Tag: Ecostore
Ecostore is leading the way with sustainability, and the Australasian business will be carbon-neutral by the end of 2019.
The goal is a keystone of ecostore’s 2018 Sustainability Report which will see both the Australia and New Zealand sites become carboNZero certified.
The only business in Australasia that makes and packages their products in a manufacturing plant that has been carboNZero certified since 2010, ecostore has already offset 769 tonnes of carbon
through the plant’s participation in the certification programme.
Ecostore has partnered with Enviro-Mark Solutions, which provides environmental certifications for sustainable businesses. The organisation will measure ecostore’s carbon emissions and help the
team reduce and offset these emissions to achieve carboNZero certification beyond the manufacturing plant to cover the entire organisation, including the Australian head office in Victoria,
and the finished goods warehouse facility, flagship store, and head office in New Zealand.
With ecostore’s ambitious plans to offset their impacts in the short term, and commitment to continual emissions reductions and
environmental improvement for the long term, they are setting an excellent example for other organisations.”
Ecostore’s 2018 Sustainability Report also outlines further action plans to tackle climate change, aligned with the Paris Agreement, to keep warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius and the Coalition government’s target to reduce total emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Ecostore products are stocked in more than 2000 stores in Australia and represent about 35% of the total business. Ecostore sells its products in 15 countries and employs more than 150 people.
In 2014 ecostore switched their plastic packaging to plastic made from sugarcane saving almost 4500 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Currently, 90 per cent of ecostore’s plastic is made from sugarcane and refill bottles are 10 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) made from milk bottles. The company has a target to achieve 100
per cent of renewable or recycled content in their packaging by 2025.
The company also has introduced new electric forklifts. Much like EV cars, these forklifts have no emissions, are quieter, require less maintenance and generally have a longer life than internal combustion engines. By recharging the battery during off-peak times, these forklifts have less impact on the grid.
Ecostore has also achieved Enviro-Mark Diamond certification for its environmental management system.
The packaging is a crucial area where the team can make a difference and where they’re committed to using renewable, recyclable packaging materials, so less ends up in landfill.
In 2018, ecostore customers saved as many as 86,520 bottles (500ml) by using the sustainability company’s refill stations. Ecostore is now focused on selling more bulk packs via refill stations to encourage reuse with a target of 140 per cent growth over the next five years.
Rolling out more refill stations at supermarkets across Australasia in 2019 is also another goal the company is working towards. The brand also plans to have new programs in place this year to create
a more circular economy and close the loop with their sugarcane plastic bottles to help eradicate plastic waste.
The 2018 Sustainability report aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.