Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
Brands Commited to Decent Work and Economic Growth
Latest Decent Work and Economic Growth Brand Actions
Greening Batticaloa 2.0
Greening Batticaloa, is an initiative to plant 1 million cashew trees mitigating the harmful impacts of deforestation and climate change, while economically empowering local communities in Batticaloa, Eastern Sri Lanka. In the phase 2 of this initiative, together with the USAID Climate Adaptation Project and Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation, we are embarking on a sustainable cashew cultivation project to help farmers gain economic stability and climate resilience by growing and harvesting cashew sustainably by supporting them through training and resources to adopt climate resilient soil conservation and water conservation strategies.
Evidence
Bee A Keeper
Dilmah Conservation launched ‘Bee a Keeper’ in May 2020, to promote the sustainable use of bees in agriculture and related ecosystems. Its main goals are: • Bee Awareness • Bee Research • Beekeeping • Buzzing Livelihood At One Earth Centre Moratuwa, conducted, • A public workshop on beekeeping with field experience for 22 participants • A training for Internal staff on advanced beekeeping • 2 additional workshops on beekeeping At the Field Station, Endane, • 10 successful beekeepers • 3 are undergoing the training process • A workshop for village beekeepers. • 2 litres of bee honey extracted In Climate Change Research Center, Nawalapitiya • 16 successful beekeepers • 12 are undergoing the training process • 1 workshop with 15 participants. • 3 litres of bee honey extracted for research purposes. • 2 day residential workshop for Resplendent Ceylon staff. In One Earth Center, Kalkudah • Community workshop on beekeeping with 45 participants around the center. • A workshop for the Veddah community to raise awareness on unsustainable bee honey extraction from the forest (traditional practice) and help transition into sustainable beekeeping using bee boxes in Mallichchagani and Akaranai villages with 92 participants.
Afforest Underwater
Part of the ongoing “Afforest Underwater '' initiative, Dilmah Conservation initiated a pilot project in collaboration with the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) to educate fishermen in Mannar, Northern Province of Sri Lanka on practising sustainable seaweed farming with a view to addressing challenges such as overfishing and fish migration due to warmer waters. As an extension of the project, Dilmah also supported the Bocuse d'Or Sri Lanka 2023, a culinary competition where 28 teams from hotels and resorts across Sri Lanka competed for the coveted Gold award, with the goal of representing Sri Lanka in the Regional competitions. Sustainably harvested seaweed through the aforementioned pilot project was used as an ingredient throughout the competition.
One Earth Field Station, Endane
This Centre promotes nature-based agriculture, where tea plants are uprooted to facilitate restoration of a depleted ecosystem. Apart from this direct activity, the centre has adopted a multi-stakeholder approach to further strengthen restoration efforts. The centre also provides opportunities for local community members to gain a deeper understating of sustainability principles by getting involved in various activities such as nursery management, organic farming, and beekeeping.
Genesis - A centre for Sustainability
Dilmah launched Genesis, the Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future, located at 52 Maligawatte Road. This facility represents the evolution of the premises where Dilmah was first tasted, selected, packed, and exported. Genesis is equipped with the necessary amenities to help agri or nature-based entrepreneurs and agritech startups build their businesses from the ground up. As a collaborative platform, Genesis facilitates knowledge sharing, discussion, inspiration, and communication. The Centre aims to grow awareness of the importance of nature, its value, and ecosystem services. This is achieved by harnessing the knowledge and commitment of academia and scientists, alongside the ability and network of businesses and policymakers. Moreover, Genesis directly nurtures sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship, promoting better social, economic, and gender equality. 25 individuals have been benefitted thus far, through all projects done under Genesis.
The Scale - Up Shop
The Scale-Up Shop aimedto spark innovation in the Sri Lankan manufacturing and export sector by connecting local innovators with manufacturers seeking to expand their product portfolios and enter international markets. It was carried out as part of the 'Support to Small and Medium Enterprises in the Organic Agriculture Sector' Programme jointly co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) in collaboration with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Dilmah Tea, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), National Innovation Agency (NIA) and Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC).
Womens' Development Programme
The Women’s Development Program (WDP) was established to empower marginalised women and young girls with skills development and entrepreneurship training. The WDP is active across Sri Lanka at the Moratuwa, Kalkudah and Weligama Centers empowering 1400+ women with vocational skills to pursue their goals.
Vocational Training Programme
Vocational training provided for nearly 7,000 youth in carpentry, dress making, IT and graphics. In their efforts to inspire female youth entrepreneurs, the MJF Center, Kalkudah launched a beauty culture program for young women. In just 6 months, the course has graduated 25 young women who are makeup artists and salon owners. Their new Aari work embroidery and needlework course has also graduated 60 young women with the skills to become professional designers and seamstresses.
