Sustainable Business Awards

Proudly sponsored by KS Environmental

This award recognises businesses and initiatives delivering practical, measurable solutions to reduce waste and increase resource recovery. It celebrates organisations that are moving beyond compliance to implement smarter, circular approaches to waste, recycling and materials management.

Finalists

Chelsea Men's Shed

The Chelsea Men’s Shed, one of Australia’s earliest registered sheds, has supported local men for over a decade. Originally founded by members of the Chelsea Church of Christ, it became an independent organisation in 2016. After years in a modest Blantyre Avenue shed, the group moved in 2024 to a fully refurbished facility on Catherine Avenue, enabling modern equipment, expanded storage, and a growing membership. With improved capacity to accept donated materials, the Shed proudly runs a strong recycling program, transforming items otherwise destined for landfill into valuable goods sold to the community.

Ply Online

Ply Online is a Melbourne plywood supplier transforming how the building industry manages material waste. Since 2009, the company has tackled the challenge of inherited manufacturing waste and local off‑cuts by keeping plywood in circulation for longer. Through donations of off-cuts to community groups like Mens Sheds and used in training via the Plywood Academy, low‑cost resale of larger pieces and internal reuse for pallets and packaging, Ply Online has achieved an estimated 97% reduction in plywood sent to landfill. This demonstrates how simple, low‑cost changes can strengthen communities while making better use of valuable resources.

All Table Sports Australia

All Table Sports Australia is a Melbourne-based billiard table manufacturer taking practical steps to reduce timber waste in its production process. By upgrading equipment and refining workflows, the company now recovers and reuses a significant portion of timber offcuts, reintegrating them into new products and improving material efficiency. Alongside this, a focus on producing more durable tables helps extend product lifespan and reduce the need for replacement. The initiative shows how small manufacturers can make meaningful, low‑cost improvements by reducing waste, reusing materials and operating more efficiently.

Eurotech International

Eurotech is an Australian smart‑city infrastructure company transforming everyday street furniture into intelligent, solar‑powered assets that help councils deliver cleaner, safer and more efficient public services. Its flagship product, a solar‑powered smart bin, automatically compacts waste and uses on‑board sensors and AI to monitor fill levels, foot traffic and local conditions, giving real‑time insight and reducing collection trips, fuel use and emissions. The same technology platform will extend to smart seating, shelters, lighting poles and reverse‑vending machines, all connected through one secure backend. By pairing renewable energy with shared advertising revenue, Eurotech enables councils to modernise public spaces and deliver cleaner streets and smarter services for their communities.

WE-EF Lighting

WE‑EF Lighting is showing how practical, everyday operational changes can significantly reduce waste in manufacturing. Over the past two years, the company has introduced circular economy initiatives that cut landfill, improve recycling and minimise unnecessary packaging. Certified home‑compostable bags have replaced plastic zip‑locks, while tapes and labels have been streamlined into a single paper‑based system. Around 90% of incoming cartons are now reused for outgoing shipments, supported by dedicated segregation for plastics, metals, aluminium, pallets, e‑waste and recyclables. In early 2026, WE‑EF achieved a 50% reduction in landfill waste compared with the same period in 2025, driven by staff‑led, practical improvements and continuous refinement.

Pianos Recycled

Pianos Recycled is a circular‑economy social enterprise and the only organisation worldwide dedicated to diverting unwanted pianos from landfill. By May 2026, it had processed 740 pianos, delivering economic, social and environmental value while advancing circular‑economy practice. Many pianos are carefully deconstructed, with high‑quality materials made available to makers, hobbyists and Men’s Sheds, while around a third are transformed into bespoke items crafted by skilled local artisans. More than 100 pianos have been rehomed through its schools program, alongside collaborations with Holmesglen students, Men’s Sheds, headspace, The Piano Project and ABC community initiatives.

Purple Pear

Purple Pear Pallets champions a circular approach to pallet management by extending the life of timber pallets far beyond traditional expectations. Rather than discarding damaged pallets, the company repairs and replaces individual components, making their lifespan effectively immeasurable. Even when a pallet reaches the end of its economic life, salvageable parts are reused, continuing the cycle. With repairs costing as little as 25% of a new pallet, this model reduces costs while protecting natural resources. Purple Pear’s ethos demonstrates how a circular economy delivers practical, sustainable outcomes compared with the traditional linear approach.

