Workwear Group

Suzie is our Group Health, Safety, Wellbeing & Sustainability Manager. She’s responsible for developing Workwear Group’s corporate strategy on sustainability and engaging with key stakeholders to deliver said strategy.  We asked Suzie how Workwear Group approaches sustainability across our business operations: “Our approach is that everyone has a role to play, and everyone can make a difference,” she answered. “Workwear Group can only deliver its strategy and meet its targets if team members do their bit. Of course, some team members’ actions directly impact Workwear Group’s targets, like a site manager who oversees replacement of LED lighting or product managers who need to include recycled fibres in their ranges. However, everyone can use our in-office recycling bins correctly, reduce printouts or use a keep cup.” Some of Workwear Group’s sustainability initiatives include efforts to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, seeing us exceed our Scope 1 and 2 target reduction before 2025. This is partially due to site closures and consolidation of warehouses, but swapping over to LED lighting has seen a reduction in Scope 2 emissions and swapping out to Hybrid vehicles has reduced Scope 1 emissions. “We have worked hard to find recycling solutions for waste such as coloured soft plastics and label backing,” Suzie explained. “We’re continuing to focus on our waste; adjusting our on-product labelling has been a big task but we have made small changes that will have a big impact, like swapping out single-use plastic attachments to paper versions.” “I am excited about Workwear Group’s future thinking in the circularity space,” she said. “To be talking about it and educating ourselves and looking to the future is an important first step. We will start some pilot projects towards circularity and I’m excited to see our teams and customers come on this journey.” “I’m also excited to see how AI can assist us to move at a greater pace and do some of the heavy lifting, because we need to keep up if we want to keep this planet safe for future generations.” Suzie Learmonth #Sustainability  #EnvironmentalResponsibility  #WorkwearGroup  #SustainableInitiatives 

With our focus on sustainability this month, we would like you to meet Suzie, Workwear Group’s Health, Safety, Wellbeing & Sustainability Manager. Suzie has been with Workwear Group for a decade now, after working as an HSE Project Manager at Wesfarmers Industrial & Safety.  “In the sustainability side of my role, I’m responsible for developing Workwear Group’s corporate strategy on sustainability and engaging with key stakeholders to deliver this strategy.” “To do so, we need our teams and suppliers to support us, so part of my role is developing targets and assigning responsibilities to people or teams to action. I’m also responsible for overseeing the governance and due diligence required to be transparent and accurate about our efforts and outcomes.” “Some days it can feel like we’re pushing into strong headwinds but when we look back at what we’ve achieved, we can feel proud that we’re making a difference. We have well-intentioned and passionate team members who want to make a difference so when we can achieve a great outcome, and they feel proud, that’s my reward.” Beyond her role, Suzie is passionate about Caring for Country. “I grew up in bushland with gumtrees and wildlife around me and I am worried about how we treat Country,” she said. “We take from it and don’t care for it so it can continue to support us. I feel privileged to live on this beautiful land and want to do what I can to care for it. I can do little things like consuming less, recycling, having a veggie patch and solar panels, and feeding my worm farm all sorts of goodies.” Suzie Learmonth #Sustainability  #EnvironmentalResponsibility  #WorkwearGroup  #SustainableInitiatives 

Recently our iconic heritage brand NNT celebrated the launch of their new peach scrubs.  This was an opportunity to also recognise and acknowledge the incredible people who wear scrubs every day – healthcare heroes. The event wasn’t just about the scrubs, it was about showing our appreciation for their tireless dedication and resilience. The event was filled with fun, giveaways, and a chance for healthcare heroes to connect and unwind. The NNT team were able to speak with real-life wearers for direct feedback and to interact on a personal level. At NNT and Workwear Group, we’re proud to be part of this incredible community. Here’s to the real superheroes who provide care and services in the Health Industry. #HealthcareHeroes  #NNT  #Scrubs  #Healthcare  #Community 

Workwear Group’s iconic heritage brand, #KingGee, continues its Real People. Real Trades. Real Stories. storytelling campaign. The latest piece tells the story of Danielle Barrie, a talented artist reshaping the landscape of jewellery crafting with a blend of performance, innovation, and craftsmanship. “The jewellery industry is ever evolving,” she says. “Staying ahead means embracing innovation and embracing change.” Danielle transitions between the roles of jewellery maker, designer, and educator. From intricate exhibition pieces to bespoke commissions, each of her pieces represents a masterful piece of artistry and intentionality. When she's creating, she likes to be in durable, comfortable clothing. “I like wearing KingGee products because I just have faith in the fact that they’re going to last a long time.” #WorkwearGroup  #RealPeopleRealTradesRealStories   #DanielleBarrie