The Curtiss Institute of Design Technology program
The Curtiss Institute of Design Technology program is a part of the MJF Charitable Foundation Moratuwa and Kalkudah Centers. It is an IT skills training program that fulfils all national competency standards of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC). Over 6000 youth and adults have benefited from the courses offered in IT and graphic design.
People's Market - Small Entrepreneur Programme
The People's market falls within the scope of the Small Entrepreneur Program. It was initiated in the aftermath of COVID-19 to help revive small enterprises and support individuals who were made unemployed by the pandemic. Today the Peoples Market takes place every quarter at the Moratuwa or Weligama Centers. Each market supports up to 100 small businesses, female-led enterprises and entrepreneurs with disabilities. The Markets attract a footfall between 700 to 1700 shoppers, allowing small enterprises to grow their networks.
Empowering Plantation Community
Meeting the needs & demands of a resident population of 155,000 in the plantation community through updated infrastructure and facilities. 131 young beneficiaries supported through Scholarships; 88 university undergraduates, 32 of our beneficiaries are university graduates. Gifting of a passbook savings account to over 40 newborns of plantation employees.
The Portugal Edit
With years of experience in crafting traditional men's footwear, we manufacture the majority of our men’s range in Portugal. Using premium materials and timeless techniques, each pair is crafted from vegetable-tanned LWG-certified leather, Blake stitched and fitted with our B.plantfoam™ or sugarcane footbed.
Leather Working Group (LWG) Certified
We’re an official Leather Working Group (LWG) member and purchase 100% of our leathers from LWG-certified suppliers. Our leather products support responsible manufacturing via the Leather Working Group. We partnered with LWG in 2019 to reduce the environmental impact of leather production and work with our suppliers to source leather from LWG-rated tanneries. These tanneries must adhere to a strict protocol, focusing on energy and water usage, waste management, the control of chemicals and more. OUR SOURCING COMMITMENT: In addition, we ban the use of all exotic animal skins and any endangered species which appear on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species [CITES] or the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List of Threatened Specifies.
Evidence
Supporting local
The Comfort Group proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and implement responsible waste recycling practices. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
Sustainably Sourced Fruit & Plant Stem Cells
At Enbacci, we are best known for our product formulations that incorporate the power of fruit and plant stem cells. We currently formulate with grape stem cells, apple stem cells and flower stem cells from a flower that has survived that last Ice Age. The technology behind sourcing these ingredients was recognised as an eco breakthrough at the Rio20+ Sustainability Conference in 2012. Very little plant material is required in order to cultivate a large batch of stem cells for product formulation. Therefore, little to no agricultural land is required and as such, there is a significant reduction of water consumption compared to conventional biomass production. There is also no need for fertiliser or pesticides, so these toxins are not being introduced into the environment. The cultivation process supports conservation practices. An example of this is through the variety of apple we use. It is known as the Uttwiler Spätlauber, which is famously known for its longevity and storability. There are, unfortunately, very few trees of the Uttwiler Spätlauber left in the world. As such, this particular variety was integrated into Swiss National Action Plan for the Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture and is protected by the ProSpecie Rara (a Swiss, non-profit foundation whose purpose is to conserve and promote genetic diversity of flora and fauna). A majority of the remaining trees are organically cultivated by local Swiss farmer, who supplies his fruit for stem cell cultivation!
B Corp Certified
B Corp Certification confirmed that our community and the environment are stakeholders in our impact-driven business model and our commitment to balancing social and planetary good in everything we do against the highest standards of transparency and accountability. We are now part of a global network of businesses shifting our global economy from a system that profits few to one that benefits all.
Evidence
Ethical Manufacturing
The garment workers that make our products are paid 60% above the living wage, by a BSCI certified factory that uses solar to help power their manufacturing. We also do regular factory visits and assessments of systems to ensure good working conditions.
Underwear Recycling
Each year, Australia sees 204 million imported underwear items, will all eventually destined for landfill at the end of life. Underwear for Humanity has pioneered recycling in Australia to address this waste. We work with Social Engine to sort all collected underwear. Wearable bras are given to our charity partner, Support the Girls, while the rest, including unwearable bras, are repurposed into insulation. This initiative not only reduces waste but also supports the community by redistributing useful items and converting unusable ones into valuable materials.
