Westfield Group
You're in: ABOUT WESTFIELD GROUP > Environment & Community
Australia
The Westfield Community Program provides support for children with disabilities and their families.
Westfield’s ongoing efforts to extend its sustainability program and introduce new initiatives achieved significant progress in 2009.
Westfield Australia is committed to making sustainability part of its day-to-day business practices.
Westfield is a platinum member of the Green Building Council of Australia and also reports to the Federal Government's Energy Efficiency Opportunities and National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting programs. The Group has worked closely with the Green Building Council to develop the Green Star Shopping Centre Design tool, a set of principles for evaluating the environmental impact of retail buildings.
These principles were applied to Westfield's development in Doncaster (Victoria) and are currently being implemented in Westfield Sydney (NSW). . Each centre has measures to address energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling and waste management and urban design. The Group is building the retail and commercial components of the Westfield Sydney project to specifications designed to achieve a Five Star Green Star rating.
Westfield is conscious of our impact on the environment and has established KPI's for all areas of our impact; energy; water and waste, to ensure we are continuously improving in these areas.
In November 2009 Westfield entered into a partnership with the Packaging Stewardship Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council with the objective of enabling âaway from home' recycling. By middle of 2011 all Westfield food courts will be recycling plastic (PET), glass and aluminium waste with the goal of diverting approximately 690 tonnes of waste from land fill.
Since March 2008, Westfield Australia has been a major participant in Earth Hour. This international campaign focuses attention on global warming by encouraging major cities to turn off lights for one hour. During Earth Hour, Westfield centres turn off their external illuminated signs and Westfield office buildings turn off all external lights. The Group encourages all tenants to participate and works with late-night retailers to minimise the lighting they required to continue operations. Westfield view Earth Hour as an important event and we attempt to implement the principles on a perpetual basis, not just one night a year.
In February 2008, Westfield's Australian management team introduced a nation-wide program to support the families of disabled children. The team consulted a cross-section of staff to identify this group as one of the most worthy of support. By focusing on a single cause across the country, the Group can direct its support strategically and now has relationships with 27 providers across the country.
