CHEP Australia has signed a partnership with Landcare Australia to make a significant contribution to the sustainability and productivity of Australia’s valuable land and water assets.
The new partnership will deliver a number of strategic projects that create value for CHEP’s supply chain partners, the environment and regional communities. Landcare Australia’s rigorous project selection criteria will ensure the partnership delivers a range of positive outcomes including, natural habitat restoration, enhancing biodiversity and building resilience in Australia’s food and farming systems. These important issues connect CHEP’s supply chain partners to the needs of society and the environment and support Landcare Australia’s vision for all Australians to actively care for the land and water that sustains us.
The partnership will also offer meaningful volunteering opportunities for CHEP’s employees to join their local communities and regenerate the environment. All CHEP employees globally have three paid volunteering days per year to support causes that make a positive impact in the communities in which they operate.
CHEP’s sustainable platforms form the invisible backbone of Australia’s supply chains by safely and efficiently transporting fresh produce and fast-moving consumer goods from producers to manufacturers through to retailers. CHEP’s circular, share and reuse model creates efficiencies by maximizing the use of pallets, crates, and containers by continuously sharing and reusing these assets among an extensive and collaborative network.
Phillip Austin, President, CHEP Asia Pacific, said “Like CHEP, Landcare Australia has a proudly Australian heritage and we couldn’t think of a more suitable partner to help regional communities work with farmers and address environmental problems at a local level. CHEP’s work has always eliminated waste throughout the supply chain. It helps to protect our forests and reduces landfill and this partnership will make our solutions even more sustainable.
Lachlan Feggans, Director Sustainability, CHEP Asia Pacific, said “CHEP’s customers are increasingly looking to make their supply chains more sustainable and more resilient and CHEP’s solutions allow growers, producers and food manufacturers to deliver life’s essentials more sustainably. This partnership helps connect our food production and farming system to the natural environment, highlighting everyone’s dependency on Australia’s unique natural assets”.
Shane Norrish, Landcare Australia CEO, said, “We’re excited to be partnering with CHEP who shares a commitment to environmental and biodiversity enhancements in regional communities. We’re also pleased to help facilitate CHEP employees getting hands-on with environmental corporate volunteering days at locations throughout Australia.”
The partnership with Landcare Australia will further support CHEP’s parent, Brambles’ commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular SDG 15 ‘Life on the Land’. As the partnership evolves CHEP aims to make its supply chain solutions synonymous with positive environmental action such as sequestering carbon emissions, enhancing biodiversity, landscape regeneration and developing more resilient food systems.
CHEP Australia’s FY18 sustainability snapshot
CHEP creates smarter, more sustainable supply chains and in 2018, CHEP’s circular share and reuse model has helped customers:
- Eliminate 1,223,823 tonnes of carbon emissions (CO2), equivalent to the CO2 produced by 174,000 Australian homes;
- Divert 762,581 tonnes of waste sent to landfill – equivalent to 108,000 full garbage trucks; and
In the same period CHEP Australia:
- Decreased absolute carbon emissions by 6% on FY17 levels;
- Achieved a 30% improvement in the Brambles injury frequency rate;
- Maintained full chain of custody certification under the internationally recognised PEFC program, sourcing 100% of its timber from certified sustainable forests; and
- Collaborated with 10 customers saving 17,868kms equating to over 17 tonnes of carbon emissions (CO2).
CHEP’s sustainability initiatives extend beyond the Landcare Australia partnership:
- CHEP is a signatory to the Australia Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and CHEP supports its customers to meet Australia’s 2025 sustainable packaging targets by providing customers with circular, share and reuse solutions.
- As part of CHEP’s sustainability offerings, customers can request a Sustainability Certificate to help demonstrate their contribution to the circular economy
- CHEP’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculator allows customers to quantify the benefits of using Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) over single use corrugated cardboard cartons.
- All CHEP sites have achieved zero product waste targets for timber and plastics. This demonstrates best practice product stewardship, which is a vital part of a functioning circular business.
- Harnessing new technology, CHEP Australia has installed the world’s largest printed solar photovoltaic array at their Newcastle service centre, pioneering a world first renewable energy innovation with the University of Newcastle University (UoN) and exploring solutions to address the increase in electricity costs.
To learn more about Brambles’ sustainability vision, 2020 goals and 2018 Sustainability Review, which incorporate the results achieved by CHEP Australia, visit: http://www.brambles.com/sustainability-review