Late last year, Corporate Express won the prestigious Sustainable Company of the Year Award for its best practice in corporate sustainability across Australian Stock Exchange Listed companies.

 

The company was nominated for its exemplary sustainable supply chain program, which includes its Ethical Sourcing Program and EarthSaver product range of more than 600 environmentally preferable products.

 

Judges also commended Corporate Express for its outstanding environmental and labour relations record.

 

In announcing the award, John Newton, Group Environment and Sustainability Manager at Amcor, the Awards’ joint lead sponsor, said: "Sustainability is a journey, and for some companies it is more complex and riddled with detail than others.

 

"Corporate Express sells a vast array of products, many of which are manufactured overseas, particularly in Asia.  And with that, it has become a leader in establishing a meaningful level of sustainability commitments from its suppliers."

 

Jennifer Williams, Corporate Express’ Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, accepted the award on behalf of Corporate Express. She talks about the company’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program:

 

“We sell a huge variety of products, many of which are manufactured overseas, and in our journey to becoming a sustainable company meant making changes at all levels of the business.

 

“We had to improve our own internal operations, develop a code of ethics and then create a sustainable supply chain, which meant collaborating with suppliers to increase efficiency and competitiveness. 

 

“We believe that customers want to buy from companies who are aligned with the issues that are important to them, and will increasingly invest in and buy from companies which share their values. 

 

“Once upon a time, customers focused on the ‘environmental friendliness’ of products – they wanted to know about recycled content, and recycling at end-of-life. Now they want to know where the product is sourced from, and whether it’s sourced ethically, as well as environmentally responsibly.

 

“We work with our suppliers to ensure that our products are sourced and manufactured using sound employment practices, covering both human rights and environmental management practices. 

 

“At the same time, price is still an issue.

 

“We still need to be commercially competitive, and the skilful management of our supply chain has become very critical to our success,” she says.

 

The company’s sustainability policies are not limited to its supply chain practices, and the judges were also impressed with Corporate Express’ workplace and community programs.

 

“Our commitment to CSR principles extends to our own, internal processes and systems,” says Jennifer. “The judges recognised our community support program, our employee engagement statistics and our flexible workplace policies, as well as our improved OH&S performance, which has led to a 25 per cent reduction in lost time injury rates.

 

“We believe that our stand on corporate social responsibility has and will continue to create the foundation for long-term business success, and I’m delighted that we continue to be recognised as leaders in sustainability not only in the office products industry but in Australian businesses.”