Global Green Environmental

Global Green Environmental is replacing long‑lasting plastics and hardwoods with natural, biodegradable alternatives that protect the landscape rather than pollute it. The company supplies recycled paper tree guards, laminated bamboo stakes, compressed jute matting and natural‑fibre mesh — materials designed to do their job and then safely break down. Each product replaces a conventional plastic or timber option while remaining competitive on price, ensuring real‑world uptake. The impact is clear: thousands of plastic guards and hardwood stakes removed from the waste stream, proving that better environmental choices can also be practical and cost‑effective.

This award recognises businesses that are actively creating inclusive, accessible and equitable workplaces and extending those values to customers and the wider community. It celebrates organisations that understand diversity and inclusion as both a social responsibility and a driver of strong business performance.

Finalists

Kingston Pickleball Centre

Kingston Pickleball Centre is a community‑driven sporting facility. Designed to be safe, welcoming and accessible for people of all ages, backgrounds, identities and abilities, it supports a thriving community of more than 1,000 participants, 59% of whom identify as female. By removing barriers through affordable access, beginner‑friendly programs, sensory‑adapted sessions and multi‑generational play, the centre has created a culture of belonging with participants from culturally diverse backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ communities, families, seniors and first-time players regularly sharing the same space, that many affectionately call “The House.” Beyond sport, it actively supports charities, schools and community groups, demonstrating how inclusive environments can deliver lasting social and well‑being impact.

LiveSafe Education

LiveSafe Education delivers personal safety education and self‑defence training with a clear social purpose of making the physical and mental health benefits of its programs accessible to everyone. Each purchase supports practical, effective training while also helping fund the same support for people facing financial or psychological barriers. By combining skill‑building with community impact, the organisation ensures that personal safety education is not just empowering for the individual but also a pathway to broader inclusion and wellbeing.

Cyber Forte

Cyber Forte is a Melbourne‑based cybersecurity and compliance firm known for its human‑centric, community‑driven approach to cyber awareness. Operating across ANZ with businesses, councils and community organisations, it makes cybersecurity more accessible and practical for organisations of all sizes. Through partnerships with government bodies, Aboriginal‑owned organisations and local business networks, Cyber Forte has strengthened cyber awareness for SMEs, residents and First Nations communities. Its education programs, leadership engagement and clear, awareness‑led content simplify complex cyber topics and empower people to make safer digital decisions. The organisation also supports emerging talent through mentorship, internships and industry exposure, helping build stronger pathways into the cybersecurity sector.

This award recognises small and medium-sized businesses demonstrating leadership in embedding sustainability into everyday business practice. It celebrates organisations that are using their scale, agility and innovation to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes while building resilient, future-focused businesses.

Finalists

Global Green Environmental

Global Green Environmental has built its business around a simple principle: sustainable choices should also make commercial sense. Operating from Dingley Village, the company supplies biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastic and hardwood products used in revegetation and restoration projects across Australia. Drawing on more than 17 years of industry experience, the business has demonstrated leadership by challenging conventional practices and introducing innovative solutions that are both environmentally responsible and cost competitive. By aligning sustainability outcomes with real-world commercial pressures, Global Green Environmental is helping drive broader industry change while proving that responsible business practices can also deliver strong business outcomes.

Edwin Fox Furniture

Edwin Fox Furniture is a Melbourne‑based furniture business championing sustainability through restoration, reuse and community education. By repairing and reselling furniture, the organisation extends product lifespans and reduces landfill, having restored an estimated 1,500 pieces and returned thousands more to use. Over the past five years, Edwin Fox Furniture has delivered workshops, demonstrations and events, including partnerships with NGV Melbourne Design Week, to build repair skills and promote circular practices. Its work supports a growing culture of repair, reuse and responsible consumption within the community.

Dronepilotpete

Dronepilotpete is an aerial and ground cinematography business led by former Qantas Captain Pete Jose. Built on aviation‑grade discipline, safety and innovation, the company has evolved into a near zero‑emission creative production studio. Over the past year, they have transitioned to an off‑grid, solar‑powered setup supported by battery storage, eco‑inverter systems and a fully electric vehicle with onsite charging, dramatically reducing fuel use and operational emissions. Working with organisations and community groups across Port Phillip Bay, Dronepilotpete delivers low‑impact filming solutions while educating clients on sustainable production. The business demonstrates how aviation expertise, family leadership and innovation can create a scalable model for sustainable industry change.

WE-EF Lighting

WE‑EF Lighting Australia & New Zealand manufactures durable outdoor luminaires from its purpose‑built, sustainability‑focused Braeside facility. The site features a 99 kW solar system, rainwater harvesting, EV charging, smart lighting controls and fully electric operations. Its Lightbox showroom doubles as a product space and community hub for connection, hosting educational events and industry engagement sessions. These initiatives have delivered a 75% reduction in CO₂ emissions, eliminated landfill‑bound packaging and improved energy efficiency by 35% above national standards. Supported by ISO‑certified systems, volunteer programs and council education sessions, sustainability is embedded across the business, with ongoing lean‑manufacturing improvements and community engagement strengthening its impact.

