Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Brands Commited to Sustainable Cities and Communities
Latest Sustainable Cities and Communities Brand Actions
One Earth Climate Change Research Centre, Nawalapitiya
The One Earth Climate Change Research Center – Nawalapitiya is the first-ever Climate Change Research Station by the private sector in Sri Lanka, established at Dilmah Tea’s Queensbury Estate in Nawalapitiya. • Recent collaboration with renowned experts across the South Asian region in a groundbreaking international research study to find a solution for the global nitrogen waste crisis. • Since opening in 2017 the center has facilitated 3 global, and 17 local research and 3 international workshops. • The centre is also the main research hub for the Bee A Keeper project. • Introduction of camera traps to monitor the biodiversity of fauna.
Evidence
Endane Biodiversity Corridor
In 2018, Merrill J. Fernando, the founder of Dilmah, took a groundbreaking step by initiating a rainforest corridor project. This endeavor was initiated with the symbolic removal of tea plants in a land strip at the Dilmah's Endane Tea Estate, which had segregated two rainforest patches for over a century due to continuous tea monoculture. The Endane Biodiversity Corridor establishes a 3km long biodiversity corridor, connecting two fragmented forest patches adjacent to the Sinharaja Rainforest. • 40 ha of degraded tea lands converted to tropical lowland rainforests. • 545 tree species georeferenced for in-situ conservation. • 10,183 seedlings of rain forest species raised in nurseries. • 4,238 seedlings planted in Endane Biodiversity Corridor for ex-situ conservation. • 47 globally threatened tree species planted in Endane Biodiversity Corridor and Seethawaka Botanical Garden. • 01 rain forest tree species extinct in the Wild (EW) (Shorea ovalifolia) was rediscovered and georeferenced outside the protected area network and propagated for ex-situ conservation. • 5 ha of long-term restoration monitoring plots established across Endane Biodiversity Corridor • New species such as Gastrodia Pushparaga discovered during research activities.
AGROFORESTRY
Dilmah in collaboration with Kahawatte Plantations and Agriculture Innovation Nucleus are creating an agroforestry model. 1000 hectares of abandoned land have been identified within Kahawatte Plantations as being suitable for agroforestry. Commercial crops such as Garcinia, Pepper, Durian and Rambutan are among the species being planted. Dilmah’s green restoration endeavours are aligned with Sri Lanka’s commitment to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) of increasing green cover by 32% by 2030.
Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL)
Dilmah, together with IUCN and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, formed Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) in 2012 to build a coalition for environmental conservation among the corporate sectors. Life to Mangroves and Life to Kanneliya projects have been the most successful projects initiated by BSL.
Wetland Conservation
Wetland Conservation efforts include a public-private partnership with the Sri Lanka Urban Development Authority (UDA) aimed at enhancing conservation efforts for the Beddagana Wetland Park, a crucial ecosystem. Programme objectives are to raise awareness about the significance of wetlands, and foster visitor engagement through regular park maintenance and expert-led educational programs. Additionally, 450+ individuals including both locals and foreigners, were educated on wetland conservation through wetland excursions.
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.
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.
One Earth Centre, Moratuwa
The “One Earth Centre” in Moratuwa offers a range of educational resources dedicated to sustainable agriculture and conservation. The centre is also home to Dilmah Conservation’s One Earth Urban Arboretum, Butterfly Garden, Heritage Corner, Medicinal Plant Garden, Traditional Yam Plot, Recycling Unit, Sustainable Agricultural Farm and Hydroponic Unit. The One Earth Urban Arboretum, housing over 500 tree and plant species, serves as a green oasis and educational space, promoting biodiversity conservation.
One Earth Centre, Kalkudah
The One Earth Centre in Kalkudah extends Dilmah Conservation's initiatives into Eastern Sri Lanka. This centre is aligned with Dilmah Conservation’s regional objectives of enhancing livelihood opportunities and building climate resilience among communities through the introduction of innovative, sustainable and climate smart practices in agriculture and animal husbandry along with comprehensive livelihood support and ecosystem restoration efforts. Similar to the Moratuwa facility, the Kalkudah complex also contains a One Earth Urban Arboretum as well as an organic fruit and vegetable model farm and a model coconut farm.
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.
Lost Ingredients Lab
Kick-off project at Genesis was a platform to integrate value chains of Sri Lankan organic and regenerative agriculture and food sectors through innovation and collaboration for meaningful growth. The Lost Ingredients Lab was a two-pronged programme that helped innovate value-additions for three high-potential yet underutilized local ingredients, namely, Jackfruit, Seaweed, and Gotukola, making them suitable for the global market. Collaborated with GIZ, European Union and Good Life X.
Solar Energy
Investments in solar over the years has allowed Dilmah to lay claim to a combined generation capacity of 1,400.75 kWp. This includes the 04 (four) solar power plants with a collective generation capacity of 415.5 kWp that contribute towards meeting 4.66% of the energy requirements of Dilmah Headquarters in Peliyagoda.
Hydro power Energy
Dilmah has also made significant investments in hydropower, starting with the two hydroelectric plants at the Queensberry and Craighead estates, both which commenced power generation in 2018. Today, the Company operates a total of four hydropower plants: Queensberry (50 kW), Craighead (70 kW), Kataboola (70 kW), and Wellandura (70 kW), with a combined capacity of 260 kW. In the financial year 23/24, these plants collectively generated 389 MWh of hydropower.
Refillable Beauty is a Smart Choice
At Adorn, our mission is straightforward and impactful: to eliminate single-use beauty plastics and packaging by reimagining how cosmetics are purchased and used. Our premium refillable beauty products are designed to empower you to make more sustainable choices every day. By choosing our refills, you help reduce plastic waste by up to 90%, significantly cutting down on landfill waste, conserving precious resources, and lowering carbon emissions. This commitment ensures that while you care for your skin, you also protect the beauty of our planet. Now that’s a choice to be proud of!
Recycling Non-Reusable Packaging Matters
At Adorn, we are committed to empowering our customers to make more sustainable choices through our beauty refills, which encourage reusing and reducing waste. This not only offers a cost-effective option for you, but also benefits the planet by minimising the need for new packaging. For packaging that can't be reused, we take our responsibility seriously by partnering with Terracycle. This ensures that our non-reusable packaging is upcycled into valuable products such as plant pots and outdoor furniture, contributing to a truly circular economy.