Indigenous Collaboration
We're deeply concerned about the unfair treatment and displacement of Indigenous people from their land. At Underwear for Humanity, we believe it's our duty to give back, so we contribute 50 cents from every sale to support Indigenous programs on the lands where we live and work. Our recent initiative included sponsoring a youth Culture Camp with $9,000 from our collection, run by Country as Teacher, a Bundjalung organisation that helps young people celebrate and connect.
One-for-one Underwear Donation
We believe that access to clean, new underwear is a fundamental human right, essential for maintaining dignity. Sadly, underwear poverty exists in Australia, and we are committed to addressing this through our one-for-one program—donating a pair of underwear for every item sold. We are incredibly proud of the impact our one-for-one campaign has made. And it became even more powerful on day when we discovered surplus elastic destined for landfill at one of our factories. Now, we utilise deadstock materials like leftover elastic and fabric from other orders to produce the underwear we donate, each pair unique. Our relationship with the factory producing our donation underwear spans over a decade, built on mutual trust and a commitment to sustainability. They consistently use BCI and organic cotton and non-toxic Oeko-Tex certified dyes to ensure the fabrics are safe. We donate to Aboriginal Health Centres, women's shelters, and homelessness charities.
Evidence
Social Traders Certified
This certification shows that our business, as part of our constitution, has a social, cultural or environmental purpose as its primary objective, and ensures that our primary efforts and resources are invested into this purpose.
OEKO-TEX
OEKO- TEX is a standard that tests for harmful substances. Our fabric suppliers have Oektex 100 certification on the yarns that they use in fabrics. OEKO-TEX® standards enable everyone to make responsible decisions and protect natural resources. Driven by sustainability and a dedication to transparency, our work is grounded in proven science.
Global tracking and benchmarking
During 2020, we began tracking our electricity usage, water usage, and carbon emissions at all our manufacturing facilities and distribution centres. This allows us to create baselines, adopt target reduction goals, and implement programmes to reduce energy consumption and emissions across the business. In 2020, our Danish plant reduced annual emissions by over 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of 2,242 cars being driven for a year! In 2021, we are now transitioning to third-party World Resources Institute-certified accounting of emissions to help us measure and benchmark our progress. Using these recognised standards ensures we are presenting a true and fair account of our emissions.
Organic Cotton
Our Organic Stone Washed Cotton sheet set, and Organics Stone Washed Cotton quilt cover set is GOTS certified. GOTS, Global Organic Textile Standard, is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.
SoftLanding
SoftLanding is a social enterprise company which provides employment to people otherwise experiencing barriers to employment. SoftLanding picks-up mattresses and bases directly from outside your home address for a fee. They keep mattresses and bases from landfill as they recover components to recycle.
Snooze Linen Recovery Project
Snooze in partnership with BlockTexx and Select-O-Pedic is proud to launch a linen recycling project. This project is live in participating Queensland (and Tweed Heads) Snooze stores commencing June. Consumers who donate preloved and laundered fitted sheets, flat sheets, quilt covers and pillow slips will be rewarded with 30% off Snooze Branded linen on the day. This program is a trial and runs from June to end of August, 2023.
Sustainable choices
Our sustainable guiding principles shape all aspects of how we work, starting from the creative process and procurement, to onsite delivery of a project. We use these principles to inform our day-to-day choices and actions to ensure we hold ourselves to the highest possible standard. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Although our operations and projects are mainly based throughout Australia, we align our choices with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to allow us to make meaningful contributions to a collective global effort to combat economic, social and environmental challenges. The events industry has a large impact on many of the goals, yet they also present the greatest opportunities for innovation, collaboration and positive influence. Materials decision matrix: To help us better evaluate all aspects of a material and make informed choices about its use, we have developed a materials decision matrix for all new and existing materials. We review what it is made from (i.e recycled materials), where it is made, whether it has the required functionality and durability for our needs, how we can store and transport it, and its aesthetic features. This gives us a score that we can compare against other similar materials we have rated, and allows us to make transparent decisions.