Pianos Recycled

Pianos Recycled is a circular‑economy social enterprise and the only organisation worldwide dedicated to diverting unwanted pianos from landfill. By May 2026, it had processed 740 pianos, delivering economic, social and environmental value while advancing circular‑economy practice. Many pianos are deconstructed, with high‑quality materials passed on to makers, hobbyists and Men’s Sheds, while about a third are transformed into bespoke items crafted by local artisans and showcased in a Look Book of more than 500 projects. The organisation has also rehomed over 100 pianos through its schools program and partners with community groups and education programs to expand its social impact.

This award recognises organisations taking credible, practical steps towards net zero emissions by 2030. It celebrates leadership that goes beyond intention, rewarding businesses that are reducing emissions through energy efficiency, on-site renewables, electrification and transparent supply-chain action.

Finalists

Moose Toys

Moose Toys exists to make kids Superhappy, a purpose that drives its ambition to be the world’s most innovative toy company. This family‑owned business delivers category‑disrupting toys and global brands sold in more than 100 countries. Through the Moose Happy Kids Foundation, its impact extends well beyond products, supporting initiatives that bring joy to children worldwide. Net Zero is a core pillar of Moose’s sustainability strategy, backed by validated science‑based targets. Progress includes adopting renewable energy, decarbonising operations, trialling low‑emission materials, engaging supply‑chain partners and supporting low‑emission logistics. These are practical steps toward a challenging but essential transition.

Steamatic

Steamatic is advancing toward net zero through practical, evidence‑based upgrades at its Braeside facility. Working with Kingston City Council’s Zero Emissions Business Program, the company installed a 154 kW solar PV system, upgraded to LED lighting and optimised equipment performance. Independent analysis shows the solar system cut energy use by about 42%, with combined efficiency measures delivering an overall reduction of roughly 60%. Electricity tariff optimisation is also saving an estimated $20,000 annually. Steamatic’s approach demonstrates how industrial businesses can meaningfully reduce emissions, lower operating costs and contribute to a more sustainable Kingston community.

Dronepilotpete

Dronepilotpete is a Melbourne‑based aerial and ground cinematography business founded by former Qantas Captain Pete Jose, who shifted from flying four‑engine jets to operating high‑rigour drone productions. Over the past year, the company has pursued a mission to become Melbourne’s first 100% eco-driven drone and media business. While formal reporting is underway, major operational changes include transitioning to onsite solar PV, battery storage, eco‑inverter systems and a fully electric vehicle with EV charging. major upgrades are complete. Paul’s son, Naish is leading client education on practical sustainability outcomes and supporting the next generation of eco-focused aviation innovation.

St Kilda Football Club

St Kilda Football Club is reducing the environmental impact of RSEA Park, Moorabbin, through practical, data‑driven upgrades. A staged solar PV rollout now generates an estimated 498,470 kWh of renewable electricity each year, cutting annual energy costs by about $89,000. Two EV‑charging bays support lower‑emissions transport for staff, visitors and partners. HVAC scheduling improvements and water‑logger installations are helping the Club better understand usage patterns and identify future savings. As the home of elite football, community activity and the Danny Frawley Centre, RSEA Park shows how a high‑use sporting precinct can lower emissions while strengthening community wellbeing and engagement.

Proudly sponsored by Up Property Pty Ltd

This award recognises businesses developing innovative products and technologies that address areas such as renewable energy, energy storage, water efficiency, sustainable materials, green buildings, waste reduction or climate resilience.

Finalists

Dingley Village Men's Shed

Dingley Village Men’s Shed recently received the 2026 Green Shed Award from the Australian Men’s Shed Association, recognising its outstanding commitment to sustainability through a large‑scale plastic‑recycling initiative. Since the project began, members have diverted more than 20,000 plastic milk containers from landfill and waterways, transforming them into durable community products including garden stakes, planter boxes, stools, deck chairs and six oversized bench seats for a local bowls club. By designing and building their own recycling machinery, the Shed has shown how practical innovation and persistence can turn waste into long‑lasting, useful resources.

