Suncorp introduces office composting, as teams celebrate National Recycling Week
Members from the team designing Suncorp’s new Brisbane-based headquarters visited Queensland’s largest organic waste recycler, NuGrow, this week to learn how they can apply sustainable practices to our work spaces.
Share
Tour participants from Suncorp, Mirvac and SUEZ had the opportunity to learn about how green waste is transformed into high-grade composts, rather than going to landfill, and picked up tips on ways to reduce waste in the home.
The tour follows the introduction of a new Suncorp program to turn greenhouse gas emitting office organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. The organic waste program will be rolled out to Suncorp’s new Brisbane-based headquarters, Heritage Lanes, which remains on track to be completed in 2022.
Employees at our brand-new Brisbane HQ will be able to recycle their organic waste, which means that paper towels and food scraps including those from fruit and vegetables, pasta, bread, and cereal, will not be sent to landfill.
By composting our organic waste, we are diverting it from landfill, which is great for the environment and reflects our ongoing focus on sustainability.
Maria McGarry, Suncorp’s Operations Manager for Brisbane HQ
Suncorp’s Operations Manager for Brisbane HQ Maria McGarry said Suncorp has many ways to recycle, including general waste, mixed recycling, coffee cups, paper and cardboard, e-waste and batteries, and now, organic waste.
“We’ve successfully rolled out organic waste bins in our largest Melbourne and Sydney commercial offices and selected Brisbane sites,” Ms McGarry said.
“Organic waste in landfill releases methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By composting our organic waste, we are diverting it from landfill, which is great for the environment and reflects our ongoing focus on sustainability.”
67%
Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2010
Heritage Lanes is being developed by Mirvac and will be a six-star green designed building with five-star energy, four-star water NABERS rating. In addition to environmental ratings, the site is also targeting to achieve a Gold Shell and Core WELL rating making it one of the first to do so in Queensland. The WELL Building Standard uses seven core concepts of health and hundreds of features to ensure building design advances human health and wellbeing.
Suncorp has achieved a 67 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2010 (7.2 per cent year-on-year reduction in 2019-20). The outcome is a result of Suncorp’s Environmental Performance Plan, which sets out the Group’s strategy to transition to a low-emissions and resource-efficient organisation.