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.
CDS Victoria East Drop Off Point
Enbacci's Melbourne Flagship is now a Container Deposit Scheme over-the-counter drop-off point, helping our community to create a cleaner stream of material for recycling and reduce the number of bottles, cans and containers ending up in landfill or on local streets. Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (VDS Vic) is an initiative that will provide a 10 cent refund to Victorias for every eligible drink container they return, from 1 November 2023.
Hard to Recycle Collection Point
Enbacci's Melbourne Flagship located at 552 High Street, Prahran, VIC, is now a collection point for hard to recycle items. From used batteries, to coffee pods and even balloons, we work with a list of independently run recyclers to prevent these items ending up in landfill. For a full list of items we collect, please visit: https://www.enbacci.com/pages/enbacci-full-recycle-items.
i=Change Partnership
In 2022, Enbacci partnered with i=Change. An organisation that helps e-commerce businesses support a range of local or global projects. A minimum of $1 from every online purchase is donated towards one of three projects of the brands choice. The three projects we support are Empower with Literacy, Protect a Woman and Clean the Seas. Through just these three projects, we are supporting a number of the UN sustainability development goals.
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.
Work Training Program
Our warehousing and order fulfillment operations are managed through a work-training partnership with Social Engine, which supports and trains Afghan refugees in essential work skills and aids their entry into the workforce. This collaboration not only provides job training in warehousing, order fulfillment, customer service, and recycling processes but also embodies our commitment to social regeneration. We believe that every financial transaction in our supply chain presents a powerful opportunity to create equitable opportunities and positively impact society.
Evidence
On A Mission Climate Positive Company
We work with On a Mission to offset our emissions and carbon impact across our entire supply chain. Our Climate Positive certification with On a Mission recognises that our business buys at least 1.5 times more carbon offsets than we produce each year. We are continuously striving to leave as little impact on the environment as possible, in all we do.
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.
HERO Home Compostable Mail Bags
We choose Hero compostable HEROPACK shipping mailers which are certified as both Home and Commercially Compostable. Our mailers hold certifications which meet the Australian standards (AS5810 and AS4736) administered by the Australasian Bioplastics Australia (ABA). Our supply chain also complies with ISO 14001 standards, ensuring environmentally ethical sourcing and production. We also only use compostable postage labels - so the entire parcel can be reused to send back product or recycling or composted in your home green bin. https://heropackaging.com.au/
Evidence
Mission Australia
In 2009, Mission Australia established a mattress recycling social enterprise, Soft Landing, in Bellambi, NSW. The program provided jobs to disadvantaged jobseekers and recycled thousands of mattresses and bases from hotels, retailers, councils and the community throughout Sydney and the Illawarra. In 2012, the initiative won the Premier's Award for Environmental Excellence in the NSW Green Globe Awards. A.H. Beard joined forces with Mission Australia in 2012, and by June 2022, had redirected over 500,000 beds from landfill. Mission Australia is committed to reducing its ecological footprint and advocating for action on climate change.
The Snooze Safety and Sustainability Committee
Snooze has formed a Safety and Sustainability Committee with the aim of improving the way in which we conduct business. Some initial initiatives, at head office, include the adoption of Green Office supplies, sensor lighting, LED lighting, recycling and reviewing green utilities.
Shopping with a purpose
Urban Ethos has partnered with i=change to donate $1 of every sale, and you get to choose where it goes! We are delighted to use our platform to encourage continual support towards three planet-saving projects that Urban Ethos endorses; even better, you have the choice of which charity the donation goes to! Giving even more motivation to your purchase; that goes beyond the purpose of positive environmental impacts of each one of our products. Urban Ethos is committed to our planet, climate and even more committed to frequent and recurring support to charities that nurture, regenerate and protect our planet. “There is no question climate change is happening. The only arguable point is what part humans are playing in it.” - David Attenborough. By making a concerted effort to protect our planet now, we can only thrive as a community, with generations to come. Together, let's continue to take a stance and create awareness by always shopping with a purpose.
'Shop for your Grandkids' Campaign
In 2021, Urban Ethos launched a campaign to encourage all Aussies to do their bit before the world ‘turns into a junkyard’. The company’s mission is to ‘Change Consumer Habits’ by providing various products that enhance the choices we make to waste less and be more environmentally conscious. With this in mind, Urban Ethos has encouraged us to ‘Shop for your Grandkids’. The organisation collaborated with volunteer students from Ripponlea Primary School to create a video that aimed to educate the primary grocery buyer on how their shopping habits impact the younger generation, and beyond. You can check out the video on the profile.
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.
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.
Targeting Net Zero by 2025
We are on track to reach Net Zero by 2025. We are now Net Zero for our Scope 1 and 2 emissions (achieved through applying energy efficiency strategies, 100% accredited green power and electric vehicle charged off 100% accredited green power). Currently working through reducing our scope 3 emissions where possible noting that we are a small business and our influence on large companies is minimal. Actions undertaken to date are listed sepately below, we will be transitioning our telecoms to a carbon neutral provider during FY 2025 which is the last thing at this stage we think we can do. Saying that, we will continue to seek new ways to reduce emissions on an ongoing basis.
Evidence
Actions to achieve Net Zero and reduce emissions
Green Moves has been working on reducing emissions since 2019, to date we have: > Upgraded all equipment to highly efficient type (eg LED lighting, laptop computers, high energy star rated screens, small efficient printer). > Upgraded our heating / cooling to high efficiency reverse cycle unit. > We turn everything off when not in use. > We do not print anything unless we have to and minimise paper use. Now using less than 1 ream of certified carbon-neutral paper per year. > All our team work from home offices, so no staff commute. > Any required business travel is done as sustainably as possible (ie using company EV or public transport) > If and when we need air travel, flights are carbon offset through reputable certified carbon-neutral products and services. > We've minimised our waste by reducing waste in the office, using reusable cups and utensils, and recycling everything we can. We currently have 6 waste streams that are properly recycled. > Although we're a small business we are asking our key suppliers for their sustainability credentials. > Our main subcontractors' emissions are measured and now included in our Carbon Inventory and certification. All use 100% accredited green power, and three of four drive EVs when working for Green Moves.
