Sustainability

Crown takes a group-wide approach to environmental sustainability, aligning strategies and programs that further reduce the environmental impact and contribute to developing more sustainable practices, focusing on three key areas: energy, waste and water management.

Over the past five years, against 2015 financial year as a baseline, Crown has reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 35,000 tonnes (t CO2-e), and lowered emissions intensity per area (m2) by 28%. Crown’s Recycle90 Program continues to be integral to Crown’s overall waste management strategy, with Crown having diverted approximately 68,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill since 2015.

Crown recognises that employees need to understand and be aligned to the environmental sustainability objectives, otherwise change is difficult to achieve and short-lived. The 2020 financial year saw a continued focus on staff engagement with regular events, training and communications to ensure staff and contractors are kept informed of Crown’s environmental performance and progress, and to continue to embed sustainability as part of Crown’s culture.

Crown’s well-established, employee-led CROWNEARTH Committees continue to remain very active, focusing on numerous energy, water and waste management initiatives, as well as community-focused projects to improve the overall sustainability performance of the business. Throughout the year, Crown and its employees supported the following environmental initiatives:

• Collected millions of plastic bottle tops for Envision Hands, a not-for-profit community initiative that uses 3D printing to turn plastic waste into mechanical hands and arms for children around the world
• Hosted a fundraising event “Coffee for a cause”, to support Wildlife Victoria’s bushfire relief efforts
• Donated upcycled tote bags (made with laundered hotel bed linen) to SisterWorks, a not-for-profit social enterprise supporting women who are refugees, asylum seekers or migrants
• Donated over two tonnes of soap bars to Soap Aid, a not for profit organisation who recycle and send critical soap to communities facing major hygiene challenges
• Donated over three tonnes of soft linens and furniture to various charities and community organisations including The Salvation Army, The Lort Smith and the Lost Dogs Home
• Participated in Clean-up Australia Day, with over 120 staff and contractors cleaning up the areas surrounding the Yarra River in Melbourne and Perth’s Swan River
• In partnership with Crown’s Staff Club, hosted a “Big Aussie Swap”, a clothing recycling event during National Recycling Week