Who Gives A Crap grants staff a day off on “rare and magical” February 29

This Thursday represents a “rare and magical day” according to Who Gives A Crap, and that’s why the Australian social enterprise is giving its entire global team a day off.

Given February 29 is a leap day and only appears on our calendars every four years, the popular toilet brand says it is worth making it count.

“It’s an extra day we could all continue working hard … or, on the other hand, be doing something we’re passionate about outside of work, whatever that may look like,” the brand said on LinkedIn over the weekend.

“So if you happen to reach out to our team next week, they’ll probably be out walking the dog, making pasta from scratch, playing leap frog, protesting for a better world, going for a swim, or doing nothing at all. As long as it’s something they love, they’re doing the day right.

“Because when we get these extra moments, we think it’s worth making the most of them.”

Despite its playful name, the social enterprise has shown again and again how much it does actually give a crap.

In 2021, when Australian businesses were bedding down their hybrid work practices, co-founder Simon Griffiths wrote for SmartCompany that he fully supported his team working from “where it makes the most sense for them”.

And of course, Who Gives A Crap has donated millions to charities improving sanitation and hygiene worldwide.

It was even able to turn the nation’s toilet paper panic buying of 2020 into something of value after new customers flocked to its subscription offering. It was able to donate $5.85 million in the 2020 financial year alone, followed by $2.5 million in the 2021 financial year.

In January 2023, Griffiths told SmartCompany the toilet paper brand has now donated more than $11 million to charitable causes, and far from seeing a reversal in its pandemic-fuelled growth, it was full steam ahead.