Annelou is the Sustainability Advisor at Workwear Group, and her role balances analysis, reporting, project management, and strategy. On one day, she may be collecting, structuring & analysing data for quarterly reports, and the next, providing training on sustainability claims and talking to customers about Workwear Group’s ESG initiatives. Something Annelou enjoys about her role is the opportunity to connect with a range of stakeholders in the sustainability eco-system within Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. “I’ve been able to reach out to recyclers, industry bodies, and transparency & traceability technology providers. These experiences have enriched my knowledge and understanding, allowing me to dive more deeply into complex topics and find meaningful solutions.” So what are some of Workwear Group’s sustainability initiatives? “Workwear Group has some fantastic initiatives in place, ranging from our collaborations with various recycling partners for our textile waste, to our commitment to reconciliation and fostering diversity and inclusion,” Annelou explained. “Our partnership with The Big Issue provides our team members with multiple volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Our Design and Product teams are committed to sourcing preferred and innovative materials and designing with end-of life in mind, and we have a program dedicated to investigating alternatives to difficult-to-recycle trims and labelling, all part of our circular economy roadmap.” We also asked her, what do you think the future of sustainability looks like? “Sustainability is ever evolving and I’m particularly excited about future technologies that will enable us to genuinely close the loop,” she answered. “Then, we will be able to reintegrate materials back into the value chain and there won’t be a need for us to extract finite resources.” #Sustainability  #EnvironmentalResponsibility  #WorkwearGroup  #SustainableInitiatives 

The 2024 NAIDOC Week theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ reminds us of the importance and strength of connection that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people maintain with their lands and waters, and the stories they hold. In support of this theme, Workwear Group was delighted to welcome Stuart McMinn, a cultural Man from the Dharug and Gubbi Gubbi Nations, to share Creation Stories with our team and help us build a stronger understanding and connection to a culture that has thrived for 120,000 years. #NAIDOCWeek  #NAIDOC  #Reconciliation  #WorkwearGroup

At Workwear Group, we’re focusing on sustainability in July. Meet Annelou Ringers, Workwear Group’s Sustainability Advisor. “My role is driven by where there is a need for advice, collateral, or consultation,” she told us. “I aim to strike a balance between analysis, reporting, project management, and strategy.” Annelou has an extensive background, starting in the Netherlands where she’s from. She advised a large global freight provider on risk assessment and sustainability reporting by developing a research report, which led to the development of sustainability metrics and KPIs. From Melbourne, she remotely supported Fashion for Good’s innovation platform, assisted on a research project on the circular textile economy in Victoria for Monash University, and gave sessional lectures to RMIT Masters of Fashion Entrepreneurship students, all while freelance consulting and offering tutoring. Now at Workwear Group as a Sustainability Advisor, she describes her role as versatile with many different stakeholders, providing a variety of challenges where no day is the same. “One day I could be collecting, structuring, and analysing data for quarterly reports, and the next training on sustainability claims and talking to customers about our initiatives.” So how did she find herself in this career? “I’ve always had an interest in clothing & fashion, but soon realised this passion came at a significant cost to people and the environment,” she answered. “Rather than this realisation backing me down, the ample opportunities for change & innovation became the force that drew me in.” From there her enthusiasm for sustainable innovations came to life, with a particular interest in sustainable materials, circular business models, and garment end-of-life solutions. “I found a way to bridge the gap between my two passions:  apparel & sustainability.” Annelou has learnt that getting people on board with sustainability initiatives requires significant change management skills and encouragement & support from those in leadership roles. “There’s often a misconception that sustainability is costly, but there are many ways that it can enhance profitability, including waste or resource reduction and a decrease in carbon footprint." #Sustainability  #EnvironmentalResponsibility  #WorkwearGroup  #SustainableInitiatives 

Madeline Cambel, Head of Marketing - Uniforms for #WorkwearGroupUniforms, was recently named in Ragtrader’s Top 15 Fashion Marketers in 2024! The world of fashion and retail is constantly evolving, but Madeline continues to effectively navigate this dynamic landscape for #NNT. As Ragtrader highlighted, today’s marketers need to be innovative and adaptable. From appointing NNT’s first brand ambassador to personalising its campaigns, Madeline is constantly pushing boundaries to connect with our audience in fresh and engaging ways. “NNT has turned to its wearers for inspiration, feedback, and product improvements that service both larger uniforms customers and individual wearers,” she says. #WorkwearGroup  #Ragtrader  #MarketingWins  #Innovation 

NNT, the leading supplier of healthcare uniforms is excited to launch its newest campaign featuring a range of Peach scrubs. It’s the colour that everyone is talking about! Launching with an eye-catching campaign video that’s designed to turn heads, the campaign stars Miranda, a midwifery student. The peach-tastic video taps into the playfulness of the colour and the built-in movement & freedom that NNT scrubs are known for. Check out the campaign video below and for more insight see NNT’s social media pages for behind-the-scenes content. #NNT  #NNTScrubs  #WorkwearGroup  #Scrubs  #Peach  #ProductLaunch 

Workwear Group proudly recognises and celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of our team and community in Australia and New Zealand. We love that our partners share similar values. For the past four years, we’ve collaborated with Fire and Emergency NZ to create custom Pride t-shirts for their teams to wear at events like the annual Pride Parades in Wellington and Auckland. Supporting our customers to wear their values, through our quality products, is a genuine highlight for us – in Pride Month and throughout the year. #WorkwearGroup  #WorkwearGroupUniforms  #FENZ  #PrideMonth  #LGBTQIA  #Pride