While wearing pyjamas (PJs) to the ‘virtual’ office has become the new normal over the past 18 months, it has been encouraged for Amazon Australia staff even before COVID-19.
For the past three years, the team at Amazon Australia’s Melbourne fulfillment centres have been supporting The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) through the annual Amazon Goes Gold PJammin’ initiative which sees staff don their best PJs in support of children with cancer. The PJ days are held throughout September, in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
This year, Amazon Australia have committed over $30,000 to the RCH Foundation, a total which has steadily grown over the past three years, from $10,000 in 2019.
“Over the past 18 months, PJs may have increasingly made their way into our virtual offices as many of us have adjusted to working from home, but it’s important to remember that for years this has been the battle uniform of kids fighting cancer during their treatment and recovery,” said Craig Fuller, Director of Operations at Amazon Australia.
An Amazon associate dressed in her PJs for Amazon Goes Gold.
“At Amazon, we’re proud to be wearing our PJs at our facilities across the country to stand in unity with these children and their families. We hope to not only raise much needed funds and awareness, but also shine a spotlight on the incredible work that is being done by so many organisations to increase survival rates and find cures for childhood cancer,” said Craig.
For staff, the day is so much more than just an excuse to wear PJs to work.
“While it is somewhat of a novelty to wear our PJs to work, the reality is that it is no joke for the thousands of Australians fighting cancer every day from their hospital beds. I feel privileged to raise funds for children’s cancer alongside my colleagues and I’m incredibly proud to be part of a team that is making a difference,” said Sanda, Inbound Stow Assistant at Amazon Australia.
#AmazonGoesGold is a global initiative, spanning North America, Europe, Middle East the U.K. and Australia, to bring greater awareness to childhood cancer globally, and partner with local hospitals and organisations where Amazon employees work and live.