Certified Carbon Neutral for our business operations by Climate Active since 2020
Green Moves has been certified carbon neutral for its business operations since 2020 and will continue to certify into the forseable future. Our Public Disclosure Statements are available online at the Climate Active website Green Moves page at this link here https://www.climateactive.org.au/buy-climate-active/certified-members/green-moves-australia
Certified B Corporation since 2015
Green Moves was one of the founding B Corp members in Australia and has maintained certification. We are currently in the process of recertifying for 2024. You can see details of our certification here https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/green-moves-australia/
Upgraded company vehicle to 100% Electric
In December 2022 we upgraded our company car to an EV for all business vehicle travel including onsite assessment works. This removes our scope 1 fossil fuel use and assists us towards net zero emissions. It's charged from our onsite solar and 100% Green Power.
Community Pro Bono work
We regularly volunteer our services and eduction sessions through varous community groups including RePower Mornington, Village Zero Sandringham, Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group and Electrify Boroondara to name a few. Over the past 2 years we have participated on 3 panels, presented 9 webinars, held 4 face to face sessions and provided free advice and guidance. On average we deliver over 10 free sessions a year to the public.
Industry-based Pro Bono work
Since our inception Green Moves has volunteered significant time to industry and government panels and committees providing experienced advice and guidance on residential, commercial and industry education for the sectors. Past involvement includes participating in the national training skills panel to update assessor industry education qualifications and input into government residential efficiency rating tool development and trials. We are currently working with the Residential Energy Efficiency Disclosure Initiative (REEDI), a Commonwealth government committee operating since 2022, focused on bringing suitable policies and tools to the market to facilitate disclosure of residential property energy efficiency and providing feedback into the NatHERs Existing Home tool development, accreditation training and skill set requirements.
Educating small businesses on energy efficiency
Green Moves has provided several business community energy efficiency education sessions to help small and medium businesses to identify simple ways to reduce energy consumption, waste and save on energy costs. In May 2024 we presented an event tailored for businesses in Melbourne's western suburbs which was hosted by Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action (WAGA). There are more sessions scheduled for later in 2024.
Community Energy Hero Training
Green Moves provided training and education to a team of over 20 local community members to become local Energy Heros in Mornington Peninsula. Energy Heros are local people who, with this training, can help point other community members in the right direction when it comes to sustainable practices, energy efficiency and renovations in their homes.
Bayside Built Environment Awards: on panel of judges
Green Moves has been on the panel of judges for these awards in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024. The awards aim to raise community awareness and understanding of the built environment, recognise quality outcomes and promote a better urban environment within Bayside. Green Moves' focus is on judging the best sustainable building category. This recognises a response to the climate emergency and the growing need for sustainable development, setting standards for others to follow. The Awards did not run during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we did not judge in 2018 as our Founder's property was competing for an award.
Supporting Electrify Boroondara
Green Moves attended and participated in a discussion panel at this hugely successful expo in 2023. The expo, held at the Hawthorn Arts Centre, reached over 1200 attendees interested in electrification and energy efficiency within the Boroondara community. Attendees learned about electrifying their homes, could test an eBike and discovered more about electric vehicles. Green Moves spent the day providing free advice and guidance to attendees. This was followed up with a presentation where we presented on 'Easy and affordable ways to reduce your energy bills'. We will continue to support Electrify Boroondara into the future.
Presented at the Bayside Home Energy Efficiency Expo 2023
Green Moves was invited to this expo as a keynote presenter and to participate in sessions that were running during the expo. We shared information with over 500 residents in the Bayside community. Attendees wanted to learn about sustainability topics including climate action, reducing energy bills, getting off gas, solar and batteries, and electric vehicles.
Presented 'A Home For All Seasons' at Red Hill in collaboration with Repower Mornington Peninsula
In July and November 2024, Green Moves was invited to present to the local community at Red Hill. Our presentation focussed on how to make your home more energy efficient and comfortable for all seasons. This was in collaboration with Repower Mornington Peninsula, who organised the event and was the latest of several free events we have delivered for this community group over the past 2 years.
'Introduction to solar and batteries' workshop
We ran this 2-hour workshop to a full house of attendees in August 2024 at the Eco Living Display Centre on the Mornington Peninsula. The workshop covered the basics of selecting a solar and/or battery system that works for you. Green Moves shared our knowledge and expertise in the workshop with the local community.
'How to create a healthy home' webinar
In August 2023, Green Moves was invited by the Mornington City Council to present 1.5-hour webinar on how to create a healthy home. The webinar aimed to educate, engage and inspire members of the community to create healthier, more energy-efficient and comfortable homes.
Supporting Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) & Greenpeace
Green Moves is deeply passionate about the environment. Every year, we commit to supporting two charities and their efforts to protect nature and wildlife. In 2024, we donate to the ACF and Greenpeace every month.
Member of Design Matters National
As a member, Green Moves participates in industry representation panels with state and federal bodies. We share our expertise in sustainable, environmental and energy-efficient design and assessments in the residential sector. Over the past two years, we have been working with Design Matters National and NatHERS teams, providing them with feedback for the upcoming NatHERS 'Whole of Home' and 'Exisiting Home' energy rating scheme changes. Design Matter National is the peak body for the building design profession and is the Assessor Accrediting Organisation for NatHERS assessors.
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.
Environmental Advocacy
By joining 1% for the Planet and committing 1% of our revenue to environmental nonprofits, we support SDGs 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate action), 14 (life below water), and 15 (life on land). Our 1% membership also helps us foster productive partnerships with members.
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).
Energy Use
We chose The Commons co-working space for our office due to their B Corp certification and commitment to sourcing renewable energy. Through this we are supporting SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 13 (climate action).
Partnership with Cafe Smart
made by Fressko are proud to partner with CafeSmart, a coffee-industry led event that runs during Homelessness Week. It unites roasters, cafes and coffee enthusiasts around the country to fight homelessness and support those at risk in their local area. made by Fressko is contributing to this partnership by donating $2.50 of every Limited Edition Smiley Cup (Camino) order to Cafe Smart.
