Komatsu Australia is continuing their work towards reducing their environmental footprint, while helping to provide jobs for people with disability through the renewal of their partnership with disability service leader Endeavour Foundation.
Endeavour Foundation is an independent, for-purpose organisation that supports people with disabilities through independent living or other forms of accommodation, community initiatives and employment opportunities.
The partnership between Komatsu and Endeavour Foundation focuses on providing employment opportunities within Komatsu’s Oil Wear Analysis (KOWA) area. Supported employees in the program clean the 100% recycled plastic canisters so they can be reused up to six times.
.jpg_354?width=420&height=315)
Russell Hodson, Komatsu Australia’s Executive General Manager - Supply Chain, says they’ve been working with Endeavour Foundation since 2021, and are excited to continue the partnership for another three years.
“We’ve been able to not only offer meaningful employment to a number of people, but with more than 30% of Komatsu’s plastic packaging waste generated through our KOWA bottles, this program and partnership also means we can significantly reduce the volume of plastic packaging waste that we are sending to landfill,” he says.
“As a large, global company, we are always looking at ways we can use our presence to bring about some good in the world. This partnership is just one of the ways we are focusing on our ESG principles - it helps Komatsu reduce their environmental footprint, while also providing some meaningful employment to people with disabilities - and has proved to be such an important part of our overall supply chain in the KOWA division,” Russell says.
.jpg_354?width=420&height=525)
“Since we began our relationship in 2021, together we have recycled over 450,000 KOWA bottles that has prevented 12,000kg of waste going to landfill.”
Shannon Foley, Endeavour Foundation’s Executive General Manager – Work, says access to employment opportunities is an important goal for many people with disabilities.
“Meaningful employment is valuable to everyone, and we’re proud to play our part by helping to create roles for people with disability. We’re looking forward to continuing to work together with Komatsu on this valuable initiative and seeing what other future opportunities we can create,” Ms Foley said.