Komatsu renews partnership with key disability service leader

The partnership focuses on providing employment opportunities within Komatsu’s oil wear analysis (KOWA) division, with supported employees cleaning the 100 per cent recycled plastic canisters so they can be reused up to six times.

“We’ve been able to not only offer meaningful employment to a number of people, but with more than 30 per cent of Komatsu’s plastic packaging waste generated through our KOWA bottles, this program and partnership also means we can significantly reduce the volume of plastic packaging waste that we are sending to landfill,” Komatsu Australia executive general manager – supply chain Russell Hodson said.

“This partnership is just one of the ways we are focusing on our ESG principles – it helps Komatsu reduce their environmental footprint, while also providing some meaningful employment to people with disabilities – and has proved to be such an important part of our overall supply chain in the KOWA division.”

The companies first began working together in 2021. Since then, they have recycled over 450,000 KOWA bottles, preventing 12,000kg of waste ending up in landfill.

“Meaningful employment is valuable to everyone, and we’re proud to play our part by helping to create roles for people with disability,” Endeavour Foundation executive general manager – work Shannon Foley said.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work together with Komatsu on this valuable initiative and seeing what other future opportunities we can create.”