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Commonwealth Bank’s Lifeblood Ambition

Screenshot 2026-01-05 155535

Industry

Financial Services

Summary

Commonwealth Bank’s Lifeblood Ambition program, launched in 2024, inspired employees to contribute to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood through blood and plasma donations, advocacy, and awareness. The initiative surpassed its ambitious goal, achieving 5,586 donations—saving up to 16,758 lives—and significantly increasing new donors and team engagement.

Success Factors

Success was driven by a multi-channel promotional strategy combining storytelling, leadership endorsement, and onsite activations to make participation easy and meaningful. Inclusive messaging (“If you can’t donate, advocate”) and recognition of milestones fostered broad engagement and a sense of shared purpose across the organisation.

www.commbank.com.au/
5,586
Donations received
46%
increase in donations compared to previous year
243%
Year on year increase in brand new donors

“Being nominated for the Best Workplace Giving Promotion is a humbling moment for all of us. Our collective contribution to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is a powerful reflection of what it means to care for the communities we serve across the country. It speaks to our purpose of building a brighter future for all, and shows what’s truly possible when we unite around a shared, meaningful goal.”

Andrew Culleton

Executive General Manager, Everyday People Services, Commonwealth Bank

Every story shared, every colleague who rolled up their sleeve, and every moment spent advocating made a real difference. Taking just one hour out of our day to donate blood can change a life. But when we rally together as an organisation, we can change thousands. This recognition is a testament to the continued commitment of our people, and the extraordinary impact we can have on the lives of many who depend on donated blood to thrive, and in many cases, survive

Andrew Culleton

Executive General Manager, Everyday People Services, Commonwealth Bank

CBA Logo

About the Commonwealth Bank

The Lifeblood ambition is a workplace giving initiative by the Commonwealth Bank Group aiming to increase blood donations for the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. It includes blood drives, Team Donation Days, awareness campaigns, onsite activations, and storytelling to boost awareness and participation across Australia.

Program Name: Lifeblood Ambition
First Established: 2024
Reporting Period: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025

Program Overview

The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) launched its Lifeblood Ambition in 2024, a workplace giving initiative designed to inspire employees to contribute to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Moving beyond traditional financial giving, the program focused on physical giving, advocacy, and awareness, encouraging blood and plasma donation as part of CBA’s commitment to building a brighter future for all. Employees were invited to join the Commonwealth Bank Lifeblood team, participate in donation events, and log donations as volunteer hours.

Development and Promotion

The program was built around an ambitious goal: 5,000 donations in FY25. Building on strong participation in FY24 as Australia’s #1 corporate donor (3,824 donations), CBA partnered with Lifeblood to co-design a campaign that empowered employees to take action.

Promotion was staged across the year with multi-channel activations:

  • Blood Drives and Team Donation Days, including the Commonwealth Bank Blood Drive and Financial Services Blood Drive.
  • Storytelling campaigns featuring employees impacted by blood donations, alongside Olympian and plasma recipient Michael Klim.
  • Awareness activities such as newsletters, Viva Engage posts, onsite pop-ups, and digital signage across 650 branches and 1,833 ATMs.
  • Leadership visibility and endorsement from senior leaders across the organisation.

The campaign used the inclusive message “If you can’t donate, advocate”, ensuring every employee could participate meaningfully.

Goals and Success Measures

  • 5,000 donations across the Group.
  • 50% increase in new donors year-on-year.
  • Expansion of the Lifeblood Champions network.
  • Increased awareness of national donation needs.

Results and Achievements

The program exceeded expectations, achieving 5,586 donations, saving up to 16,758 lives—a 46% increase on the previous year. Key highlights included:

  • A record-breaking 522 donations in a single Team Donation Day, the highest recorded nationally.
  • 552 brand new donors joined, a 243% YoY increase.
  • Lifeblood Team membership grew by 41%, reaching 6,078 employees with 188 Champions.

Awareness and Learnings

The campaign significantly increased awareness and participation in blood donation across the organisation. By combining storytelling, leadership advocacy, and group activations, strengthened its support for Lifeblood and encouraged employees to get involved.

Key learnings included:

  • Onsite activations and digital booking tools drive participation.
  • Leadership visibility boosts credibility and motivation.
  • Recognition of milestones encourages repeat donations.

Ultimately, Lifeblood Ambition not only met but surpassed its goals, strengthening employee engagement and CBA’s contribution to the community. It shows that when purpose meets action, the results can be truly life-saving.