AWB has a long and proud tradition of serving and supporting rural Australia for more than 150 years. We recognise the importance of supporting and actively contributing to the communities in which we live and work, and as Australia’s leading agribusiness, we are in a unique position to be able to make a difference.
Fostering our future leaders
For the sixth consecutive year, Landmark continues to be involved with the Nuffield Farming Scholarship, providing funding to enable promising young Australian farmers to travel overseas to work with and learn from some of the world’s best agriculturalists. The 2008 Landmark Nuffield scholar will study advanced (or intensive) grazing management to improve semi-arid rangelands during a study tour of Mexico, the USA and Europe.
For more information about the Nuffield Farming Scholarship program, go to www.nuffield.com.au.
In conjunction with the Meat and Livestock Association, Landmark also sponsored two Red Meat Industry undergraduate scholarships to introduce young professionals to the red meat industry
Giving back to rural communities
AWB continues to play an active role in supporting the rural and regional communities in which it operates through a variety of sponsorship programs and community grants.
In recognition of the difficulties faced by rural communities during drought, AWB has donated more than $68,000 in proceeds from the Dividend Reinvestment Plan towards the valuable work undertaken by
beyondblue in rural and regional Australia. (Under the terms and conditions of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan offered to shareholders, the calculation of shares is rounded down to the nearest share with the rounding component being donated to charity.)
A number of employees have also participated in planned training sessions run by
beyondblue as part of the
Don't beat about the bush! campaign.
We are also strong supporters of rural sport, sponsoring a range of country AFL, rugby, and cricket associations throughout regional Australia.
Landmark's employee team took part in the Bondi International Rugby Tens charity tournament in February 2008, with several thousand people attending games across the weekend event. The event helped to raise much needed funds for
beyondblue, The Royal North Shore Hospital Burns Unit, Plan Australia and Zero to One.
Landmark continues to sponsor the Western Australian Country Football League Championships with the sponsorship entering its thirty-third year in 2007. In 2008, Landmark will sponsor the Australian Country Football Championships, which will be held in Shepparton, Victoria during July.
International aid
We continue to support the Flour Fortification Initiative (FFI) – an alliance between governments, international agencies, wheat and flour manufacturers and other organisations, which seeks to improve global health by addressing a basic vitamin and mineral deficiency affecting a third of the world’s population. The central aim of the FFI is to foster collaboration and mobilise the industry to make micronutrient flour fortification, particularly folic acid and iron, a normal part of large roller mill flour production.
Industry groups
AWB sponsors a range of industry groups and associations including Birchip Cropping Group, Southern Farming Systems, South East Premium Wheat and Barley Growers Association, Western Australian No Till Farming Association, Liebe Group and Facey Group.
Sustainability and the environment
The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program for plant based management of dryland salinity was finalised during 2007. Significant funding and resources were contributed to the program through Landmark, to aid in the delivery of farming systems and technologies to help farmers and communities manage the issue of salinity caused by rising water tables.
In collaboration with regional catchment authorities in all mainland states, work has also commenced to demobilise salts in the landscape and reduce associated threats.
A commitment of $4 million was made by Landmark to the Future Farming Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FFI CRC). The seven-year research initiative aims to develop new and resilient farming systems to deliver greater profits and environmental stability to Australian farmers.
The FFI CRC will seek to integrate perennial (including native) plants into broadacre farming systems to improve profits, combat a variable and changing climate, fight salinity and generate new industries and regional jobs.
AWB is also a foundation member of eTree, a Computershare initiative with Landcare Australia, which encourages shareholders to register to receive communications by email, minimising postal communications and saving paper.
For every eTree email registration received, AWB makes a donation to Landcare Australia. The funds are distributed to support reforestation and landscape change projects in the registering shareholder’s state.
There are now 75 companies participating in eTree, and the funds collectively raised has enabled 1.7 million trees to be planted in Australia, Canada, USA, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Some of the projects receiving funding under the eTree initiative include Lockyer Wetlands Project in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, the planting of 830 hectares of new bushland for the Eastern Riverina Regional Revegetation project and to date, more than 5,950 AWB shareholders have registered for eTree. Shareholders interested in supporting eTree can register their email address at www.eTree.com.au/awb.
Sponsorship and donations
AWB reviews sponsorship opportunities during July-August each year and funding is then allocated for the next financial year, 1 October - 30 September. The allocation of sponsorship funding for the 2007-2008 financial year is now complete and new requests for sponsorship funding this financial year will only be accepted for the next financial year in July 2008.
If you have questions, please contact AWB Corporate Affairs on +61 (0)3 9209 2000.
Access a copy of the AWB sponsorship policy and guidelines (PDF 27 Kb)
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