of disadvantage, highlighting those areas that best align with the Foundation and establishing a portfolio approach to its philanthropy
- Designed a four-year strategic plan including goals, detailed initiatives and KPIs to establish the Foundation and allow it to learn over time.
Impact
As a result of this work, the Commonwealth Bank has now taken an integrated approach to social investment, combining the previously separate Foundation with its Corporate Responsibility portfolio. The organisation has gained a clear understanding of how the activities they fund contribute to the impact they seek to have. Commonwealth Bank are using the two frameworks to guide their reporting and investment decisions and are implementing the recommendations we made for their financial literacy program.