Life-cycle thinking
Adopting a life-cycle mindset helps us to think about the entirety of our environmental impacts, including those which are directly within our control in addition to those that we may not be able to control, but can influence. Integrating life-cycle thinking into our business operations helps us to apply a meaningful EMS that has significant benefits across our supply chain and for the communities in which we operate. This includes using natural resources more efficiently and sourcing them carefully. Read more about this in our Sustainability Charter.
Technology & innovation
We embrace new technologies and approaches to manufacturing precast concrete in order to stay abreast of new opportunities to reduce our environmental impact, while becoming more efficient and effective in our work. Read more about this in our Sustainability Charter.
Decarbonisation
We recognise the significant impact that concrete production has on global GHG emissions and we are committed to prioritising carbon reduction strategies and leveraging the opportunities that exist to reduce our emissions throughout our business operations. Read more about this in our Sustainability Charter.
Wattyl becomes a Green building council of Australia member
We’re a member of Green Building Council Australia (GBCA), an authority on sustainable buildings and communities. We have a range of Wattyl products that contribute to Green Star credit points. GBCA Green Star rating tools help reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
NATA
Our laboratories are NATA™ accredited for the testing of surface coatings. NATA accredits organisations to perform testing and inspection activities for their products and services. This gives consumers the assurance they need to make safe, healthy and reliable choices.
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.
Hybrid Buses
CDC has Australia’s largest eco-friendly bus fleet of 50 hybrids which make up 17% of our Metro contracted buses in Melbourne and service Melbourne’s metropolitan routes, demonstrating our strong focus on sustainability and innovation. From 2019 – 2023, almost 4,000 tonnes of CO2 have been saved by introducing hybrid buses to these routes, equivalent to 867 cars being taken off the road since 2019.
Electric Buses
Electric buses have less vibration, less noise and zero emissions. A win for the environment. A win for public health. CDC has commenced a Zero Emissions Bus Trial in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, in partnership with the Victorian Department of Transport and bus industry leaders.
Hydrogen Buses
CDC is taking significant steps in its quest for greener bus journeys and cleaner air in a partnership with Australian sustainable energy and vehicle suppliers that will see it operating two hydrogen powered fuel cell electric buses in Geelong in 2025. The Geelong New Energies Service Station project, of which CDC is a foundation partner, is a multi-million dollar hydrogen mobility development led by Viva Energy. Together, the partners have worked with the Federal Government via the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Victorian State Government via the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) to launch what promises to be Australia’s most ambitious green hydrogen mobility project.
Aboriginal & Torres Straits Islander Partnerships
Contributing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reconciliation is a significant priority for CDC. Our relationships with both the Clontarf and Stars Foundations are important to us, enabling us to contribute and support young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women respectively.
CDC We Care Fund
The CDC We Care Fund was established in 2020 with an initial investment of $250,000 to assist employees and members of our local communities affected by the bushfires. The Fund aims to support families with immediate housing and living needs, disaster relief efforts, as well as providing transport services to emergency service volunteers. The Fund was transitioned to funding long-term assistance and recovery in vulnerable communities, education efforts, as well as preventative measures in challenging situations from bushfires, pandemic or any disaster faced by our broader communities that we serve. It has since been used to assist employees and communities affected by severe storms, floods and other disasters.
Supporting Local Communities
Community engagement is a pillar that CDC invests in to benefit the local communities with the long-term goal of restoring respect for bus drivers. In line with this initiative, we have launched a school education program that aims to teach children about the importance of mutual respect and behaviour on public transport. By helping kids understand the importance of mutual respect, over time we hope to reduce the incidence of anti-social behaviour towards our drivers and commuters, creating safer public transport.
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.
Created a New Sustainable Building Insulation Product
We’re immensely excited about the development of Planet Protector Insulation, our 100% sheep wool building insulation. At Planet Protector, the capabilities of our state-of-the-art fibre processing facility, enable us to push the boundaries of research and development and bring our 100% sheep wool insulation to new markets. This groundbreaking product not only offers superior thermal performance but also aligns with our commitment to sustainability. We’re excited to lead the way in offering a natural and renewable alternative to traditional insulation materials.
Creating Products for the Circular Economy
Our product, WOOLPACK, is a building block for the circular economy. We use wool from crossbred sheep, raised for their meat rather than their fleece, this wool is unsuitable for textiles and destined for landfill. We have diverted this wool from landfill and monetised a waste stream to support farmers. WOOLPACK does not contribute to waste pollution or landfill. Wool is a naturally compostable material that breaks down in the earth and delivers valuable nutrients back into the soil. The film that surrounds the WOOLPACK wool liners are also either compostable within home and commercial composting systems or recyclable through local councils.
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.
Planet Protector is Closing the Loop
Our new manufacturing capabilities has given us the capability to process any fibre, including textile waste. Our new range of building insulation and acoustics will divert textile waste from landfill and give it a new home, in our homes. Planet Protector is proud to introduce denim insulation, made from 100% recycled denim fibres, it is a high-performance and cost-efficient sustainable solution. Planet Protector is the only manufacturer of Denim Insulation in Australia. Planet Protector Denim insulation is manufactured locally at our facility in Victoria, it has no fibreglass itch and is effortless to handle and install.
Safcol signs up with APCO to reduce packaging waste
Safcol is taking action to improve the recovery of packaging at end-of-life and increase the use of reusable packaging, working with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisations (APCO). Safcol has diverted waste going to landfills by 392 tonnes, through plastic and cardboard recycling and food waste to compost. Safcol aspires to a 5% increase in landfill reduction to 411 tonnes by 2025
Evidence
Safcol partners with Clean Up Australia
Safcol No Net Tuna is a proud partner of Clean Up Australia. For every can of No Net Tuna sold, we contribute 5 cents towards Clean Up Australia, helping the iconic Aussie charity provide free resources and materials to communities, schools and youth groups all year round, supporting Australians everywhere to clean up, fix up and conserve the environment.
Solar Panel Initiative
Some of our highlights over the past few years include being one of the first coffee roasters in Australia to install rooftop solar panels. Meaning a large percentage of our power usage is drawn directly from our solar system and any leftover is put back into the grid.
Grounds from brewing saved from landfill
Last year we commercially composted 23 tonnes of coffee grounds as a biproduct of our coffee brewing, diverting it from landfill and repurposing it to improve soil health. These grounds are also collected by our local gardening and permaculture community. They are an excellent source of nitrogen for gardens.
