Charity at IMC: How our people are giving back

The researcher making superheroes out of IMCers

Not all superheroes wear capes, as the saying goes. But occasionally, some IMCers find time to don one – like Researcher Dean, the instigator of IMC Sydney's annual Superhero Day. The premise is simple: for every employee who dresses up as their favourite comic book hero, IMC makes a donation to a local charity.

"The idea for Superhero Day actually came from my wife. She works at Bear Cottage, a NSW-based charity that provides support and end-of-life care for children with life-limiting conditions. One day I had the chance to tour their facility. I saw the incredible work that goes into supporting families through incredibly difficult times, including through donations raised through the charity's annual Superhero Week.

I approached our former COO in Sydney, with the idea of bringing the concept to IMC. He loved the plan, and to improve engagement, committed to donating AUD 200 to any IMC colleague who came to work dressed as a superhero! This donation is now made by the APAC partners and, in 2023, IMC contributed AUD 700 for each staff member who stayed in costume all day.

Forty-nine IMCers took up the challenge that first year. Since then, it's become an annual event, with 210 IMC staff and 39 guests taking part in 2023. All the money we raise goes to Bear Cottage, allowing them to invest in support programs for family members, as well as medical equipment, fun activities for children, and much more.

My advice to anyone taking part is to leave your inhibitions at the door. Coming to work in costume might get a few funny looks on the bus or ferry, but it's a conversation starter – and it could help us raise awareness of the charity in the local community. So, wear that cape with pride!”

The engineer developing the next generation of tech leaders

Michael is an Engineering Team Lead at IMC Sydney who’s involved in several charity initiatives through the company. One of his favourite initiatives involves leading free robotics tutorials for students and teaches in schools across Australia.

"In every aspect of my life, I like to be able to see the direct impact of what I’m doing. At work, I sit a few desks away from my internal client, so I can quickly see the results of my work and what's being delivered.

This way of working applies to everything we do at IMC – including our charitable work. One of the key ways we're working to make a positive impact in our local communities is through technology. Recently, I've been leading a team to design, deliver, and present a robotics programming tutorial for school children aged 8 to 12.

The tutorial takes students through the entire development process – from design to testing and debugging. It's a big undertaking: managing the project means coordinating the necessary team, charity partners, and schools, with clear communication to ensure everything is ready, on time, and aligned.

"Over the years, we've grown the robotics program from a single school to several schools across Sydney. Along the way, we've found that it's not just the kids who want to learn; many of the teachers are interested in coding, too! So we've redesigned the tutorial program to include teachers – it's a sure-fire way to reach even more students.

There are a lot of benefits for me, too, as I get to improve my own skills, including managing and coaching others. I also see a direct link to IMC's Key Success Behaviours, which encourage IMCers at all levels to show initiative and develop their collaboration and communication skills, among other key attributes.

But the thing I love most is the immediate reward of seeing a child grasp a coding concept and run with it – there are few things that beat that when it comes to seeing the impact of your efforts."

Why not take a few minutes to learn more about IMC’s charity work?