When Allfields gives Good Gift Cards to its team and clients, each recipient can choose a charity connected with their own life, values and experiences. That choice has turned a familiar business gesture into something deeply personal and meaningful.
“We cannot remember exactly how we first found The Good Registry, but it immediately felt like the right fit. It allowed us to keep the gesture of giving while avoiding gifts given simply for the sake of it. Just as importantly, it gave recipients the choice to support a cause that mattered to them, rather than having us decide what they might value." says Allfields director Shiree Hart.
“Instead of polite thank-you messages, we started receiving thank-yous that felt genuinely from the heart.”.
The experience reflects Allfields’ focus on “the people side of technology change”. The business helps organisations navigate significant technology changes in ways that feel thoughtful, human and practical. Its approach to gifting follows the same principle: Allfields gives the gift, while each person decides what it can mean.
In Allfields’ words
Tell us about Allfields: what do you do and what matters most to you in the way you do business?
Allfields is a change and adoption firm headquartered in Wellington, with a team of 40 people based across Aotearoa New Zealand. We work mostly with government agencies and large private sector organisations, supporting them through significant technology changes. What matters most to us is helping people move through change in a way that feels thoughtful, human and practical. We care about doing good work and we bring a strong focus on the people affected by change. We call ourselves “the people side of technology change”.
Before The Good Registry, how did you approach business gifting?
Before we started giving through The Good Registry, we tended to take the more traditional approach to business gifting: wine, chocolates and similar end-of-year gifts. Over time, that began to sit less comfortably with us. It felt a little mindless and consumer-driven, and it did not really reflect who we are or what we value. In particular, it felt at odds with our value of leading healthy lives. We also have many clients constrained in their ability to receive gifts as part of government procurement rules. But we still wanted to acknowledge and thank our people and clients in a way that felt more aligned with the kind of business we want to be.
What led you to The Good Registry and what response have you received?
We cannot remember exactly how we first found The Good Registry, but it immediately felt like the right fit. It allowed us to keep the gesture of giving while avoiding gifts given simply for the sake of it. Just as importantly, it gave recipients the choice to support a cause that mattered to them, rather than having us decide what they might value. That sense of choice is what encouraged us to try it.
The responses we received very quickly showed us this was the right approach. Instead of polite thank-you messages, we started receiving thank-yous that felt genuinely from the heart. People chose charities that connected with something personal in their own lives. One staff member gave to a rainbow charity because a family member was transitioning gender, something they had not shared with me until they privately explained why that charity mattered to them so much. Comments like this reminded us all what Christmas is about, and that it’s not always tinsel and crackers for everyone.
What difference has this way of giving made for your business and the impact you’re able to create?
For us, this way of giving changes the tone of what can otherwise be the “silly season” of drinks, food and consumption. It brings a quieter and more meaningful reminder that our staff and clients are people first. They have families, loved ones and friends; they have causes that matter deeply to them; and sometimes the people close to them need a hand. Giving through The Good Registry allows us to create memory in a way that is personal to each recipient, rather than simply sending another item that may or may not be valued.
What we value most is that this approach gives people the power to support something they care about. We are simply facilitating that choice through The Good Registry, but the decision sits with the recipient. That makes the gift feel more respectful, personal and empowering. To another business wondering whether to try it, we would say it is a simple shift that can make gifting feel much more aligned with your values. It turns a routine business gesture into something with meaning, connection and real impact.
Good Gift Cards give recipients the choice to support one of 65 Kiwi charities, or share their donation across several. Find out more about business giving through The Good Registry.
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