Telstra and SingTel Optus have been named as winners at the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation’s (APCO) annual awards in Sydney, with the telcos being recognised for their “ongoing commitment to sustainable packaging.”

APCO celebrated the achievements of 14 Australian organisations representing a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, retail, transport, hospitality, pharmaceutical and technology. [the_ad_placement id=”in-content”]/p>

APCO, the organisation charged by government to make all packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025, connects business, government and industry to find the best possible ways of managing packaging efficiency and sustainability in Australia.

The event recognised those Australian businesses deemed to be crucial allies in the war on waste by reducing the detrimental impact of packaging on the environment.

Winner of the 2018 Telecommunications Sector Award, SingTel Optus was praised for making significant improvements in its sustainable packaging and environmental performance. “Through regular governance meetings with internal stakeholders, suppliers and logistics partners, Optus has been able to identify a number of opportunities to reuse consumer packaging,” said APCO, noting that in 2017, Optus had managed to successfully recycle its SIM cards, which meant it could divert 1.47 tonnes of material from landfill.

“Our continued focus on building a strong strategy and better environmental outcomes across the business is demonstrated by tangible outcomes that have great economic and environmental outcomes,” said Nik Comito, Director, Environmental Sustainability, SingTel Optus.

Telstra was also awarded with the 2018 Telecommunications Sector Award, recognised for making significant progress in its sustainability operations. Its SIM kits are now made using 90% recycled cardboard packaging material, and distribution packaging has been reduced by over 16 tonnes a year by optimising the size and thickness of plastic satchels.

“This achievement is due to the dedicated cross-company collaboration between our Retail, Procurement and Supply Chain teams to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging across the value chain,” said Pauline Gregg, General Manager, Environment, Telstra.

Finally, Samsung Australia, Panasonic Australia and Fuji Xerox Australia were shortlisted for their range of commendable sustainability initiatives.

For more information visit www.packagingcovenant.org.au