MEDIA RELEASE 10 DECEMBER 2008
Business essentials supplier Corporate Express Australia Limited was named Sustainable Company of the Year at the 8th Australian Sustainability Awards at a luncheon in Sydney on Monday.
The Australian Sustainability Awards recognise best practice in corporate sustainability across Australian Stock Exchange Listed companies.
Corporate Express was nominated for its supply chain program, which the company has implemented throughout its top 100 suppliers and for its 400 plus green products line. Judges also commended Corporate Express for its outstanding environmental and labour relations record.
Corporate Express’ Managing Director Grant Harrod was thrilled to have his company recognised for the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes since he was appointed to this role in 2002.
“As a distribution company, we realised that the biggest difference we could make was in the way we approached our supply chain. We supply many companies around Australia and so if we make good decisions in regards to our products, we enable our clients to make good decisions too. We share this journey together,” he said.
“It was difficult to be a corporate social responsibility (CSR)-focused CEO of a public company in 2002, but over the past few years investors have started recognising companies who do good things socially, ethically and environmentally and the positive relationship between these behaviours and strong financial returns. This Award is further recognition of our CSR focus.
“We’ve made some major decisions based on improved sustainability. In 2004, we shifted our primary source of copy paper from an overseas supplier to an Australian company. It was a significant decision based not just on cost, but principally on sustainability.
“We recognise that sustainability is a point of difference for suppliers. There are so many office products on the market that have fairly similar features and benefits. If one of our suppliers can offer the same product but manufactured in a more sustainable way, this product becomes more valuable to us.
“Our commitment to CSR principles also goes beyond our supply chain and in presenting the Award we were also recognised for our community support program, our improved OH&S performance leading to a 25% reduction in lost time injury rates, our employee engagement statistics and our flexible workplace policies, ” he added.
