A message from the
MANAGING DIRECTOR At Brickworks, we are passionate about our sustainable vision for the built environment and the role our genuine building products play in creating beautiful, healthy and sustainable homes and environments. This year we are taking another step forward on our sustainability journey, with the launch of our Sustainable Business Framework, linking our purpose with the material issues of our Sustainability Strategy. These areas– Our People, Community, Environment and Responsible Business – are issues important to both our stakeholders and Brickworks. This year our first stand-alone Sustainability Report allows a chance to cover these issues in depth, informed by international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative. As one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of quality building products, Brickworks’ purpose has sustainability at our core – to create beautiful products that last forever. Our product range offers valuable features for healthy, energy efficient and sustainable housing. For example, bricks are naturally sustainable products, made from non-toxic ingredients, are non-flammable, low maintenance, weatherproof, reusable, recyclable, inert, have excellent acoustic properties, are colourfast and durable with a 100-year warranty lifetime. Building material choice can be the difference between a minor incident or major, as witnessed during the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire disaster in London. Brickworks is committed to customer health and safety through product quality systems and testing. All Brickworks clay and concrete products are non-combustible and pass AS 1530.1, combustibility test for building materials. Some competitors claim compliance through an exemption
when their products cannot pass the non-combustibility test. Brickworks supports the growing calls from consumers and industry participants for tighter controls and increased compliance in relation to the use of building products in construction projects. As Australia’s largest brick manufacturer, we were pleased to announce the acquisition of America’s fourth-largest brickmaker Glen-Gery in November 2018, bringing geographic diversity to Building Products, with exposure to the U.S. and Australian construction cycles. This acquisition extends our sustainable vision for the built environment across two continents, and in FY20 Glen-Gery will be incorporated into our upcoming five-year sustainability strategy. Our next Sustainability Report will be extended to include the performance of Glen-Gery’s operations following its integration with Brickworks’ Management Systems. By investing in technology and discovery, we deliver better products and anticipate the needs of our industry as it evolves. A recent example is Bristile Roofing and Brickworks Building Products’ current design and development of a Net Zero home concept that promotes the installation of solar energy systems during the construction phase of a new home. In addition, Bristile Roofing won the 2018 HIA Industry and Product Innovation Award for its solar roof tiles.
Brickworks Limited / Sustainability Report 2019 / 03 /
