Maybank

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charitable bodies now have a new avenue for fundraising – thanks to MaybankHeart, a new social fundraising platform in Malaysia – which enables them to reach out to a wider audience in supporting their causes.

MaybankHeart, which is the first such initiative by a bank in Malaysia, aims to connect NGOs with private sector partners as well as the public for specific projects or causes that will benefit communities in need.

The initiative was officially launched by the Chairman of Maybank, Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor, in Kuala Lumpur today at an event attended by various NGOs, corporate supporters and celebrities. Also present were the CEO of Maybank Foundation, Shahril Azuar Jimin, members of the Board and senior management of Maybank.

In his address, Tan Sri Megat said that this initiative was a milestone as it will enable NGOs to not only reach out to the general public at large but also tap on Maybank’s huge customer base.

“Maybank’s unique position being present in all the ASEAN countries supported by our 22 million customers worldwide, provides us a matchless advantage and opportunity to make a significant difference in the very communities we serve, not only economically but also socially and environmentally,” explained Tan Sri Megat.

“Guided by our ‘Humanising Financial Services’ mission, we have undertaken various impactful corporate sustainability initiatives through our Corporate Responsibility vehicle, Maybank Foundation. But MaybankHeart has proven to be another pivotal milestone for us, reframing the corporate responsibility landscape,” added Tan Sri Megat.

The MaybankHeart platform is unique as it provides the general public with an insight into specific projects by NGOs which require funding, together with an indication of the amount required by them, to realise the objectives of each programme.

Members of the public can then choose to contribute to any of these causes directly via direct debit from their Maybank account or by using any credit or debit card, with a minimum donation of RM10. Once the target amount required for a particular project is reached, it is closed and donors can choose to contribute to other worthy causes listed in the platform.

MaybankHeart also promotes end-to-end transparency to enhance confidence of the donors. The platform provides a breakdown of how the funds will be used and a real-time status of the total amount of funds collected. Donors can also be assured that their contributions will go directly to the NGOs.

The offerings of this platform have been formulated to encourage participation by the public at large so as to ensure the continuity of this charitable ecosystem.

“We should embed this ‘giving’ culture to the public, which is a key catalyst to the growth and progress of our communities and nations. Only by this taking place can we guarantee the sustainability of this platform to help many more beneficiaries in years to come,” said Tan Sri Megat.

Additionally, given the increasing familiarity and technology penetration by the public, reaching out to them more effectively via digital mediums will be salient for the success of MaybankHeart in transforming fundraising strategies by NGOs.

“With combined and strengthened efforts from all, we are confident that this initiative will gain more traction, contributing to an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for our people and our environment,” continued Tan Sri Megat.

The platform which was piloted in early September 2016, has so far seen over RM400,000 raised by NGOs to date for their various projects. Maybank invites the public to be a part of this initiative by contributing as little as RM10 to any cause of their choice through www.maybankheart.com to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

NGOs and charitable organisations which would like to be listed in MaybankHeart may email maybankheart@maybank.com to apply. Applications to be listed on MaybankHeart are reviewed and approved by a Council comprising senior management of the Group, while the disbursement of all the funds contributed via the platform to the NGOs is overseen by Maybank Trustees Berhad, the Group’s trustee services company.