Armstrong Flooring - Initiative 1 Innova

Armstrong Flooring Australia’s Innova initiative is reshaping how commercial flooring waste is managed by converting installation offcuts and manufacturing waste into a new high‑performance product. Made in Braeside, Innova uses up to 99% recycled Armstrong Flooring material and is supported by the FloorCycle take‑back program. With around 60,000 tonnes of resilient flooring waste sent to landfill annually, this circular solution reduces waste, cuts reliance on virgin materials and supports sustainable procurement. By leveraging existing manufacturing infrastructure, Innova shows how local innovation and industry leadership can deliver scalable environmental outcomes while strengthening jobs, investment and circular‑economy transition within Kingston.

Armstrong Flooring - Initiative 2 Cove Fillet

Armstrong Flooring Australia has created a high‑performance commercial flooring accessory by transforming industrial PVC waste into Cove Fillet, manufactured locally in Braeside. Used in hospitals, schools and public infrastructure, Cove Fillet contains 75% independently verified recycled PVC sourced from Australian cabling and extrusion waste. Around 68,000 kg of PVC has been recovered and reprocessed over the past two years, reducing reliance on virgin materials and supporting local recycling industries. By adapting existing manufacturing processes and partnering with recyclers and certification bodies, Armstrong Flooring has delivered a practical circular‑economy solution. Certified through VinylCycle and GECA, Cove Fillet proves recycled materials can meet demanding commercial performance standards.

Soap Aid Ltd

Soap Aid is a Kingston‑based Australian charity turning everyday waste into meaningful impact. Bar soap, one of the few fully recyclable bathroom products, is collected and remanufactured into hygienic bars rather than sent to landfill. Through partnerships with Woollahra, Sodexo and Rio Tinto, Soap Aid’s “Camp to Community’ program recycles used soap from FIFO accommodation sites and donates it to people experiencing hygiene poverty. What began as a small Western Australian pilot is now a scalable model influencing waste practices across the resources sector, showing how a small charity can work with major organisations to reduce waste and deliver real community benefit.

WE-EF Lighting

WE‑EF delivered a smart, solar‑powered lighting system for the Greening the Pipeline project, integrating adaptive wireless controls, high‑performance LED luminaires and solar technology to deliver reliable, sustainable illumination for public pathways. Between 10 pm and 7 am, lights remain off unless movement is detected, cutting unnecessary energy use and reducing light pollution. The system achieved average energy savings of 60–65% while improving evening pathway use, accessibility and community activation. Manufactured from more than 90% refined recycled aluminium and engineered for long life, WE‑EF’s solution shows how smart infrastructure can create safer, more connected and more environmentally responsible public spaces.

Varden Process

Varden Process has developed a unique recyclable, barrier coating that lifts the performance of paper‑based flexible packaging, offering a viable sustainable alternative to plastic packaging. Their drop-in coating fibre‑and‑biopolymer technology runs on existing equipment and paper stocks, removing the need for major capital investment. It strengthens barrier properties to support shelf life and reduce food spoilage without inhibiting recycling, creating microplastics or posing environmental risks. Using a unique biopolymer, the solution reimagines paper as a high‑performance, circular packaging material.

RollsPack

RollsPack is developing practical, more sustainable alternatives to traditional flexible packaging by replacing non‑recyclable foil with a recycle‑ready film that performs the same job. Designed to run on existing packing lines without modification, the solution removes cost and operational barriers for manufacturers. Technical trials have demonstrated strong sealing performance, reliable product protection and consistent machine runnability. Developed through close collaboration with packaging partners and equipment suppliers, the film is engineered for real‑world production environments. By eliminating aluminium foil and simplifying material structures, RollsPack is making recyclable packaging a viable option for everyday food products.

Global Green Environmental

Global Green Environmental is reshaping Australia’s landscape restoration industry from its base in Dingley Village. BamPRO bamboo stakes replace hardwood with a fast‑regrowing, knot‑free alternative available across all stake sizes. GreenPOD tree guards use 100% recycled paperboard, biodegrade once plants establish, and achieve larger formats than plastic options. JutePAK compressed jute matting delivers 2.75 times more coverage per container, cutting CO₂ per square metre by 63.7%. Designed to match or beat conventional pricing, these products offer practical, scalable replacements for polypropylene guards, hardwood stakes and synthetic mesh, rebuilding the sector’s supply chain with genuinely sustainable materials.

Rinnai Australia

Rinnai Australia has grown from its humble Victorian beginnings in 1971 into a trusted household name recognised for comfort, quality, innovation and long‑term value. Over more than five decades, the company has become the only Australian supplier of locally designed, manufactured and tested sustainable electric appliance technologies for heating, cooling and hot water across domestic, commercial and industrial markets. Built for Australia’s tough and varied conditions, Rinnai products are engineered for reliability, strong performance, ease of installation and meaningful cost savings. Today, Rinnai continues to champion sustainable innovation while delivering dependable comfort to homes, businesses and industries across the country.

