SUSTAINABILITY

Planet

For over 20 years the Monarch brand has been successfully pursing product improvements in the   Australian paint accessory market. And as a leading producer of quality paint brushes and paint accessories we understand the responsibility we have to improve our business’ environmental impact.

As such, over the coming years we will be challenging ourselves to develop the same high-quality Monarch offer but to also integrate a sustainability mindset to reduce our carbon emissions.

We will use an environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework to help us achieve this goal.

Our current focus is to understand our baseline carbon footprint to uncover improvement areas. We’re working with an external Australian sustainability consultancy who are following the GHG Protocol’s carbon accounting principles to assess and measure this baseline.

We’re proud to have already made some environmental improvements to our products and practices which you can explore below, and we plan to start using this assessment to set further emissions reduction goals and strategies in 2024.

Carbon Neutral partnership

To help drive our planet positive ambitions, Monarch has proudly partnered with Carbon Neutral. Starting August 2021, we have planted 20,000 trees in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint.

Carbon Neutral’s Plant-a-tree project is Western Australia’s most ambitious regeneration project. As per Carbon Neutrals initiatives, they aim to restore natural landscape and help boost vegetation through the planting of trees on historically cleared land in a Global Diversity Hotspot.

Since December 2020, Carbon Neutral has been a network member under the Australian Government's Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. See their certification here.

Our partnership with Carbon Neutral helps us to contribute to habitat restoration in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor. Read about this project here.

Product

With an overall focus on product development and product packaging improvements, here are some ways in which we are helping to reduce our carbon footprint.

The Monarch Elements^TM range

In late 2021, Monarch introduced a range of bamboo paint brushes and further released a plant-based drop sheet in early 2023.

Great care has been taken to ensure the highest quality standards are met, all while keeping a close eye on sustainability and our carbon footprint.

The Monarch Elements Plant Based Drop Sheet has undergone a rigorous, 3-year development process, resulting in an innovative product made from a minimum of 57% plant-based plastic derived from renewable sugarcane.

Replacing fossil fuel plastic with material sourced from renewable sugarcane can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The product packaging is also certified plant-based and has the same 57% biobased certification from the USDA. Find out more here.

Product packaging

From 2019 to 2023, Monarch eliminated unnecessary plastic packaging from some of its paint accessory ranges. Below are some initiatives we have accomplished with the help of our supply chain partners to reduce this unnecessary plastic.

• Metal Paint Buckets – eliminated all plastic used to cover the product in transit
• Caulking Guns – eliminated all plastic used to cover the product in transit
• Scrapers – eliminated all plastic used to cover the product in transit
• Tray Liners – eliminated all plastic used to cover the product in transit
• Roller covers – removed the soft plastic packaging from one of the roller cover ranges, and replaced with cardboard tube packaging. We saved approximately 1,327kg of plastic from landfill – that’s the equivalent of about 550 plastic takeaway containers.
• Fill Sand Go – removed the plastic puck and replaced with a thicker, double-sided sanding tool

In addition to eliminating unnecessary packaging, our goal is to create packaging that protects and stores paint accessories in a way that prolongs the product life and minimises waste.

• Some of our brushes come in cardboard brush keepers and some of our roller covers come in re-useable zip lock bags. Both packages are designed to keep the products in good working condition, reducing product waste.
• Our SmartLock Mini Rollers include a storage tube that will keep your mini roller fresh for up to two weeks, reducing product waste.

To further support our packaging improvements, our Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) commitments have helped us to optimise and improve the sustainability of our product packaging. Our 2023 APCO Annual Report and Action Plan can be downloaded here.

Whilst our 2023 APCO Annual Report shows a high overall score of 62% (Leading) and is above the average of all APCO Members was 52% (Advanced), we are still currently reviewing alternative packaging options to further increase our product packaging waste management.

People

Community

Giving back through local communities has been a long-standing ethos for Monarch. We strive to help out the wider community and get involved in restoration projects where we can lend our paint expertise. Over the years we have been a part of more than 25 give-back projects with highlights including:

• Joined by Bunnings team members we partnered with the Salvation Army to restore two large rooms in the Carrum Downs Salvo Store.
• In partnership with the SMJFL we helped to renovate the Ormond Football Club club’s canteen at EE Gunn Reserve in Ormond Victoria.
• Restored the exterior paint of Animal Welfare League Queensland Rehoming Centre located in Coombabah.

To find out more about these projects and more, click here.

Whilst our business is making changes to be more accountable for its environmental impact, we’d like to empower our community of paint renovators to drive positive changes too. So how can you help? By upcycling items around the home, you can reduce furniture ending up in landfill and avoid the carbon emissions required to create new furniture items. Upcycle projects include things like include renewing furniture pieces, outdoor planter pots and much more. For more upcycle ideas, check out our how to design blog here.

Corporate governance

Being an ESG-conscious brand, we recognise our responsibility to operate with ethical practices and processes in place. Amongst others not listed here, our business adheres to the following policies and certifications to help promote integrity and responsibility to all our stakeholders.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Core Labour Requirements Policy

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. Our business sites are FSC certified. Core Labour Requirements are mandatory for all FSC Chain of Custody holders. This policy helps support the protection of workers’ rights.

Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)

Our business sites are PEFC certified which provides rigorous forest management and chain of custody standards that consider risks of illegally logged timber.

Modern Slavery and Ethical Sourcing Policy

This policy outlines the minimum standards of practice of the business, including to identify, prevent, reduce and manage modern slavery and ethical sourcing risks in its operations and supply chains. The minimum standards include a prohibition against child labour, and forced or compulsory labour.

APCO Certification

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. We are contributing to the 2025 National Packaging Targets by reducing the environmental impacts of our packaging.

Anti-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

This policy outlines our commitment to providing an environment whereby employees and others are treated fairly and with respect, and are free from discrimination.

Whistleblower Policy

This policy serves as a grievance mechanism and supports complaints reporting by internal and external whistleblowers, including suppliers and other related parties on a confidential basis and without the fear of victimisation or threat of detriment.