Carbon Offset
We were able to purchase 3,464 verified carbon units to offset our C02 emissions. These were both Australian and international carbon-offsetting initiatives. We partnered with the team at Pangolin Associates who helped us find the best initiatives to support from setting up wind farms to tree planting programs.
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
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.
Renewable energy adoption
We are actively reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy to align with global efforts to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our focus is on increasing the share of renewable energy in total electricity consumption. In 2022, the share of renewable energy in total electricity consumption increased several times to 15.6 million kWh compared to 3.1 million kWh in 2021. Solar installations: Solar energy is clean and environmentally friendly, making it a sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. New solar installations on the roofs of two manufacturing sites are already producing solar energy, and the construction of additional solar installations is in the planning stage.
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.
Recyclable Consumer Packaging
As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) we have committed to move all our consumer facing packaging from PEVA bags, to 100% recyclable cardboard by 2025. We have already made the first steps on this journey, with new packaging to begin rolling out in 2023. This packaging will not only be 100% recyclable, but it will also be made from at least 50% recycled materials and feature the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to easily communicate disposal methods.
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.
Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility
In March 2020 we moved our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities to solar energy. In the first 3 months this saved the equivalent of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is the equivalent of 81,816km not driven in a car expelling CO2 or 315 trees planted to use up the CO2 emitted. In late 2021, we moved to our new state-of-the-art facilities where we were unable to install solar energy straight away. It was a requirement that we monitor the power output of our new machinery for a period of time to ensure the right system could be put into place to cover our needs. We have been doing this and are now proud to announce, that as of the 1st of May our New Head Office and Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne is Solar Powered. We will share with you over the coming months the impact this has in terms of CO2 emissions.
Internal Recycling
We have a number of different recycling bins across our office and manufacturing facility that are used to efficiently sort and manage our waste. These bins are then regularly collected by our appointed waste services provider for recycling. We also re-use where possible, cardboard cartons across manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Adoption of AMR - Paperless Pick Pack
Our state-of-the-art new operations facility features AMR (Autonomous mobile robots). Used in the process of picking customer orders, these have reduced the need for paper based picking slips, significantly reducing our paper usage.
Heropacks - Eco-Conscious Mailers
For all online orders, where appropriate, we are distributing them using Heropacks. These eco-conscious mailers are made from home-compostable materials such as corn starch and PBAT. Taking 90-120 to break down in the right conditions, they can be put into your backyards compost heap.
Electric Forklifts - Reduce our Consumption of Fossil Fuels
We use electric forklifts in our manufacturing facility to help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and be environmentally friendly. They also mean no exhaust fumes for a cleaner, healthier working environment.
Good360 Everyone Day - People and Planet Campaign
Good360 Australia is on a mission to raise funds that will enable us to deliver $1 billion worth of brand-new goods to meet the growing needs of communities across Australia, while also reducing waste in our environment. To help achieve our mission, Good360 has created a unique fundraising event called EveryOne Day. The proceeds raised from EveryOne Day go towards supporting over 4,250 charities and disadvantaged schools Australia-wide, by providing brand-new essential goods such as clothing, toiletries, mattresses and toys. EveryOne Day began in October 2023 and will continue to run annually in October to achieve grand social and environmental goals. If you are a business focused on sustainability with social impact, please join us today at https://good360.org.au/everyone-day/get-involved/
Disaster Recovery strategic response
We launched our Disaster Recovery strategic response after the cycle of back-to-back disasters began with the 2019 Black Summer bushfires. Our campaign helped get the right goods, to the right people, at the right time throughout all stages of a disaster providing hope and dignity to communities adversely impacted.
Launching the Good360 Inner Circle and EveryOne Day
Enter 2023 and a new ‘silent’ disaster’ hit our shores - the cost of living crisis. Good360 supported on average 15,000 people every week Australia-wide who were struggling to buy everyday essentials. Following a team-concerted effort, two inaugural launches were celebrated. Good360 Inner Circle, our partner pledge and recognition program; and EveryOne Day - our annual fundraising event.
Wastewater management
- Using recycled water at some major airport wash bays - Complying with all relevant wastewater legislation
No Animal Testing
All our products are certified cruelty free by CCF (Choose Cruelty Free)
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.
Recyclable Consumer Packaging
As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) we have committed to move all our consumer facing packaging from PEVA bags, to 100% recyclable cardboard by 2025. We have already made the first steps on this journey, with new packaging to begin rolling out in 2023. This packaging will not only be 100% recyclable, but it will also be made from at least 50% recycled materials and feature the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to easily communicate disposal methods.
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.
Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility
In March 2020 we moved our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities to solar energy. In the first 3 months this saved the equivalent of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is the equivalent of 81,816km not driven in a car expelling CO2 or 315 trees planted to use up the CO2 emitted. In late 2021, we moved to our new state-of-the-art facilities where we were unable to install solar energy straight away. It was a requirement that we monitor the power output of our new machinery for a period of time to ensure the right system could be put into place to cover our needs. We have been doing this and are now proud to announce, that as of the 1st of May our New Head Office and Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne is Solar Powered. We will share with you over the coming months the impact this has in terms of CO2 emissions.
Internal Recycling
We have a number of different recycling bins across our office and manufacturing facility that are used to efficiently sort and manage our waste. These bins are then regularly collected by our appointed waste services provider for recycling. We also re-use where possible, cardboard cartons across manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Adoption of AMR - Paperless Pick Pack
Our state-of-the-art new operations facility features AMR (Autonomous mobile robots). Used in the process of picking customer orders, these have reduced the need for paper based picking slips, significantly reducing our paper usage.
Heropacks - Eco-Conscious Mailers
For all online orders, where appropriate, we are distributing them using Heropacks. These eco-conscious mailers are made from home-compostable materials such as corn starch and PBAT. Taking 90-120 to break down in the right conditions, they can be put into your backyards compost heap.
Electric Forklifts - Reduce our Consumption of Fossil Fuels
We use electric forklifts in our manufacturing facility to help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and be environmentally friendly. They also mean no exhaust fumes for a cleaner, healthier working environment.
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.
