Integrating Pennies micro-donations into the JD Group payments journey to create a huge charity impact

JD Group is a leading multichannel retailer across sports fashion, premium fashion and outdoor with globally recognised brands and over 3,400 stores across 32 countries worldwide. Seeking a way to strengthen their ESG and CSR strategies, and scale their charitable fundraising, JD looked to payments partner Worldline and leading fintech charity Pennies to introduce digital micro-donations at the point of sale.

1 min.

Terminals Worldline Retail Suite Retail & Marketplaces

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The challenge

JD Group launched the JD Foundation in 2015, with a mission to support charities working with disadvantaged young people. However, as the shift to digital consumer payments has accelerated, combined with the dramatic increase in charity need in the face of global challenges, JD were searching for a way to scale their fundraising – one that was efficient, agile and could work across the entire group.

“The JD Group and the JD Foundation were excited to work with Worldline on this project which will raise vital funding for women and girls in the name of Together We Can and will support both local communities and the wider supply chain. The management of the journey has been seamless and the experience of Worldline and Pennies has been invaluable in ensuring the successful roll out of this exciting venture.”

Traci Corrie, Group Head of Sustainability & Ethics, JD Group

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The solution

Worldline brought its expertise in payments services and integrated the Pennies micro-donation option into the existing payments infrastructure. The solution offers all customers who shop in store across all JD Group fascias, the opportunity to donate a few pence to charity with every transaction, when paying by card or digital wallet. The customer journey is intuitive, the donation option is affordable, accessible and discrete, with no personal customer data collected.

The main driver was to significantly increase charitable fundraising and to ensure donations can be processed faster and put to work quickly. This allows JD Group to make greater impact though the JD Foundation and its new project, Together We Can – supporting women and girls across the wider supply chain.

The integration of Pennies brings the customer and store teams on the journey too. Customers can play a role in creating positive impact in the local community, while JD Group store colleagues feel part of a bigger, more purposeful organisation that is making a difference globally.

“Pennies is delighted to bring our digital charity box functionality to JD Group brands. Giving customers a way to support the Together We Can campaign with affordable, intuitive point of sale digital donations will help JD Group make a meaningful, positive difference. We’re proud to work with Worldline to support JD Group and their commitment to the communities they operate in.”

Alison Hutchinson CBE, CEO, Pennies

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Results

The Pennies donation solution was gradually enabled across all JD Group brands from November 2021, with rollout completed by February 2023. During that period, JD Group customers made more than 2 million micro-donations for charity – helping women and girls in the local community, and globally. By using the existing payments infrastructure, Worldline and Pennies have been able to achieve this transformation at minimal cost to JD Group.

JD Group now have the potential to raise £650,000 per year in the UK through micro-donations at the point of sale, thanks to the expertise and added value provided by Worldline and Pennies.

“We have a long and hugely successful partnership with JD Group and this micro-donation solution we provide alongside Pennies will assist in fulfilling their charitable ambitions. This reinforces Worldline’s ability to partner with third parties and provide additional services outside of payments.”

Guillaume Pascal, Head of Global Sales & Verticals, Merchant Services, Worldline