Supporting local
SleepMaker proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and implement responsible waste recycling practices. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
The Family Bond by Volvo Cars - Equal global parental leave for all
The Family Bond by Volvo Cars is our all-gender global paid parental leave policy – with this, we give all Volvo Cars employees with at least one year's service 24 weeks of parental leave at 80 per cent of their base pay by default. This global policy applies to either parent and is suited for a diverse variety of family types, as it includes adoptive, foster care and surrogate parents, as well as non-birth parents in same-sex couples. Learn more about The Family Bond at https://www.volvocars.com/au/about/family-bond/
Ethical sourcing
We're serious about wanting to reduce our impact on the planet and we know our responsibility extends beyond our own walls. The what, how and where from of our sourcing activities all must be accounted for when we calculate our impacts. We aim for transparency and traceability throughout our entire sourcing process. For example, we use Blockchain technology as part of our commitment to the responsible sourcing of batteries. Ethical batteries: We're committed to responsible sourcing of our batteries. As part of that commitment, we're the first car manufacturer to use blockchain technology throughout our entire cobalt supply chain, allowing us to monitor and trace the cobalt used in our batteries. Responsible cobalt sourcing: Cobalt is a vital component in the production of electric car batteries. In some cases, the extraction of cobalt can have human rights impacts. We use blockchain technology to increase transparency and traceability of our cobalt supply chain, ensuring the information about the material’s origin cannot be changed undetected. We use several other processes, in conjunction with our suppliers, including mine site inspections and GPS tracking to help ensure that the cobalt within our batteries is responsibly sourced.
Wordwide certification
We have achieved a worldwide certification complying with ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental care) and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety). This means that all of the company’s sites and functions are working in a correct and consistent manner fulfilling all requirements in these standards. The three standards align with Volvo’s core values of quality, safety and environmental care. With the achievement of the worldwide certification, we prove we are a unified organisation, under one process model, fully aligned across all sites around the world.
Evidence
Ethical leadership
In 2019, Volvo Cars was recognised as a World’s Most Ethical Company® by the Ethisphere Institute for the third consecutive year. Ethisphere Institute is a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Our past participation in the Ethisphere Institute survey was part of our continuous improvement initiatives. This award was a welcomed acknowledgement of our comprehensive Compliance and Ethics Programme, which aims to ensure that our employees and our business partners act responsibly and ethically. Volvo Cars is committed to fostering a culture of Ethical Leadership.
Governance
Our sustainability strategy is fully integrated into our corporate strategy and is challenged frequently by regular analysis, including climate-related risks and opportunities. We have a governance structure in place to monitor the progress of our sustainability strategy, ambitions and initiatives. Our sustainability governance structure is organised according to the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). This means we conduct frequent sustainability reviews at each management level including Board of Directors. The global sustainability team oversees the development and progress of the sustainability strategy across the company. ESG reporting: We believe in external third-party validation of our sustainability performance. It’s essential to gaining credibility. It’s reassurance to our people and external stakeholders that our sustainability strategy and our ambitions support global goals, such as the UN SDGs and the Paris Agreement.
Supporting local
Sleepyhead proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and implement responsible waste recycling practices. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
Women Owned Business
We are a proudly certified as a WEConnect International ‘Women Owned’ Enterprise. As a female-founded and led business, committed to empowering women in industries where innovation and leadership are crucial. At the heart of our company, we prioritise diversity and inclusion, ensuring that women can excel in pioneering roles. With 60% of our employees being women, we are not only creating a supportive and dynamic workplace but also setting an example for future generations of women leaders.
Return to Sovereign Manufacturing
Our supply chain was initially established offshore, as there was no local alternative. The bitter truth is that 90% of Australia’s wool clip is sent offshore for processing. This meant our wool was grown in Australia, processed offshore and the final products manufactured in Australia and New Zealand. This is changing in 2024. We are proud to be bringing back manufacturing onto Australian soil. Our new ‘state-of-the-art’ fibre processing facility in Melbourne is located much closer to home, enabling us to reduce our carbon footprint by approximately 55 kg of CO2e per tonne of wool! Backed by a $4.8 million Federal Government Grant, this facility is the first and only of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. With the capability to process up to 150 tonnes of fibre each week, this facility is a game changer for Planet Protector and other Australian businesses looking to onshore their manufacturing.
Contract Manufacturing for Sustainable Supply Chains
Planet Protector gets it! Australian-made products with transparent supply chains are highly sought-after by consumers. Planet Protector’s recent investment into sovereign manufacturing capabilities has enabled us to offer contract manufacturing services to the Australian market from Q2 2024. We would like to give back to our local business community and offer our services to other businesses trying to realise their sovereign manufacturing capability. Our state-of-the-art machinery can manufacture a range of non-woven products from infill-in bedding to acoustics, geotextiles, felts, and filters. It has the capability to process any type of fibre input from cotton and polyester to wool, hemp, jute, cellulose and even recycled textiles. Planet Protector is here to support other businesses in transforming their supply chains; and realising their ESG targets.
