Komastu has announced our 2024 Live your Dream recipients, with 10 employees from Australia and New Caledonia presented with a $10,000 grant to go towards their nominated not-for-profit organisation or charity.
The Live Your Dream program has been running since 2017 and gives Komatsu employees the opportunity to contribute to organisations in their local community or wider society that are close to their hearts.
Colin Shaw, Executive General Manager, People and Strategy from Komatsu Australia says the program is one that is very popular among employees, as it allows them to give back in many ways.
"The Live Your Dream program consistently earns great feedback from our people and the organisations we give back to. This year we had 32 nominations, which shows how keen Komatsu employees are to get involved and make a difference in their community. It was hard to narrow it down to just 10 recipients,” he says.
“This initiative is a source of great pride for us, as it provides our people with a unique chance to give back in a meaningful way that they typically might not be able to undertake on their own, and it allows us to demonstrate what a great workplace Komatsu is and how we are constantly looking at ways we can build value with our people,” Colin says.
This first dream to kick off this year’s program will be Business Manager Construction Excavators, Scott Berry’s dream, who will complete a bike ride from Brisbane to Sydney to support Lifestart, a not-for-profit committed to improving outcomes for children and young people living with disability.
Scott chose to support Lifestart as they supported Scott and his family when his son was diagnosed with Autism as a child, working closely with his son to teach him many life skills, social skills and ways to integrate into the community.
Scott is currently half way through his ride, with some of his Komatsu colleagues joining him towards the end to show their support.
The 10 Live Your Dream recipients for 2024 will start to deliver their grants over the next year.
The 2024 Komatsu ‘dreamers’ are:
- Lee Riley, Electrician (HV)
Gladstone, Queensland
Supporting Brainchild Foundation
- Sandra Cleere, Lab Supervisor and Kelly-Anne Bartlett, Administrator
Thornton, New South Wales
Supporting We Care Connect
- Scott Berry, Business Manager Construction Excavators
Fairfield, New South Wales
Supporting Lifestart
- Elizabeth Moreno, Customer Support Sales Representative
Mt Isa, Queensland
Supporting Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare
- Nicole Truran, Branch Manager
Geraldton, Western Australia
Supporting Aristocat 2
- Alana Romano, Field Service Technician
Cairns, Queensland
Supporting KickOn
- Valerie Bensimo, Commercial Manager
Noumea, New Caledonia
Supporting Foyer Bethanie
- Brianna Rennie, People Experience Partner and Kieron Hinsley, Electrical Apprentice Supervisor
Welshpool, Western Australia
Supporting Zero2Hero
- Kimberly Ward, Regional Estimator
Fairfield, New South Wales
Supporting Friends with Dignity
- Diana Easter, Workshop Supervisor
Mackay, Queensland
Supporting Castle Hill Spinney Ltd trading as Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia