And so it is that the beau
tifully crafted Christmas card Ignite client will receive in the mail (no e-messages here) contains the following message: “At Ignite, we’re dedicated to nurturing the future practitioners of our craft. This year, our gift to you is a donation made to the Keystone Trust on your behalf.”
The card goes on to explain Keystone’s ethos – supporting aspiring property and construction professionals by providing financial assistance, mentoring and networking opportunities to the students who need it most – and ends by saying: “thanks to your gift, we are helping shape the next generation of property leaders.”
It was a simple decision to make, says Steven Woodman, director – marketing and operations, at Ignite. “We know these are challenging times, so instead of spending on client gifts, we chose to invest in people who can truly benefit, while also supporting the Keystone Trust’s profile.”
It’s not the first time that Ignite has employed some innovative tactics in making a Keystone contribution. When they updated their computers a few years back, they upcycled their old ones to staff, and donated all proceeds to the trust.
Sponsors for the
last nine years, Ignite’s long-standing relationship is driven by the values it has in its practice, says Steven. “We work quite hard to be a people-oriented company, and our Keystone partnership is about walking the talk on that front: we want to support a perpetual next generation of young, brilliant, minds.”
So who came up with this year’s Christmas gift idea? Auckland-based Ignite Principals Jeremy Whelan, Grant Armstrong and Michael Bilsborourgh have been central to the relationship with Keystone. They see Keystone as a good fit – one that can only continue to grow.
The links spread further: among its many prestigious projects, Ignite contributed to the new Bell Gully premises within Commercial Bay at No. 1 Queen Street, Auckland. Bell Gully is a founding sponsor of Keystone; Commercial Bay is owned by Precinct Properties – whose Deputy CEO, George Crawford is the Trust’s chairman.
Ignite’s mission statement notes that good design enriches the human experience and positively contributes to its collective future. This latest Christmas gifting gesture is a people-focused illustration of that, says Steven. “It’s a simple story about our company making a humble gesture that benefits both Keystone and our clients.”