Certified B Corporation since 2015
Green Moves was one of the founding B Corp members in Australia and has maintained certification. We are pleased to have recertified in December 2024. You can see details of our certification here https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/green-moves-australia/
Carried out fully-funded energy assessments for local SMEs in Bayside
We recently partnered with Village Zero and Bayside City Council offering five grant funded energy assessments to local businesses in the area. The assessments identified tailored and simple energy saving opportunities to assist them to reducing their business' energy costs in practical ways. We helped these businesses reduce energy bills by an overall average of 38% with some very simple, and often no cost, changes.
Industry memberships
CitySwitch - CitySwitch is Australia's flagship decarbonisation program for office based businesses. Green Moves is an active member of CitySwitch since 2019, participating in events and supporting other members on their journey to reduce carbon emissions. Renew - Renew is a non-profit organisation workign to transform Australian homes for climate ane energy resilience. Green Moves is a long standing member and has contributed several articles to both Renew and Sanctuary magazines. Once of our most popular articles was 'Costing Comfort' outlining the issues around valuing green homes and some of the efforts to address them. ISSP - International Society of Sustainability Professionals - is the worlds leading network of sustainabilty professionals aiming to create change.
Wages and Benefits
By paying all our employees a living wage and offering the best benefits that we can afford, Sustainable Choice addresses SDGs 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 3 (good health and well-being), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 10 (reduced inequalities), and 11 (sustainable cities and communities).
Ethical Trade Audits
OMF suppliers - including our overseas suppliers - are subject to independent third party audits randomly assigned and selected by OMF. The scope of these audits is inclusive of labour laws, workplace health and safety, the environment and business ethics.
Supporting local
Dunlop Foams proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture foams in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods.
Traceable, Ethical Supply Chain
We are proudly 100% traceable! Each of our suppliers has been carefully chosen for their commitment to ethical and sustainable business practices. The suppliers we work with share our values around creating a more responsible manufacturing industry and ensure their workers are paid a living wage.
ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 17025:2005 Certifications
Wattyl is certified to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 17025:2005. ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. ISO 17025:2005 ISO/IEC 17025:2005 specifies the general requirements for the competence to carry out tests and/or calibrations, including sampling. It covers testing and calibration performed using standard methods, non-standard methods, and laboratory-developed methods. You can read more about ISO Certifications here: https://www.iso.org/
Safcol supports local fishermen and the Australian fishing industry
Australia has a very well regulated fishing industry and the Safcol Seafood Market in South Australia, assist local fishermen to sell their stocks. We asist them to get a good price for their catch. By supporting local industry Safcol is growing our economy sustainably.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
We require all of our suppliers to abide by our standards in relation to human rights, environmental and ethical business practices and uphold the principles within the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which we abide by. As we do, all our suppliers and partners must have a formal policy that outlines their approach to managing environmental impacts within their control. They must comply with local and national laws related to environmental standards and adhere to the principles set out by the Greenpeace Detox Movement which is committed to a toxic free future for people and the environment by the removal of hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garment textiles and footwear.
Sustainable Design Approach
By highlighting sustainability as important in our business this has fed into everything we do. This includes designing our building to reduce and improve our sustainable footprint wherever possible. Small examples of this include, laying the factory out to facilitate natural lighting to reduce reliance on electricity, utilising rapid-open/close roller doors to naturally manage air flow and temperature regulation, and using a lean approach to operations which leads to a more efficient flow of goods, and in turn saving electricity. We believe that making incremental changes can make a significant difference as little things add up.
Evidence
Supporting local
We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and improving production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and recycle what we can. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
We require all of our suppliers to abide by our standards in relation to human rights, environmental and ethical business practices and uphold the principles within the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which we abide by. As we do, all our suppliers and partners must have a formal policy that outlines their approach to managing environmental impacts within their control. They must comply with local and national laws related to environmental standards and adhere to the principles set out by the Greenpeace Detox Movement which is committed to a toxic free future for people and the environment by the removal of hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garment textiles and footwear.
Sustainable Design Approach
By highlighting sustainability as important in our business this has fed into everything we do. This includes designing our building to reduce and improve our sustainable footprint wherever possible. Small examples of this include, laying the factory out to facilitate natural lighting to reduce reliance on electricity, utilising rapid-open/close roller doors to naturally manage air flow and temperature regulation, and using a lean approach to operations which leads to a more efficient flow of goods, and in turn saving electricity. We believe that making incremental changes can make a significant difference as little things add up.
Supporting local
We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and improving production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and recycle what we can. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
Supporting local
SleepMaker proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and implement responsible waste recycling practices. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.
Responsible supply chain
By holding ourselves accountable for our supply chain, we look to ensure that our suppliers adhere to sustainable and ethical practices. This includes assessing suppliers' environmental impact, labour conditions, and social responsibility. By integrating a uniform evaluation process, we can consistently measure and improve supplier performance in these areas, promoting responsible sourcing, reducing the company's environmental footprint, and contributing to sustainable and ethical business practices throughout our supply chain.