Party Higher

Party Higher is an Australian event technology company making live music, education and community events more inclusive. Its innovation, Feel The Beat, combines wireless headphones, direct audio transmission and haptic vests so participants can hear and physically feel music through vibration. The experience supports people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, those with hearing aids or cochlear implants, neurodiverse participants and anyone with sensory needs. Rather than treating accessibility as an add‑on, Party Higher is embedding inclusive design into mainstream entertainment. With more than 500,000 children reached and over one hundred all‑abilities events delivered, it is creating more connected, confident and joyful community experiences.

This award recognises young leaders and innovators (35 years and under) who are driving practical sustainability outcomes through leadership and innovation. It celebrates individuals who have either conceived, led or played a demonstrably significant role in delivering solutions that advance environmental and/or social sustainability.

Finalists

Kieran McMahon

Kieran McMahon, founder of Australia’s largest not-for-profit bicycle shop, Brainwave Bikes, has transformed a simple environmental idea into a powerful circular-economy and social-impact enterprise. More than 9,000 bikes have been rescued from landfill and rebuilt into high-quality 'pre-pedalled' bicycles, offering an affordable and sustainable alternative to buying new. At the heart of the operation is a professional workshop where a diverse team is mentored, trained and supported into meaningful long-term employment. Every bike sold helps fund programs for children living with brain injuries and serious illnesses, demonstrating how circularity, community values and social impact can thrive together.

Brooke Gordon

Brooke is the founder of Steel Et Al, a Melbourne manufacturing and construction business delivering sustainable project solutions. Since launching in 2016, she has grown the business into a two‑factory operation producing large commercial safety and architectural metalwork systems. Brooke has driven initiatives to improve fabrication efficiency, reduce material waste and strengthen local capability, including proprietary guardrail and safety systems for major projects such as the 100,000m² Aldi Distribution Centre. She is advancing workforce development by mentoring engineers, supporting skilled migration pathways and opportunities for people from non-traditional industry backgrounds. Brooke is leading the creation of recycled‑polymer safety systems to support more sustainable industrial infrastructure.

Any business with an initiative that meets the award Eligibility Criteria is welcome to submit a nomination. This includes businesses of all sizes, educational organisations, social enterprises and not-for-profits.

Any individual (35 years and under and who lives, work or studies within the City of Kingston) can be nominated for Young Changemakers and Innovators category with an initiative that meets the award eligibility criteria.

Nominating your business or yourself as an individual is done through an online form (when nominations are open).

Along with general details about your business, the form will require responses to four key questions about your initiative:

• background and motivation
• approach and implementation
• results
• influence.

You will also be asked to provide a short description (max 150 words) for promotional purposes and a logo image.

If you have any questions or need help with your nomination, Kingston's Business team can be contacted at business@kingston.vic.gov.au or on 1300 653 356

Yes.

Yes. A business can be nominated for one or more categories. Each category selected must be for a different initiative. If a business wins a particular category, they will be ineligible to win in another category.

An initiative is a specific project, product, program, system, mechanism, mindset or process implemented that has resulted in sustainable business practices.

The award winners will receive a trophy and certificate and numerous opportunities to market their businesses and initiatives.

Yes. Businesses of all sizes are eligible. Our nomination process is fair, transparent and independent of the business size.

The awards are free to enter.

2025

• Waste Reduction and Recycling Solutions – Armstrong Flooring
• Diversity and Inclusion – Party Higher
• Small and Medium Business Leadership – Edithvale Community Greengrocer
• Towards Net Zero 2030 – WE-EF Lighting Pty Ltd
• Product Innovation and Technology – ZECO Energy
• Young Changemakers and Innovators – Sricharan Karthikeyan, Vishnu Easwar, Rehaan Salil and Aneka Subramanian

2024

• Small and Medium Business Leadership - Not a Trace
• Product Innovation and Technology – Casafico
• Waste Reduction and Recycling Solutions - Soap Aid
• Diversity and Inclusion - Emma Jae Custom Laser Designs
• Young Changemakers and Innovators - Razi Pilli
• Towards Net Zero - Caspak

2023

• Waste Reduction & Circular Economy - Reluv Clothing
• Ethical Sourcing & Procurement - Ecosoulife
• Diversity & Inclusion - Brainwave Bikes
• Sustainable Leadership (Organisation) - Ecosoulife
• Sustainable Leadership (Individual) - Darren Whittaker at Azolla Certified
• Young Changemakers & Innovators - e2 Environments Engineered