For the second year running, Kimberly-Clark Australia has been recognised at the Banksia Awards winning the Environment Minister’s Award for a Cleaner Environment. Source: Timberbiz.
At the Banksia Awards ceremony on Tuesday, Federal Environment Minister, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, awarded sustainability leader Kimberly-Clark Australia (KCA) with the Environment Minister’s Award for a Cleaner Environment.
The award recognises Kimberly-Clark’s South Australian manufacturing site in Millicent, which makes Kleenex tissues, Cottonelle and Viva Paper Towel, for its contribution towards achieving the objective of a cleaner, healthier, environment and a more resilient sustainable Australia.
Achievements of Kimberly-Clark Australia’s tissue mill include:
– Improvements to the sites wastewater, which has resulted in it now meeting Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, as verified by independent testing;
– Collaboration with the local community to restore biodiversity including wetland restoration and driving the establishment of a breeding program for the critically endangered Yarra Pygmy Perch;
– More than halving the site’s energy and carbon footprint over the past 5 years, assisted by the start-up of a $33 million cogeneration facility, which takes the Tissue Mill off the electricity grid and;
– Diverting on average 95 per cent of the sites manufacturing waste from landfill.
“Manufacturing doesn’t often get much of a wrap when it comes to sustainability and creating a cleaner environment,” said Jacquie Fegent-McGeachie, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs at Kimberly-Clark Australia.
“Therefore, we’re particularly proud to accept this Banksia Sustainability Award from the Minster Hunt and the Banksia Foundation, which we’re so proud to say is our second Banksia Award in two years.
“At this year’s ceremony, we had the opportunity to hear short TEDx type talks from all the businesses and organisations who were finalists, and it gave us the opportunity to listen, learn and be inspired by other organisations sustainability journey’s, which is a powerful tool for driving new thinking, innovation and change.”
For 55 years, Kimberly-Clark’s Millicent Mill has been a proud contributor to Australia’s South East as the region’s largest single employer and an active contributor in the community.
Scott Whicker, Millicent Mill manager said, “driving sustainability initiatives at our site has helped us to reduce our energy and landfill costs, whilst also making a positive impact on the community and the environment”.
“We have proactively engaged and collaborated with our local stakeholders like the EPA and community groups to foster productive long term relationships.”
The Environment Minister’s Award for a Cleaner Environment builds on the recognition of Kimberly-Clark Australia’s sustainability achievements over the past 18 months which includes:
– The 2014 Australian Business Awards winning both the Innovation and Technology categories;
– The Banksia Awards for Leading in Sustainability for large Organisations (2013);
– The Australian Business Awards for Environmental Sustainability (2013) and;
– The Forest Stewardship Council Awards Supplier of the Year Award (2013).