Recyclable Consumer Packaging
As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) we have committed to move all our consumer facing packaging from PEVA bags, to 100% recyclable cardboard by 2025. We have already made the first steps on this journey, with new packaging to begin rolling out in 2023. This packaging will not only be 100% recyclable, but it will also be made from at least 50% recycled materials and feature the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to easily communicate disposal methods.
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.
Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility
In March 2020 we moved our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities to solar energy. In the first 3 months this saved the equivalent of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is the equivalent of 81,816km not driven in a car expelling CO2 or 315 trees planted to use up the CO2 emitted. In late 2021, we moved to our new state-of-the-art facilities where we were unable to install solar energy straight away. It was a requirement that we monitor the power output of our new machinery for a period of time to ensure the right system could be put into place to cover our needs. We have been doing this and are now proud to announce, that as of the 1st of May our New Head Office and Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne is Solar Powered. We will share with you over the coming months the impact this has in terms of CO2 emissions.
Adoption of AMR - Paperless Pick Pack
Our state-of-the-art new operations facility features AMR (Autonomous mobile robots). Used in the process of picking customer orders, these have reduced the need for paper based picking slips, significantly reducing our paper usage.
Heropacks - Eco-Conscious Mailers
For all online orders, where appropriate, we are distributing them using Heropacks. These eco-conscious mailers are made from home-compostable materials such as corn starch and PBAT. Taking 90-120 to break down in the right conditions, they can be put into your backyards compost heap.
Electric Forklifts - Reduce our Consumption of Fossil Fuels
We use electric forklifts in our manufacturing facility to help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and be environmentally friendly. They also mean no exhaust fumes for a cleaner, healthier working environment.
Carbon neutral shipping
Our courier partners offset carbon emissions for every delivery.
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.
Our Commitment Towards Building a Sustainable Future
As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) we have committed to move all our consumer facing packaging, across all areas of our business, from PEVA bags, to 100% recyclable cardboard by 2025. We have already made the first steps on this journey, with new packaging to begin rolling out in 2023. This packaging will not only be 100% recyclable, but it will also be made from at least 50% recycled materials and feature the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to easily communicate disposal methods.
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
Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility
In March 2020 we moved our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities to solar energy. In the first 3 months this saved the equivalent of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is the equivalent of 81,816km not driven in a car expelling CO2 or 315 trees planted to use up the CO2 emitted. In late 2021, we moved to our new state-of-the-art facilities where we were unable to install solar energy straight away. It was a requirement that we monitor the power output of our new machinery for a period of time to ensure the right system could be put into place to cover our needs. We have been doing this and are now proud to announce, that as of the 1st of May our New Head Office and Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne is Solar Powered. We will share with you over the coming months the impact this has in terms of CO2 emissions.
Internal Recycling
We have a number of different recycling bins across our office and manufacturing facility that are used to efficiently sort and manage our waste. These bins are then regularly collected by our appointed waste services provider for recycling. We also re-use where possible, cardboard cartons across manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Adoption of AMR - Paperless Pick Pack
Our state-of-the-art new operations facility features AMR (Autonomous mobile robots). Used in the process of picking customer orders, these have reduced the need for paper based picking slips, significantly reducing our paper usage.
Heropacks - Eco-Conscious Mailers
For all online orders, where appropriate, we are distributing them using Heropacks. These eco-conscious mailers are made from home-compostable materials such as corn starch and PBAT. Taking 90-120 to break down in the right conditions, they can be put into your backyards compost heap.
Electric Forklifts - Reduce our Consumption of Fossil Fuels
We use electric forklifts in our manufacturing facility to help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and be environmentally friendly. They also mean no exhaust fumes for a cleaner, healthier working environment.
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.
Recyclable Consumer Packaging
As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) we have committed to move all our consumer facing packaging from PEVA bags, to 100% recyclable cardboard by 2025. We have already made the first steps on this journey, with new packaging to begin rolling out in 2023. This packaging will not only be 100% recyclable, but it will also be made from at least 50% recycled materials and feature the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to easily communicate disposal methods.
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
Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility
In March 2020 we moved our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities to solar energy. In the first 3 months this saved the equivalent of 12.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions. That is the equivalent of 81,816km not driven in a car expelling CO2 or 315 trees planted to use up the CO2 emitted. In late 2021, we moved to our new state-of-the-art facilities where we were unable to install solar energy straight away. It was a requirement that we monitor the power output of our new machinery for a period of time to ensure the right system could be put into place to cover our needs. We have been doing this and are now proud to announce, that as of the 1st of May our New Head Office and Manufacturing Plant in Melbourne is Solar Powered. We will share with you over the coming months the impact this has in terms of CO2 emissions.
Internal Recycling
We have a number of different recycling bins across our office and manufacturing facility that are used to efficiently sort and manage our waste. These bins are then regularly collected by our appointed waste services provider for recycling. We also re-use where possible, cardboard cartons across manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Adoption of AMR - Paperless Pick Pack
Our state-of-the-art new operations facility features AMR (Autonomous mobile robots). Used in the process of picking customer orders, these have reduced the need for paper based picking slips, significantly reducing our paper usage.
Heropacks - Eco-Conscious Mailers
For all online orders, where appropriate, we are distributing them using Heropacks. These eco-conscious mailers are made from home-compostable materials such as corn starch and PBAT. Taking 90-120 to break down in the right conditions, they can be put into your backyards compost heap.
Electric Forklifts - Reduce our Consumption of Fossil Fuels
We use electric forklifts in our manufacturing facility to help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and be environmentally friendly. They also mean no exhaust fumes for a cleaner, healthier working environment.
felix partners with MobileMuster to recycle mobile phones
Help your pre-loved mobile phones live on by recycling them through our partner Mobile Muster. Our mobile phones are created from a wide range of materials, including precious materials which are extracted from the earth. Recycling these devices means the materials can then be re-used, so we reduce the need to take more from the earth. Not only that, but recycling mobile phones reduces energy usage. When we make new products out of unused materials, we use energy to extract and process materials which in return burns more fossil fuels . Lastly, recycling pre-loved mobile phones also reduces pollution. Overall, it improves air quality by reducing the need for power used in the mining, refining, processing, and shipping of raw materials and through this process, we avoid potentially hazardous materials from entering our environment. We're proud to be partnering with Mobile Muster to help you recycle your pre-loved and old mobile phones in just a few easy steps! Learn more here: https://felixmobile.com.au/purpose/mobile-muster
felix partners with One Tree Planted - with a goal to plant 1,000,000 trees
We've partnered with non-profit partner, One Tree Planted, to help regenerate the planet. How does it work? Just for choosing felix as your phone plan provider, we’ll contribute one tree for every month you’re with us through One Tree Planted. Along the way we’ve also made some donations including 15,000 seedlings for bush fire relief in Australia when we launched in late 2020 and 25,000 additional trees for World Environment Day in June of 2021. We work with the passionate team at One Tree Planted to select the projects where the felix trees will be planted. Project selection considers the planting season and other benefits such as biodiversity and community benefits. One Tree Planted’s local planting partners then plant the saplings in the rainy season and the trees are monitored and maintained. We then receive a report on the impact generated and share it back with our felix customers! Essentially by being with felix, you’re supporting one little sapling to be grown in local nurseries, planted in the earth, and cared for in the wild in its early stages of life. What projects does felix work with? To date, we've planted here at home in Australia, as well as around the world in places like India and The Andes. You'll often see us contributing to a new project every three months, depending on where it's the rainy season at that time. At the end of the project, we send a wrap up to our community, so you know what tree species we've planted, the number of trees and any great benefits that have come from working with the local communities along the way. Our Tree Planting Projects: January - March 2023: Brazil, Agroforestry Cocoa Project October – December 2022: Indonesia, Kalimantan Water Catchment Restoration July - September 2022: Southwest Western Australia and South Australia April – June 2022: Uganda, Plant Trees for Chimpanzees January – March 2022: Bhutan, Fruits For All Project October – December 2021: Plant for Punjab (India) April-September 2021: Southwest Western Australia (Trees contributed: 72,676) January-March 2021: The Andes, South America (Trees contributed: 10,031) Previous projects + donations: PROJECT – 778 trees contributed to a project in the Philippines through One Tree Planted (December 2020) DONATION - 25,000 trees donated to One Tree Planted for World Environment Day (June 2021) DONATION - 15,000 trees donated to One Tree Planted for Australian Bushfire Relief (November 2020).
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/ .
Freedom To Green Committee
Freedom's 'Freedom to Green' is our internal committee with a shared vision of creating a greener and healthier future, inspiring change internally and externally. The committee has had impact across initiatives such as recycling and waste management, advocacy for renewable energy, sensor and LED lighting, PandaDoc to eliminate paper use, education on sustainability for all teams and upcycling carboard packaging.
Building the world’s first Sponge Garden
We’re super proud to partner with Community Gardens Australia to launch the world’s first Sponge Garden. Using Koh’s 100% biodegradable Dish Sponges (made from wood pulp) we’ve designed a layered garden bed. The self watering design reduces water usage and creates a happier home for your plants! The sponges act as water retention, feeding your plant, until being composted over time, breaking down and turning into plant food.
Authenticity Index™ research
Every year, we conduct free and publicly available research with McCrindle to track the state of authentic sustainability in Aussie businesses. Spoiler alert: there's a strong positive correlation between businesses embracing sustainability authentically, and their performance across customer growth, profit, innovation, resilience, productivity, talent attraction and talent retention. Changemakers can use this research to shift the dialogue from altruistic to commercial, building a compelling business case for accelerating sustainability in their organisation.
Authenticity Accelerators™
We run free monthly online masterclasses to help organisations get their sustainability ducks in a row when it comes to their Commitments, Culture and Communications. These sessions, aligned with our unique model for authentic sustainability, are designed as practical toolkits for anyone with sustainability in their remit.
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.
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.
Safer places and communities
Polar Enviro's Vivacity brand provides affordable lights for use with public transport and in public places to reduce risk and improve safety. The in-ground and overhead lights have been used by Councils and in private facilities to reduce risk for pedestrians and bike riders at night. Specific examples include West Tamar Council in Tasmania and Wyndham Council in Victoria providing wayfinding lighting through parks, and Yarra Trams providing additional lighting for passengers at ten tram stops in suburban Melbourne.
Passing Plants
This year, Law Team is partnering with Passing Plants to give Christmas gifts that cultivate connection, sustainability, inclusivity and understanding. For every plant we gift, we’re placing a plant in an open space to be loved and nurtured by a stranger.
We recycle. Greener, better, rubbish removal
We are huge advocates for environmental sustainability and recycling. When you choose us to hire us, we embark on every endeavour to ensure that your rubbish and junk is recycled wherever possible. Over the past 15 years, we have strived to reshape our rubbish removal services in a manner that is delivered to serve the greater good. That means ensuring the highest recycling and sustainability practices are met with each and every rubbish removal job. When you choose Paul, you’re choosing a greener alternative to removing rubbish.
Taking Family Health Seriously
We take the full responsibility of our products, making sure they are effective and safe to use. ALSEAL environmentally-friendly polymer-based adhesives and sealants are Isocyanate free and do not cause any harm to the environment or to your health. We make it our top priority to continuously create products that are safe to use in home renovation as well as public renovation projects, such as construction works in schools and preschools. After being installed, ALSEAL polymer-based adhesives and sealants do not emit any toxic substances into the air, therefore, do not in any way affect your and your family’s health.
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.
Proud partners of The Hunger Project Australia.
We have a Grant Agreement with The Hunger Project whereby a portion of our commission from the sale of each property is donated to The Hunger Project. The Hunger Project’s goal is to end world hunger. We understand first-hand the powerful impact the work of The Hunger Project has to end world hunger on a global scale and are passionate advocates for their incredible work. The Hunger Project believes in empowering people to become owners of their own development. Not based on handouts, but built on female empowerment through education, generating knowledge, capacity and capability that has a long-term sustainable impact. Women in rural disadvantaged arrears are trained to be elected to represent their communities over a 5 year term to become effective, respected leaders in their communities. As a result, they bring water, electricity, sanitation, education and more, to their villages.
