5. February 2021
Starting today, clients of LHV can make donations with every card payment. It is only required to turn on the permanent donation function on the bank card and choose how much and to what charity organisation the amount is donated.
This is a unique donation option in Estonia, combining user comfort and consistency that is of the utmost importance for charity. The option will be available to all of LHV’s private debit card users, who will be able to conveniently switch the donation function on or off at any time via LHV’s mobile app or the Internet Bank. Donations are made automatically each time the card is used for payments and the amounts are transferred to the selected charity organisation.
According to Kadri Kiisel, Chairman of the Management Board at LHV Pank, LHV wants to make the process of donating more convenient and guide people to donate on a regular basis. ‘Estonian people are excellent donors, but charity is often associated with various campaigns or holidays. It is mistakenly thought that good deeds can only be done with large sums of money, and it is often difficult to find a suitable organisation to help those in need. In reality, every amount is valuable, no matter how small, with consistency mattering even more. We put these two issues together and eventually developed a system where our clients can make donations with every card payment, contributing considerable sums for charity that go unnoticed in small amounts,’ Kiisel described.
It is possible to choose between five different amounts – 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents – and a dozen charity organisations. ‘In selecting the charity organisations, we were guided by LHV’s sustainable goals and areas that are important to us. To ensure that support would reach as many people in need as possible, we added larger organisations from various fields to the selection. In addition, we want to keep things simple, because if a person is left with too many choices, the decision may not be made at all,’ Kiisel said and added that there will be a possibility to adjust the list of organisations in the future.
For example, a client who makes 15 card payments per month and has chosen a donation amount of 10 cents, will collect EUR 18 as a donation per year.
The donor can choose a charity organisation from the following list:
- Kiusamisvaba Kool [Bullying Free School] with a mission is to make Estonian schools bullying-free.
- SOS Lasteküla [SOS Children’s Village] with an aim to provide children deprived of parental care with a new home and prepare them for independent life.
- TÜ Kliinikumi Lastefond [Tartu University Hospital Children’s Foundation] with a mission to provide the most modern treatment for children who are sick and need special care.
- Eesti Vähihaigete Laste Vanemate Liit [Estonian Association of Parents of Children with Cancer] with a mission to provide the necessary support to all children diagnosed with cancer and their families in Estonia in the best possible way and within the limits of available options.
- Varjupaikade MTÜ [Animal Shelters NGO] operates in six animal shelters across Estonia, with an aim to help stray pets beck home and find new homes for abandoned animals.
- Loomade Hoiupaik [Animal Shelter] is the largest private shelter in the Nordic countries.
- Vähiravifond Kingitud Elu [Hille Tänavsuu Cancer Treatment Foundation ‘The Gift of Life’] helps cancer patients buy essential life-saving medical products and gives them new hope, a change to live longer or even a cure.
- Eesti Roheline Liikumine [Estonian Green Movement] is an organisation engaged in environmental protection, aiming at improving the situation of the Estonian environment and guiding society to a sustainable way of thinking.
- MTÜ Peaasjad [Head Matters NGO] is engaged in the promotion of mental health, prevention of problems, early intervention, and reduction of stigmatisation in Estonian society.
- Eesti Rahvuskultuuri Fond [Estonian National Culture Foundation] supports Estonian culture, education, science, medicine, and sports to ensure that Estonian national culture is preserved and developed.
- Eesti Puuetega Inimeste Fond [Estonian Fund of Disabled People] supports the brilliant ideas of people with disabilities and helps alleviate their urgent needs.
- Naiste Tugi- ja Teabekeskus [Women’s Support and Information Centre] provides comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence, helping them break the cycle of violence.
All private debit card holders of LHV who are Estonian citizens or residents can make donations. The client can switch the option on and off either in the mobile app or the Internet Bank, where they can also choose a suitable amount and charity organisation. The choices made – such as increasing the amount or transferring donations to another organisation – can be conveniently changed at any time. In addition, each donor can view the total amount of their donations in LHV’s app and the Internet Bank, and the donations can be deducted from taxable income.
A card payment is any card transaction, either physical or contactless payment, an online purchase or an automatic payment (e.g. Spotify, Bolt, Wolt, etc.). Donations are collected, and LHV makes a payment to the organisations once a year.
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