Held in June for the third consecutive year, the week-long event included daily sessions to bring staff up-to-date on our initiatives including those to reduce our waste and carbon emissions.  It also encouraged them to learn more about our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy which determines how we care for our natural and social environments.

A huge positive for Westpro is that our staff are embracing our endeavours with many involved in our energy saving treasure hunt to identify opportunities for us to become more sustainable over the next 20 years.

We are also identifying other reuse opportunities across our liquid and solid waste.

Some of our initiatives underway include regular waste audits, ensuring our suppliers provide us with ingredients that can be recycled and getting staff to remove plastics off cardboard so it can be recycled. Staff gave the thumbs up to our initiative to compost shrinkwrap inner cardboard tubes, which can’t be recycled.

Work is ongoing to identify ways to reduce CO2 emissions and identify alternative energy sources as required by the proposed national target of 2037 for an end to the use of coal-fired boilers.

One of the projects in our carbon reduction plan is to remove the diesel boiler at our Rolleston site and instead use LPG steam to produce hot water through a heat exchanger.  This project is expected to generate a 13 per cent reduction in our emissions at the Rolleston site.

There was plenty of opportunity for staff involvement in the week’s activities, including participating in the competition for the best nature photo.  Our Christchurch staff enjoyed the chance to pitch in and get their hands dirty at a Saturday tree planting event at the Halswell quarry.