We Implement Responsible Waste Removal
We educate landlords and tenants on the importance of recycling, aiming to foster a culture of responsible waste management and resource conservation. We actively advocate for responsible waste management through: 1) ACTION - we ensure ALL properties under our management are provided with a full suite of council bins to allow tenants to dispose of waste thoughtfully. 2) EDUCATION - we provide information to all tenants as part of their welcome pack that details what rubbish goes in what bin. We actively monitor this at inspections to ensure they are doing the right thing. We do all that we can to get the 'reduce, reuse recycle' message across.
We Participate in Government Energy Upgrade Programs
We actively initiate participation in government schemes such as Victorian Energy Upgrades Program so our landlords and tenants benefit from energy saving products and services, as does the planet. The Victorian Energy Upgrades program helps households and businesses save energy and money with a range of discounts and special offers on selected energy-saving products and services. Discounts and special offers are only available from accredited providers as detailed on the Victorian Energy Upgrade products' pages. The program can help you with the cost of purchasing efficient appliances and products including: - chimney dampers and vent covers - clothes dryers - double-glazed windows - fridges and freezers (including help with recycling old fridges) - heating and cooling - hot water systems - lighting - pool pumps - showerheads - standby power controllers - TVs - weather-proofing strips.
We advocate for Energy Efficient Property Upgrades
We advocate for our vendors, landlords (and tenants) to make environmentally friendly upgrades to reduce resource consumption and waste, decrease carbon emissions and energy consumption, recycle rainwater and make the house more appealing and valuable. By fostering a culture of sustainable building practices, energy-efficient technologies, and the use of eco-friendly natural materials, we aim to create awareness and a positive environmental impact that extends beyond our property portfolio to create properties that prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability.. Examples include but are not limited to replacing broken appliances with a higher energy star rating model, installing more energy efficient lighting, more effective window furnishings such as blinds or curtains to better insulate the property, and water-saving fixtures. This can significantly reduce energy and water consumption. With the implementation of 'Minimum Standards' from March 2021, there is onus on all Landlords to ensure compliance of their investment property - we ensure properties under our management meet these Minimum Standards and encourage landlord's to choose the most energy efficient options to do so.
We Green Properties
Schickerling provides an in-house landscaping and garden maintenance service that focuses on promoting the greening of the properties we sell and manage. We actively encourage landlords to provide a maintained garden area for tenant's to enjoy, and encourage the harvesting of rainwater to support gardens. Through sustainable landscaping practices, including native plantings and water-efficient irrigation systems, we enhance biodiversity and create environmentally friendly outdoor spaces that benefit both residents and the surrounding ecosystem. This adds value to the property from a valuation perspective and makes it more appealing and enjoyable to tenants. Furthermore, it increases the tree canopy cover and is a driver to create a cooler, more climate resilient community with a lower carbon footprint. Trees and vegetation is critically important to both mental and physical health as cool and green environments encourage people to recreate and socialise outdoors. As the climate changes and we experience hotter, drier and more extreme weather conditions, our community will be more impacted by heat stress and flood risk. Healthy urban gardens are one of the most effective ways to mitigate urban heat and improve health outcomes in the community. We provide sustainable gardening and landscaping techniques that slow future warming by reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon storage in soil and plants. Water is critical to creating and maintaining much needed green, cool, and climate-adapted gardens, and we aim to help increase the amount of rain-water collected for garden use.
We provide a Hard Rubbish Removal & Recycling Service
We offer a Hard Waste Removal Service to our clients. Any components of hard waste that can be recycled or upcycled, we ensure get taken to the local transfer station, metal recyclers or to a community group to avoid landfill.
We are advocates to Local & State Government
Jodie Schickerling, Director and Officer In Effective Control is an active participant at local government level. Jodie is part of the Moonee Valley City Council Community Advisory Group providing recommendations to Council on 'How can Council achieve biodiversity in open spaces'. Jodie participates in community events such as 'National Tree Day Planting Event' to support the Victorian Government's 'More Trees For a Greener West' Program which will see more trees planted in Melbourne’s west. The program aims to plant trees in urban areas with the lowest tree canopy cover. This is a low-cost option to help address problems of the urban heat island effect as part of cooling and greening Melbourne.
We are active members In Community Environment Groups
Jodie Schickerling, Director and Officer In Effective Control is a member and active volunteer of Moonee Valley Sustainability (MVS). She was elected to the committee on 29/08/2023. MVS is a collective of local volunteers, supporters, and community groups in Moonee Valley who promote, support, enable and advocate for sustainable living in the local community. MVS grow community capacity to prevent further climate impacts and build climate resilience through education, campaigns, events, innovative projects, research and enabling community connection. MVS constructively engages in and encourages evidence-based action on climate change and sustainable living, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource use. Successful sustainable living is about growing food and making products the community needs, to nurture a local, sharing, and circular economy in Moonee Valley.
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.
Climate Adaptation Requires Youth Action
CARYA was launched in 2020, bringing together a courageous, cross-cultural group of young adults to learn about, discuss and take action on some of the key social and environmental issues impacting (and being impacted by) climate change. Our CARYA participants complete a 8 week training program, meeting expert speakers and discussing topics such as food security, climate justice, biodiversity, climate as a health issue, and waste. Training is intended to set up participants with essential sustainability knowledge, networks and communication skills. Training is flexible, and includes several field trips for CARYA participants to enhance their learning experience, with past trips including a local bush tucker walk guided by first peoples, visits to the Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary, e-bike rides to the Eco Justice Hub in Brunswick and a tour of the thriving urban backyard ‘The Plummery’ to meet permaculture expert Kat Lavers.
Community Garden
Our community garden is a volunteer-run garden that provides community members with a friendly environment to grow plants, learn and improve their gardening knowledge and skills, and make new friends. The garden is a productive fruit and vegetable garden, all the produce is made available to community members and groups that use our centre. See a variety of different waste management systems in action, with worm farms, bokashi and in-ground composting all in use at our community garden.
Partnered with 'Trees That Count'
Here at BB&B, we are proud to have partnered with Trees That Count, and in support of their efforts to help restore Aotearoa’s native biodiversity and natural ecosystems, we are donating $1 for every product in our eco-anthology range sold, to plant native trees.
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.
Circular Economy
We are working to recover 90 per cent of unwanted paint and packaging and transform them for use in Australia’s circular economy – where products are re-used or repurposed for other manufacturing or industry processes to keep them circulating instead of being discarded permanently.
