Gentoo is a housing association that provides more than 60,000 people in Sunderland with a place they can call home. Samantha England, Director of People at Gentoo, told us more about how they used the Sunderland Gift Card.
What rewards and incentives does Gentoo offer?
“As a housing association in Sunderland, who have over 60,000 customers in Sunderland, we employ over 1,150 colleagues, working in our trade, housing and corporate functions. 2024 was an incredibly busy year for our colleagues and we wanted to thank them with a small Christmas reward in the form of a £20 voucher.”
How are you using the Sunderland Gift Card?
“In the past, we’ve used high street vouchers to reward our colleagues but in 2024 we decided to move to the Sunderland Gift Card for Christmas 2024, As we work closely with Sunderland BID, we were aware of the Sunderland Gift Card, and we thought it was a good opportunity to support our city.”
Why did you choose the Sunderland Gift Card?
“Over 70% of our colleagues live in Sunderland, so a Gift Card purely for Sunderland was appealing. The fact that the card isn’t just for shops and can be spent with a variety of food and drink businesses, salons and more was a factor too. The mix of big brands and independent businesses which accept the Sunderland Gift Card is a big plus point, giving colleagues even more choice than they’d ever expect. We have a diverse group of colleagues, so the choice is incredibly important.”
How easy was it to switch to the Sunderland Gift Card?
“The team was really easy to deal with and made it a simple process. We opted for physical Sunderland Gift Cards because we know that they will be preferred by our colleagues and we can ensure they are handed directly to colleagues. My advice to other organisations thinking about using their local Town & City Gift Card is to do it as it’s an opportunity to support local businesses and give a tangible boost to the local economy with your staff rewards.”