Community Involvment

" Working in partnership with Landcare Australia reinforces our commitment to reducing our footprint on the environment. It also has the added benefit of giving our staff the opportunity to be involved in Landcare's important work in the community."

Mr. Hiroshi Kurihara
Managing Director
Toshiba (Australia) Pty Limited

Toshiba (Australia) Pty Limited has recently signed an agreement with Landcare Australia for a 3 year period. This agreeemnt involves the Company providing a substancial amount of money to Landcare on a yearly basis for projects, designated by Landcare and approved by the Company that assist the environment. As part of this agreement, Landcare has taken Toshiba product and its offices and employees now use these products in their daily business life.

Landcare will be reporting back to us on a yearly basis regarding the success of these projects and we will be able to update this section with those projects and hopefully also be able to engender some employee support for these environmental projects.

The Company has also commenced investigation of ISO1400 accrediation as part of a global initiative of Toshiba Corporation and we hope to be fully accredited early in the new year.

The Company is also investigating ways to minimise its own waste paper and general rubbish so that it does not go to landfill.
As these initiatives become more of a reality this page will be updated.

Toshiba (Australia) Pty. Limited, through both Corporate and the operating Divisions also are involved in donations and support to charitable bodies who assist those less fortunate than ourselves.

Some examples of the Company's involvment with local charities are listed below and also please see the story under the heading of projects for the Toshiba involvement in Variety Club :-

The special childrens christmas magic festival held at Darling Harbour each year, where the Company has for a number of years assisted handicaped children attend this event.

Other examples of the operating Divisions asisting charities are the support for Cure Cancer Australia,Starlight foundation, Melbourne based Children's Protection Society, the Heart foundation,the Children's Medical research institute and the Red Cross.

The Company will continue to be involved as much as possible in the local community in the areas in which it operates.
Landcare Australia & Toshiba - Parnteship Report, 2004-2007

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

Landcare Australia is delighted to present this snapshot of Toshiba’s three year, Gold Partnership with Australia’s vital Landcare movement. This partnership is due to expire on 31st March, 2007 and Landcare Australia proposes to extend it for a further three year term. Since 2004, Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd has contributed enormously to protecting and repairing Australia’s magnificent, yet fragile, natural resources, and to promoting best practice environmental management.

Not only has Toshiba delivered genuine environmental outcomes on-ground, both locally and nationally, the company has utilised its position as a global leader in high technology to help equip the Landcare movement with the tools and skills to move into the 21st century. The flexibility of not aligning the partnership with a specific location or environmental ‘issue’ has enabled Toshiba to capitalise on a broad variety of innovative projects and community awareness initiatives.

For example, having initially been dismissed as too radical, the theory of Natural Sequence Farming is now being recognised as a genuine strategy to combat the water crisis, thanks largely to the open-minded support of organisations like Landcare Australia and Toshiba.

Similarly, Toshiba was instrumental in the success of the Landcare for Larry initiative in Far North Queensland, while a commitment to empowering Australia’s youth has seen ongoing support of Firestarter’s Kids Teaching Kids program.

Toshiba’s partnership with Landcare reflects the company’s commitment to fostering sustainable practices through all stages of product development, manufacturing, application and recycling. It allows Toshiba to build on these impressive environmental credentials by engaging with the communities in which it operates.

Toshiba continues to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to Triple Bottom Line outcomes and Landcare Australia looks forwarding to building this partnership, to further aligning Toshiba with the communities it serves, and to ensuring the sustainability of Australia’s great outdoors.

LANDCORE PROJECTS, 2004-05

$25,000 - Tarcutta Creek Catchment Committee (NSW)
Borambola Salt Ambush
Just east of Wagga Wagga, in south-west NSW, the Borambola sub-catchment was affected by over 65 hectares of salinity outbreaks, estimated to increase four-fold if left untreated. As well as destroying the community’s crops, pastures and buildings, salinity was also badly damaging parts of the Sturt Highway.

The “Salt Ambush” project saw Toshiba join forces with Australia Post on a major environmental restoration project that has resulted in over 13 kilometres of fencing erected, 14,000 native trees and shrubs planted, 25 hectares of remnant vegetation protected, three watertable monitoring bores & flags, public roadside interpretive signage, erosion control earthworks and a large community planting field day.
The project is expected to prevent up to 120 tonnes of salt entering the Murrumbidgee River.
$10,000 - Mooloolah River Waterwatch & Landcare Inc. (QLD)

Koo-ee Kids Environment Club
Mooloolah Waterwatch undertakes water quality monitoring and revegetation projects with local schools in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland. Toshiba funding enabled over 150 students to be involved in streamside revegetation projects with local native plants and environmental education activities.