Employee well-being
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond environmental concerns; it encompasses the well-being and safety of our employees and stakeholders. We are focused on fostering a working environment where employees feel comfortable and can perform at their best through employee-centric sustainability practices. ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety): This achievement reflects our dedication to upholding the highest standards of occupational health and safety. ISO 45001 not only ensures a safe and healthy workplace but also contributes to a positive social impact and fosters a culture of respect and consideration for all. By prioritising the well-being of our workforce, we aim to reduce accidents and enhance employee satisfaction. Workplace safety: Continuously reducing the number of workplace accidents. In 2022, we reduced the number of occupational accidents per 200,000 production hours by 8.8 % to 3.39 compared to 3.72 in 2021. Employee turnover reduction: Reducing the employee turnover ratio. In 2022, we also reduced our employee turnover ratio by 3.4 percentage points year-on-year to 15.4 %. Human Rights Policy: Adopting a Human Rights Policy that enshrines a corporate culture of respect and consideration for all people in the company and business relationships. Access to education: To ensure that each employee has access to equal opportunities, we offer worldwide options that include apprenticeship and young talent management programs.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
We require all of our suppliers to abide by our standards in relation to human rights, environmental and ethical business practices and uphold the principles within the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which we abide by. As we do, all our suppliers and partners must have a formal policy that outlines their approach to managing environmental impacts within their control. They must comply with local and national laws related to environmental standards and adhere to the principles set out by the Greenpeace Detox Movement which is committed to a toxic free future for people and the environment by the removal of hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garment textiles and footwear.
Sustainable Design Approach
By highlighting sustainability as important in our business this has fed into everything we do. This includes designing our building to reduce and improve our sustainable footprint wherever possible. Small examples of this include, laying the factory out to facilitate natural lighting to reduce reliance on electricity, utilising rapid-open/close roller doors to naturally manage air flow and temperature regulation, and using a lean approach to operations which leads to a more efficient flow of goods, and in turn saving electricity. We believe that making incremental changes can make a significant difference as little things add up
Social and Environmental Responsibility
We require all of our suppliers to abide by our standards in relation to human rights, environmental and ethical business practices and uphold the principles within the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which we abide by. As we do, all our suppliers and partners must have a formal policy that outlines their approach to managing environmental impacts within their control. They must comply with local and national laws related to environmental standards and adhere to the principles set out by the Greenpeace Detox Movement which is committed to a toxic free future for people and the environment by the removal of hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garment textiles and footwear.
Sustainable Design Approach
By highlighting sustainability as important in our business this has fed into everything we do. This includes designing our building to reduce and improve our sustainable footprint wherever possible. Small examples of this include, laying the factory out to facilitate natural lighting to reduce reliance on electricity, utilising rapid-open/close roller doors to naturally manage air flow and temperature regulation, and using a lean approach to operations which leads to a more efficient flow of goods, and in turn saving electricity. We believe that making incremental changes can make a significant difference as little things add up.
Social and Environmental Responsibility
We require all of our suppliers to abide by our standards in relation to human rights, environmental and ethical business practices and uphold the principles within the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) which we abide by. As we do, all our suppliers and partners must have a formal policy that outlines their approach to managing environmental impacts within their control. They must comply with local and national laws related to environmental standards and adhere to the principles set out by the Greenpeace Detox Movement which is committed to a toxic free future for people and the environment by the removal of hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garment textiles and footwear.
Sustainable Design Approach
By highlighting sustainability as important in our business this has fed into everything we do. This includes designing our building to reduce and improve our sustainable footprint wherever possible. Small examples of this include, laying the factory out to facilitate natural lighting to reduce reliance on electricity, utilising rapid-open/close roller doors to naturally manage air flow and temperature regulation, and using a lean approach to operations which leads to a more efficient flow of goods, and in turn saving electricity. We believe that making incremental changes can make a significant difference as little things add up
Responsible supply chain
To maximise our impact through our supply chain, we’re continually looking at ways to make more sustainable purchasing decisions in our everyday work. We’ve developed our Supplier Code in line with global principles, including the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It sets out the minimum standards that we expect of our suppliers in areas such as modern slavery, labour and human rights, bribery and corruption. Our approach to supplier due diligence is determined by the level of risk the relationship and procurement engagement is subject to. Detailed supplier assessments are a new control we have started to implement in FY24 to better understand suppliers’ performance and management of ESG issues. Since 2019, our Annual Reports are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited and are printed with vegetable inks. Our major vendor, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is committed to running its business in the most environmentally friendly way possible and achieving 100% renewable energy usage for its global infrastructure by 2025. We're also working with AWS to determine how we can optimise infrastructure utilisation.
