MasterCard survey says Indonesians, New Zealanders most charitable

A survey shows that Indonesians are prepared to make donations of up to five percent of their annual income to charitable institutions next year.

Of the Indonesians surveyed, 86.4 percent said they plan to donate one to five percent of their annual income while 10.2 percent would donate over five percent.

From the same survey conducted by MasterCard International, it shows that of the Filipinos reached by the survey, nearly 47 percent said that they would donate between two to five percent of their annual income to charitable causes.

The same study also showed that an average of over 54 percent of those willing to give to charitable causes were female.

After Indonesia, New Zealanders (77 percent) and Australians (66 percent) made commitments to give to charitable causes from their annual income.

These were the findings from a consumer survey conducted in September 2008.

A total of 6,019 consumers were surveyed in 14 markets and data was collected via personal, telephone and computer aided telephone interviews, with the questionnaire translated to the local language wherever appropriate and necessary. 

More than 12 percent of consumers across the region are planning to donate more than five percent of their annual income next year, with the fairer sex (54.3 percent) being slightly more charitable than their male counterparts (51.4 percent).

Interestingly, consumers who are divorced/widowed (with 65.9 percent planning to donate) are more generous than those who are single (50.8 percent) or married (53.3 percent).

More than 50 percent of consumers across all age groups have plans to make donations in the coming 12 months, with those aged between 46-55 years being the most generous (57.5 percent), and those 30 years and below (50.4 percent) the least. 

“It is heartening to see that consumers across the region are still looking to spread some cheer despite the trying economic environment. While giving patterns differ across the various demographics, it is encouraging to see that more than 50 percent of consumers across all groups were planning to make charitable donations in the next 12 months,” Georgette Tan, vice president, Communications, Asia/Pacific, MasterCard Worldwide, said.