The project also enabled the production of an environmental education booklet, as well as an Open Day for parents to celebrate following completion of the project. Students from Mooloolah Primary School’s ‘Koo-ee Kids Environment Club’, Matthew Flinders Primary, and University of the Sunshine Coast participated in the initiative.

$10,000 - North Swan Land Conservation District Committee (WA)
Bullsbrook Biodiversity Corridor Project
The North Swan community Landcare group are situated on the northern outskirts of Perth, and Toshiba funding enabled the group to tackle major wind and water erosion issues.

The project saw the local community rehabilitate this Swan riparian corridor by stabilising the river banks, preventing nutrients from entering the river, and connecting previous planting sites to create a wildlife corridor.
This was achieved through earthworks, weed control, revegetation with endemic native species and fauna monitoring.

LANDCAREPROJECTS 2005-06

$25,000 – Friends of Naracoorte Caves & Langkoop Landcare Group (SA & VIC)
Mosquito Creek Project
Spanning two states, this ambitious project involved major community revegetation events along Mosquito Creek, covering both the South Australian and Victorian sides of the border. The cross-border project linked together a number of incomplete wetland and river revegetation initiatives to improve the biodiversity throughout the region, which is recognised as a strategic site for migrating birds from Siberia and Japan.

Following completion of the project an evening community barbecue was held, featuring expert speakers at Naracoorte Caves - renowned for its ancient fossils and environmental significance

$10,000 – West Moreton Landcare Group
Landcare: Lifesavers of the Bush

Toshiba was instrumental in the realisation of a unique partnership that has brought together two of Australia’s most iconic and extensive volunteer community organisations – Landcare and Surf Lifesaving.

The West Moreton Landcare Group, together with the communities of Glamorgan Vale and Marburg, joined forces with surf lifesavers from south-east Queensland to help repair Black Snake Creek, badly affected by salinity.

The project was launched in Marburg (west of Brisbane ) in mid-2006, and restoration works have since seen more than 2000 trees established over two hectares. There has also been a stretch of creek restored to form the first dryland beach in the Lockyer Valley.

Toshiba funding was used to cover site preparation, native plants, post-plant maintenance, signage, field day equipment and project coordination.
$10,000 – Blackwood Basin Group (WA)

Restoring Balance – Natural Sequence Farming tria

The Blackwood Basin group is the peak Natural Resource Management Group in the Blackwood River Region. Toshiba funding enabled the group to undertake a crucial, 95 hectare Natural Sequence Farming trial in early 2006.

Developed by Hunter Valley farmer and horse breeder Peter Andrews, the concept of Natural Sequence Farming is about identifying the unique natural sequence processes that enabled the Australian landscape to be self sustaining over hundreds of thousands of years and that can help restore the balance and resilience within a landscape.

The “Restoring Balance” project involved structural and vegetative works, community field days, and water quality monitoring. This project successfully demonstrated the enormous potential of Natural Sequence Farming to reduce erosion, reverse degradation, increase farmers’ returns, and benefit downstream users.

LANDCARE PROJECTS 2006-06

$30,000 (cash) & $40,000 (in-kind) – Far North Queensland Natural Resource
Management Ltd (Innisfail, QLD)

The Landcare for Larry Appeal
In the wake of Cyclone Larry, Landcare Australia launched a nationwide appeal to help restore the devastated land and waterways of Far North Queensland.

As part of the “Landcare for Larry” Appeal, a Legends of League match between Australia and New Zealand was held in Townsville and featured a who’s who of league legends, including Mal Meninga, Alan Langer and Gorden Tallis.

Proceeds from the game contributed to the Appeal, as did community and corporate donations. Toshiba were quick to throw their support behind the cause, contributing $30,000 in cash and a further $40,000 worth of Toshiba product. Eventually, almost $500,000 was raised for the region.
This funding is still being distributed by the Far North Queensland Natural Resource Management Ltd - using the regional devolved grants process – to Landcare and other community groups tackling a variety of issues, based around farm recovery and resilience.

$20,000 – Firestarter Pty Ltd (VIC & ACT)

The International Youth Coastal Conference & International RiverHealth Program

Aaron Wood, former Young Australian of the Year, has developed a nationwide program that revolves around the concept of ‘Kids Teaching Kids’. The program not
only educates our future leaders about various environmental issues facing Australia , it empowers them to do something about these issues.

Toshiba sponsored both the Youth Coastal Conference, held in Melbourne, and the Youth River Health Conference, held in Canberra. Both events were a huge success, attracting over 300 students to each, and showcasing the dedication and creativity of our future leaders through a series of projects, presentations, field trips and workshops.

Thanks to the support of organisations like Toshiba, the ‘Kids Teaching Kids’ program continues to grow from strength to strength.

Updated 10/08/09