Complete Office Supplies
Complete Office Supplies has been recognised as an ABA100® Winner for Community Contribution in The Australian Business Awards 2016. The Australian Business Award for Community Contribution recognises organisations for initiatives that positively impact on the community and generate outcomes that have a long term benefit.
COS is honoured to be recognised as an ABA100® Winner for Community Contribution.
When I moved to Australia from Egypt with my family in the 1960’s we would not have survived if it weren’t for the support of charities like St Vincent de Paul. Australia has been very kind to our family.
As a legacy of this we formed the Lyone Foundation to which ‘COS contribute a significant percent of our profits each year. The foundation has the aim of donating $1 million a year to charities who assist Australians in need, it’s our way of sharing our success with those facing challenging times. This award is also shared with our staff and customers as by working and engaging with ‘COS they too have contributed to the Foundation’s success.
While giving back to the community is its own reward we are truly humbled to be recognised in this way.
Complete Office Supplies (COS) is a national workplace products supplier. With over 350 employees, COS offers an extensive range of products and services to Government and medium to large corporate businesses across Australia.
The culture of giving is vibrant at COS. The Lyone family and staff have a long history of giving back to the community through events, fundraisers, programs and donations to charities over many years. One of the key prerequisites of these efforts is to support causes that give direct and immediate benefit to Australian welfare. A common theme amongst COS staff’s compassionate endeavours is the welfare of disadvantaged Australians such as the homeless and those whose basic human needs are not being met.
Always setting bold goals, COS created the idea of a self-funding, long-term legacy to give back to the Australian community for as many generations as possible. COS then created the Lyone Foundation, which has the ultimate goal of contributing $1 million to Australian charities each year. The Lyone family wished to give back to the country that welcomed them and support charities that help other Australians during challenging times. Each year, the directors individually choose a charity they would like to support and the committee members nominate two to three charities. The chosen charities report back on the performance and results of the selected program or project. Many of these reports include moving stories and testimonials of the positive changes experienced in the lives of the beneficiaries. The Lyone Foundation provides an Annual Update shared with COS staff and customers alike including details, photos and quotes from those who benefited and also from charity staff who witness the effects of their donation.
Whilst the Foundation is still in its infancy, the gathering of funds in excess of $3 million in under three years and the effective application of grants by charities clearly demonstrates the strong performance of the foundation. Likewise, the value it has brought to COS staff and its customers is worthy of commendation.