Komatsu Australia has renewed its partnership with the Endeavour Foundation, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and job creation.
This collaboration not only aims to reduce Komatsu’s environmental impact but also provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
The Endeavour Foundation, an independent, purpose-driven organisation, supports people with disabilities through independent living or other forms of accommodation, community initiatives and employment opportunities.
The partnership focuses on creating job opportunities within Komatsu’s Oil and Wear Analysis (KOWA) department. As part of this initiative, supported employees clean 100 per cent recycled plastic canisters, which are then reused up to six times.
Komatsu supply chain executive general manager Russell Hodson said the company had been working with the Endeavour Foundation since 2021 and is enthusiastic about extending this 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 per cent 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 said.
“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 its 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.
“Since we began our relationship in 2021, together we have recycled over 450,000 KOWA bottles, preventing 12,000kg of waste going to landfill.”
Endeavour Foundation executive general manager Shannon Foley said access to employment opportunities rermained 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,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to work together with Komatsu on this valuable initiative and seeing what other future opportunities we can create.”