Xero sustainable app partners
We’re committed to connecting our customers with the most relevant, scalable resources and support models to help them operate in an environmentally conscious way. Several of our Xero app partners are helping small businesses operate more sustainably. They offer a range of capabilities such as carbon measurement and management. For example, Xero's global partnership with Sumday, the advisor-first carbon accounting platform, helps accountants and bookkeepers globally to manage their own and their clients’ carbon accounting. Learn more at the Xero App Store.
Doing the best work of our lives
At Xero, we create an environment where people want to work in our team and love what they do. Xero’s culture and the way in which we live our values every day are something for which we are widely known, and we’ve been recognised in multiple countries as one of the best places to work. We provide our people with the freedom to shape their career and do the best work of their lives. Xero actively supports diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. We recognise that a diverse workforce is a strength that enables businesses, including ours, to better understand and serve customers, attract top talent and innovate successfully. In 2021 we formally launched our global Employee Resource Group (ERG) program to provide an opportunity to foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace aligned with our mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. Focusing on gender diversity has always been a priority for us as we’re keen to get more women into the tech sector, ensure we have good female representation across our management levels, and remove any roadblocks to gender equality in all aspects of life at Xero. We know this drives better business outcomes not only for Xero but for our small business partners and customers. We regularly track our diversity data for internal monitoring and accountability. As part of this work, we conduct an annual organisation-wide pay equity review at Xero and communicate results to employees.
Modern Slavery & Ethical Sourcing
All of our suppliers are required to sign a Modern Slavery Declaration, as we recognise the responsibility of operating in a transparent and ethical manner, in line with the Modern Slavery Act 2018. Our Modern Slavery statement can be viewed on the Australian Border Force Modern Slavery Register: https://modernslaveryregister.gov.au/statements/12474/ .
Soft Landing
We’re proud to work with Soft Landing, a not-for-profit mattress recycling social enterprise. Soft Landing's revenue goes entirely to helping create stable and meaningful jobs and their mission is to keep end-of-life mattresses and ensemble bases out of landfill and recover components to recycle. Soft Landing is approved by the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council (ABSC) for demonstrating safe and environmentally responsible collection, storage and recovery of end-of-life mattresses and their component materials.
B Corp Certified
Pangolin Associates is a founding Australian member of B Corp. B Corp is a global, voluntary initiative that rigorously assesses social and environmental practices to promote higher standards of accountability and transparency. We take pride in helping other businesses succeed in the environmental component of B Corp for both initial certifications and higher scores on reassessments.
Evidence
Reduce energy consumption
All office equipment is turned off when not in use. We have installed 120 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at our Adelaide location, along with energy efficient lighting, and energy monitoring of the HVAC system. Our Sydney office has LED lighting with motion sensors. We are a participating member of CitySwitch Green Office, a program designed to lower energy consumption in commercial buildings. We encourage work from home to reduce our transport footprint and resources used. Most of our team, and all four directors, have invested in solar power at home, as well as energy efficient appliances and lighting.
We Rise By Lifting Others
We’re big believers in building community (there’s no ‘I’ in team!), so we give back by supporting other businesses that work to prevent problems before they occur, and support the fabric of society – just like us. Our Together legal events help local businesses to grow with sound legal advice while supporting charities like Epilepsy Action Australia through the generous donations of our attendees. Together with organisations like Lifeline, and Time is Precious we’re making a positive impact for people and the planet.
Greener Operations
We’re weaving sustainability into our operations for a greener workspace with: - Digitised notes, lists and programs using energy-efficient technology - Certified Climate Active Neutral paper for printing - Eco-tank printers with refillable inks - Who Gives a Crap paper towels to clean up office spills - Smart Water Conservation: re-purposing left over water for plant watering - Resource Recycling: breathing new life into office materials like batteries and toner cartridges - Lights out when rooms aren’t in use to minimise energy use
Together Legal
Together legal is a legal program to take you from legal confusion to clarity. Law Team is committed to giving back to the community and that's why we have recently launched together legal where we hold free information sessions to our community. There’s an art to dreaming big. And we want to help you master it. Whether you’re a start-up or scale-up, home buyer or investor, Together Legal will give you the understanding and practical legal skills you need to protect your vision in bite-sized courses. Because law is the foundation that helps ideas grow. And when you know what you’re building is safe, you can dream bigger!
