Welcome to the latest edition of Good Environmental News!
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Firstly, I hope you are keeping safe and looking after yourself - with a special shout out to anyone currently in lockdown.
We feel very fortunate that there's been so much to celebrate when it comes to sustainability despite the difficult circumstances around us!
Here are some of our highlights from the past few months.
Koala’s New GECA Certified Mattress Range is What Dreams Are Made Of!
GECA is extremely excited to announce the certification of the new Koala Mattress Range, GECA’s first-ever fully certified mattresses under our Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses (Level A) standard. From the makers of Australia’s most-loved mattress comes the brand spanking new mattress range featuring the Koala Mattress, the Koala Calm As and the Koala Soul Mate.
New GECA Certified Macro Whole Living Range
We're thrilled to announce that Macro Wholefoods, available exclusively at Woolworths, has launched a range of GECA certified household cleaning products. The range includes laundry, kitchen liquids and tablets, and multipurpose sprays that have been certified under our Cleaning Products and Machine Dishwashing standards.
New Licensee: Actichem
Actichem’s Responsibly Green Range focuses on environmentally responsible cleaning solutions which provide high-performance results in commercial cleaning. They have certified under our Cleaning Products standard.
New Licensee: Commercial Furniture Solutions
CFS is dedicated to meeting any workplace's visual and functional demands while minimising ongoing investment even as business needs change. They aim to deliver creative solutions for all your commercial furniture needs. They have certified under our Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses (Level A) and Furniture & Fittings (Level B) standards.
Recertified Licensee: Astec Paints
Astec Paints is a South Australian owned coatings manufacturer operating in Adelaide since 1978. Their product range and systems have proven their quality throughout Australia and overseas. Astec Paints manufactures a premium range of interior and exterior acrylic wall and alkyd trim products for the domestic and commercial markets. They have recertified under our Paints & Coatings standard.
Recertified Licensee: BGC Plasterboard
BGC is a dependable partner which can be relied upon to deliver high-quality products and services with minimum fuss. They share your concern for the earth and have worked hard to reduce their environmental footprint. They have recertified under our Panel Boards standard.
Recertified Licensee: CSM Office Furniture
CSM is an Australian-owned company manufacturing high-quality steel office and commercial storage systems for 60 years. Their goal is to provide total customer satisfaction in all aspects of their business. CSM provides the solution to all your storage and filing requirements. They have recertified under our Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses (Level A) standard.
Recertified Licensee: Siam Fiberglass
Siam Fiberglass is a leading manufacturer of high-quality glass-wool insulation products for the Australian and the Asia Pacific markets. They are committed to eliminating environmental impacts and adopting new and sustainable business models, re-evaluating its products and processes. They have recertified under our Building Insulation Materials standard.
New Certified Products: Haworth
Haworth has recently added a range of products to their Furniture, Fittings, Foam & Mattresses (Level A) certification, including Very Wire Stacker, Poppy, Maari, Epure, Aloha Active, Aloha Easy.
GECA Named Best for the World in Governance!
At GECA, we take the concept of continuous improvement very seriously, not just for our licensees but for ourselves as well! So, we are incredibly proud about being recognised as one of the Best for the World™ B Corps of 2021!
Welcome, Joel!
We are thrilled to welcome Joel Tan as our new Standards & Technical Officer! Joel is a chemical engineer with eight years of experience in hazardous waste management services and environmental and water technology research and development. He is deeply committed to helping Australian industries achieve sound, sustainable and economically viable practices.
Welcome, Karina!
We are thrilled to welcome Karina Schlieper as our new Project Officer! Karina is passionate about environmental conservation, diversity and creating impactful change. Karina has extensive marketing expertise and project implementation skills to contribute to lasting change for a more sustainable Australia. Karina will manage and support a range of projects in Marketing, Communications and Sales.
Delivering The Goods
GECA's Strategic Communications Manager, Kendall Benton-Collins, talks to INCLEAN Magazine about the importance of sustainable practices for people and the planet when creating cleaning products and how to future proof your business through a commitment to circular economy principles.
Sending Mail Using Traditional Place Names
To mark NAIDOC Week in November 2020, Australia Post updated the addressing guidelines to include Traditional Place names. Since then, Australia Post has also updated 22 of its satchels' labels to include Acknowledgement of Country and a dedicated Traditional Place name field in the address panel. So, the next time you send a letter or parcel in Australia, consider including the Traditional Place name in the mailing address.
GECA Licensees Stylecraft & Haworth Join Forces
Our wonderful licensees Stylecraft and Haworth, have entered into a partnership in Australia, bringing together Stylecraft's design-led service with Haworth's world-class contract furnishing solutions and workplace knowledge. Check out the select range and keep an eye out for the GECA certified products!
Global Progress for the Right To Repair
The last few weeks have seen significant progress regarding the right to repair legislation in the United States and the United Kingdom. And in an encouraging move, the Australian federal government released a draft report in June, which considers whether barriers on repairs warrant a policy response. According to The Fifth Estate, these new developments mark "...a massive win for consumers' right to repair, encouraging a circular economy and addressing the growing e-waste problem in the US and around the world."
Save the Date for these Postponed Events
It probably won't come as a surprise that many sustainability events planned for the coming months have had to be postponed. Here's our round-up of the new dates to pop into your diary!
GECA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
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