Winning Group has published its Sustainability Progress Report outlining environmental, community, responsible sourcing and education and awareness initiatives achieved to meet the group’s 2025 Sustainability Strategy targets.
The report highlights the activities that have been implemented between 2021 and 2022. Some key achievements include:
Environmental
- Expansion of removal and recycling program to include mattresses and packaging in Australia and New Zealand
- Diverting over 23,230 tonnes of scrap metal to recycling
- Diverting 3,309 tonnes of packaging waste from landfill – representing an annual average of 70% landfill diversion for packaging waste in 2022
Community
- Establishing a partnership with Good360 Australia (including donations of $500,00 worth of products) and Dignity Homeless Services ($50,000 product support to provide 23,00 nights of temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness)
- Additional donations to organisations such as AIME, UN International Women’s Day, Cancer Council, Touched by Christopher Foundation and St Vincent’s Gadigal Room
- Releasing inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
Awareness and Education
- Launching efficient product rows on Appliances Online – an appliance industry first
- Launching an education campaign to prompt customers on post-purchase product care
Responsible Sourcing
- Development and implementation of Responsible Sourcing Roadmap and publication of Modern Slavery Statement
- Assessment of 88.06% of suppliers (by sales) and 100% of own brand supply chain
- Development and launch of Supplier Code of Conduct
Winning Group CEO, John Winning said, “As a century-old, fourth generation family business, we have continually adapted and innovated to create better experiences for our customers today and into the future. We recognise our responsibility to mitigate any harmful and negative, social and environmental impacts, which occur as a result of our business activities.
“Importantly we also recognise the opportunity to future-proof and transform our business, to not only meet the increasing risks and regulations, associated with operating our business in a rapidly changing world, but also changing customer and team expectations.
“We have placed sustainability at the core of our 10-year transformation strategy, with a mission to create the best experiences in the world, for the world – for our customers, people, communities and the planet. We have developed an understanding of how environmental and social risks represent risks for our business through issues such as modern slavery, supply chain disruptions, changing legal and regulatory demands, and rising costs for energy and transportation.”
Winning Group head of sustainable business and corporate social responsibility, Alice Kuepper added, “Over the two-year period, we have achieved major steps towards our 2025 goals including the expansion of our removal and recycling program for packaging waste and mattresses, the development and implementation of a Responsible Sourcing Roadmap and the launch of our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan.
“We have implemented robust management processes and systems, which allow us to report on waste generation and recycling outcomes, we have also calculated our first carbon footprint baseline and developed a mitigation plan.
“While we are proud of our achievements and believe we can create meaningful impact within our ecosystem and industry, we acknowledge that we are only at the start of our sustainability journey. We are committed to continuing to innovate new solutions and to influence changes in our industry, and customer behaviours, by creating awareness on social and environmental issues.”