Giving away unsolicited products is a risky proposition, with each person having their own interpretation of what is useful or superfluous. With more than 78 million tonnes of waste generated across Australia each year, Downer is determined to do better, by its stakeholders, by the communities it works in, and by our environment.

Starting with the Australian Airports Association Operations Forum in June 2022, Downer Road Services is planting a tree for every delegate registered instead of gifting promotional products for their conferences. This initiative by Downer is just one in a wide range of measures by the company in recent years to reduce its carbon footprint and improve environmental outcomes in the communities in which it works.

Downer has also established a $1.4 billion Sustainability Linked Loan – the largest in Australia in 2020. The loan is underpinned by KPI metrics relating to Downer’s greenhouse gas emissions reductions and social sustainability.

Fifteen Trees is delighted to commence this important partnership with Downer, supporting the organisation in meeting its carbon emission reduction goals, while providing a myriad of environmental benefits in target regions across Australia.

Site 1 | 200 trees | Kinglake, VIC

As Platinum Sponsor of the 2022 Australian Airports Association Airport Operations OPS SWAP Forum, Downer has invested in planting one tree for every delegate registered in lieu of gifting promotional products. That’s a total of 200 trees, with the potential to sequester more than 55,000 kilograms of atmospheric carbon over their lifetime.  The Forum will focus on technical issues, new technologies and challenges that airports face on a day-to-day basis, including airfield regulations, safety and improving sustainability within this critical industry.

Downer’s trees were planted at Kinglake, VIC by members of the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network. When we work with Landcare, we know we are ensuring the trees planted are regionally indigenous, this is extremely important when it comes to the viability of the planting projects. Some of the species of trees planted include; Manna gum, Box Ironbark, Stringybark, Candlebark and numerous species of wattles and bottlebrushes.

For over a century, the natural vegetation and animal corridors have been dominated by agriculture pastures and human productivity. Now as these corridors slowly revegetate back into native woodlands and forests, animals such as the Powerful Owl, Swift Parrot, Brush-tailed Phascogale and Regent Honeyeater will return to the area.

Thanks to Downer and Fifteen Trees we have gained more wildlife and nature in our backyard. More importantly wildlife safely travels from the Murrindindi River without crossing open pasture.

Native bees flourish. Birds are singing.

Brett Williams | Landcare Member | Upper Goulburn Landcare Network

Downer is the first Australian infrastructure company to register a binding, science-based, net-zero emissions target with the United Nations.  In 2019, Downer committed to the decarbonisation of our absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 45-50 per cent by 2035 from a 2018 base year, and to being net zero by the second half of the century. In 2021, they tightened this commitment to being net zero by 2050.

More information about Downer’s approach to sustainability is available at downergroup.com/sustainability.

Writer; Colleen Filippa. Colleen is the Founding Director of Fifteen Trees. Fifteen Trees is a social enterprise based in the Central Highlands of Victoria.