Icon Water has taken out the Banksia Foundation’s 2020 Large Business Award and the overall Gold Award for its ongoing commitment to sustainability.
The annual Banksia Sustainability Awards offer the opportunity for Australian businesses to showcase their premier conservation efforts.
Icon Water said it was proud to participate in an event that brings attention to one of Australia’s most pressing issues.
Ben Bryant, Manager Environment and Sustainability at Icon Water, said, “Icon Water has three sustainability principles: enrich our neighbourhood, respect resources and care for tomorrow. We feel the Banksia Foundation’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change really connect with these principles.”
Icon Water said it is firm in the belief that we all have a responsibility to take serious steps towards long-term sustainability, which is why it’s adopted the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We recognise the significant role Icon Water plays in achieving the sixth development goal, the provision of clean water and sanitation,” Mr Bryant said.
“The Banksia awards have offered us the opportunity to show that our sustainability goals extend beyond water.
“We’re committed to responsible consumption and production and we’re really proud of our No Opportunity Wasted Program, which was at the heart of our submission for the Banksia award.”
A collaboration with several local businesses, the ‘No Opportunity Wasted Program’, consists of eight resource recovery initiatives which target varying opportunities for the reuse and recycling of items that would otherwise be considered waste.
“This program has been the driving force for Icon Water to make several critical changes to how we approach sustainability within the organisation for community, environmental and economic benefits in our region,” Mr Bryant said.
“We’ve managed to keep 16 tonnes of agri-ash out of landfills each day.
“We also targeted spoil, the waste material from excavations or mining, and achieved 100 per cent reuse.
“Perhaps the biggest initiative was creating biochar as an alternative to existing heat treatment systems.
“Icon Water’s vision is to create a utility that transforms waste into resources. We’re well on the way to making this a reality.”
Find out more about Icon Water’s sustainability initiatives by visiting iconwater.com.au/sustainability.