Ending overfishing
Sustainable fishing to the MSC Fisheries Standard means: - Healthy populations of fish - Impacts on ecosystems minimised - Responsible and effective management Just look for the MSC blue fish tick label to choose certified sustainable seafood that comes from an MSC-certified sustainable fishery that has met the MSC Fisheries Standard.
Sustainability
The AFA supports sustainable business practices encouraging its members to become more sustainable and move towards a more circular approach to product development. The AFA supports third-party certification and product stewardship with all AFA listed members certified under a recognised ecolabel and / or product stewardship scheme.
Working closely with farmers
Far More Coffee works directly with farmers to find more sustainable and profitable means to preserve the environment and livelihood of farmers - to create more greener coffee importing. As stated by Far More’s CEO, ‘Exceptional coffee shouldn’t have to cost the earth or the lives of the people who produce it’. Far More sources ethically from personally known farmers, creating a stronger relationship to bring home a taste of good, ethically made coffee.
Amplifying the coffee supply chain
Far More aims to disrupt the coffee supply chain and assist coffee farmers selling at a loss by creating a digital marketplace that enables these producers to connect directly to overseas buyers. This streamlines the trade process and provides greater remuneration to farmers who were affected by factors interrupting the coffee supply chain.
Common Bean Cafe
The Common Bean Cafe is our social enterprise established to provide a space for young people to gain work experience and develop their skills and confidence required in finding work. Youth unemployment levels in Broadmeadows are currently at 27.2% (ABS, 2016). By providing young people with a supportive transitional training and employment program we are helping to combat youth unemployment in our community! Every six months, the Common Bean Cafe provides a transitional employment opportunity and on the job training to a new group of young people form our community. During their placement with the Common Bean, the young participants gain accredited training in areas relevant to hospitality, general employability skills, six months of paid work experience and an increased sense of confidence which will allow them to obtain employment independently in the future.
Working hard to be waste free in Auckland and Beyond!
At BB&B we are starting our sustainability journey off with a bang by doing everything we can to reduce waste. All our Auckland stores are now “waste free” (more than 90% of our waste is diverted from landfill). We are currently using our Auckland stores as a model to ensure proper waste management and reduction strategies are created, so we can implement them across the country in the near future. Here at BB&B we know that reducing waste is key to being more sustainable. That is why we ensure all our products are made to last and with the utmost care. We are also working with our brilliant manufacturers to start reducing our packaging, so customers can take less plastic home. As our drivers deliver stock to our Auckland stores, they also pick up our carefully separated packaging waste. These drivers then transport the separated bubble wrap, pallet wrap, soft plastics, paper, cardboard, polystyrenes, and general waste back to our distribution center in Auckland for recycling, reuse, and disposal. At the Distribution center, we bail our cardboard, pallet wrap, and soft plastics so they can be sent to Oji Fibre and Future post for recycling. The cardboard we don’t bail gets shredded and used as a bubble wrap substitute that customers can recycle at home. We also use re-use the old bubble wrap to wrap products for our webstore. Our polystyrene is delivered to Expol to be turned into green beans. When customers order products online they can feel assured that we are using compostable courier bags and many other recyclable/ re-used protective materials, to ensure their items arrive safely without increasing our waste footprint by much. We are very proud of what we’ve achieved at BB&B, but we know our journey has just begun. Our next steps are to bring these systems to all our other stores to ensure BB&B is as green as can be.
Supply Nation Integration
Cm3 is pleased to announce an integration between the Cm3 Marketplace and Supply Nation’s database of Indigenous businesses. Supply Nation is Australia’s premier organisation dedicated to promoting economic advancement and employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This development allows Clients on Cm3 to find and engage verified Supply Nation businesses that meet their compliance requirements.
First and Only Gold Standard Climate Project in Australia
On a 200km wide corridor north of Perth, Carbon Neutral has been turning things around diligently replanting land that was drastically cleared for farming throughout the 20th century and revitalising the biosphere. And its efforts have been so successful, it has become the first and only organisation in Australia to be awarded Gold Standard certification for climate interventions.
We develop and manage the strictest standards in the industry.
These standards include hundreds of requirements covering the potential impacts of aquaculture – including water quality, responsible sourcing of feed, disease prevention, animal welfare, the fair treatment and pay of workers and maintaining positive relationships with neighbouring communities. To become ASC certified, a farm is assessed by an independent organisation against every single requirement in the relevant standard. If it passes the audit, seafood from the farm can be sold with the ASC logo, which allows consumers to reward these responsible farmers by purchasing their products.
