In Conversation with Belinda Elworthy - Head of Retail Marketing and Category at Goodman Fielder
We sat down with Belinda Elworthy, Head of Retail Marketing and Category at Goodman Fielder to discuss the Kindness Index Report commissioned by Helga’s on our mission to make Australia a kinder place.
What does Helga’s stand for?
At Helga’s we are on a mission to help Australians feel happier, healthier and more connected through everyday acts of kindness.
Why did Helga’s commission the Kindness Index?
We commissioned the Helga’s Kindness Index Report to understand the state of kindness in Australia. What makes us kind? How do we experience kindness? How can we be kinder in our own neighbourhoods?
We believe that increasing kindness in the community will help Australians to feel happier, healthier and more connected.
The Kindness Index showed us that almost four out of five people (78%) believe that sharing a meal with friends and family is a really powerful way to display kindness.
Helga’s has been a champion of kindness long before COVID-19 brought it back into the public’s consciousness.
Why did Helga’s commission the Kindness Index?
The Helga’s Kindness Index Report revealed that almost two thirds (65%) of Australians experience barriers to being kind. Whether this is because it puts them out of their comfort zone or whether they’re not quite sure how their kindness will be received. This means as a nation we are missing out on around 2 billion acts of kindness each year.
The research also showed that we might not be recognizing acts of kindness. People recorded that on average they performed about 16 acts of kindness a week, but only received 6 acts of kindness leaving a gap of about 10 acts of kindness every week.
Australia’s Kindness Index for 2021 is 74, with Generation Z scoring the highest at 77. Whilst this is a strong overall score, it does show us that there is still room for improvement. This is why Helga’s is on a mission to inspire more everyday acts of kindness around Australia.
How is food an important way to show kindness?
Food is a super easy way that Australians can demonstrate kindness. The Helga’s Kindness Index Report found that three quarters of Australians (75%) believe that making food for somebody else is a really powerful way to demonstrate kindness.
Additionally, the Helga’s Kindness Index Report showed that four out of five (78%) of people believe that sharing a meal with friends and family is a really powerful way to share kindness.
In the index we asked about the most memorable acts of kindness, and many of these involved food. Whether that was receiving food from a neighbor when you’re unwell or having someone pay for your groceries as a kind gesture.
What we learned is that food is a really universal way to express kindness.
Why is Helga’s on a mission to spread more kindness?
We know kindness is good for us, it is an essential part of a healthy and happy life.
The Helga’s Kindness Index Report has shown us that kindness really does exist in our community, but it has also shown us that there is still work to be done to remove the barriers of kindness so that we can help Australians both to give and receive more acts of kindness.
What is Helga’s doing to show more kindness?
Helga’s has always been a part of the community, and we really believe that kindness starts with us. We’ve got a number of projects around the country aimed at inspiring and sharing kindness, and one of those is the work that we do with Foodbank where we donate our bread.
We are also being kinder to our planet. All of our Helga’s bread bags are 100% recyclable.
We are working on a number of new initiatives to help inspire kindness around the community. Soon our packaging will feature ‘KindeR codes’ that you can scan to reveal inspirational stories and acts of kindness that are happening around Australia. These are really aimed at encouraging Australians to share even more kindness with each other.
What is your number one tip for people wanting to be kinder?
My number one tip would be that kindness doesn’t need to be a grand gesture.
Often the small, simple gestures can mean a lot to people. This may be saying hi to someone, or smiling at somebody, or preparing a sandwich for someone to show that you care.
Where can people find out more about the Helga’s Kindness Index?
Want to know more about kindness?
We have commissioned McCrindle to create a report on the current state of kindness in Australia and give us a score that we’re calling The Kindness Index. You can enter your details below to get access to the full report, or we’ve together a Kindness Hub with all the info you need and we’ve collected some community stories and how-to guides in our Kindness Chronicles.