Our Communities

The Smith Family is the largest Australian children’s education charity helping young Australians living in disadvantage to succeed at school, so they can create better futures for themselves.

The Smith Family supports children in need through their flagship Learning for Life program. This evidence-based program helps children to participate in their education more fully through a three-step approach. Financial, practical and emotional support aids in their educational journey throughout their school years. This innovative approach is improving the attendance and outcomes at school for children in need and is enabling them to be engaged in further study or work after leaving the program.

For the past 3 years GWA has supported 60 children in drought affected areas in Australia and donated $125,000.

Sustainable Coastlines’ mission is to enable people to look after the coastlines and waterways they love. They co-ordinate and support large-scale coastal clean-up events, education programs, public awareness campaigns and riparian planting projects.

GWA has continued its sponsorship of Sustainable Coastlines, which is assisting in removing 30,000 litres of rubbish annually from New Zealand beaches and waterways.

In the UK, GWA continues its support of the Wigan and Leigh Hospice. This Hospice is a charity which provides care and support to people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness which is no longer curable. The Hospice supports the ‘whole needs’ of individual patients including their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs and support is also provided by the Hospice for those people who are most important to our patients. Their care extends to patients with any life-limiting illness including, but not limited to, cancer, respiratory and heart conditions and neurological conditions.

GWA has supported Macmillan Cancer Support for a number of years. Macmillan is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. It also looks at the social, emotional and practical impact cancer can have, and campaigns for better cancer care. Macmillan Cancer Support's goal is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer in the UK.

The UK team has commenced supporting Fareshare which is the UK’s longest running food redistribution charity that turns surplus food into meals.  They provide food to over 10,000 community groups which in turn support over 900,000 people per week.

In May 2021, GWA New Zealand facilitated a group of plumbers known as Caroma Accredited Research Customers (CARC) to raise $40K for KidsCan - a charity which partners with schools across New Zealand to support vulnerable children in need with food, clothing and health products.

In FY21, GWA spent approximately $74.8 million on salary/wages and benefits to our employees; $11.4 million was remitted in income taxes; $21.6 million was returned to GWA shareholders in the form of dividends; and $295.4 million was paid to our suppliers. This is outlined in the following chart: