In this interview, CHEP Australia’s Executive General Manager, Renee Holbrook, reflects on six years of partnering with Landcare Australia, and the strategy behind how it’s helping the company deliver on its regeneration and sustainability goals.
Renee, what motivated CHEP to partner with Landcare Australia, and how does this partnership support your social impact goals?
Our partnership with Landcare Australia started to create a hands-on connection for our employees to our nature regeneration mission. Regeneration has been a key part of our strategy for many years, and we’re committed to creating supply networks that give back more than they take. Working with Landcare Australia lets our teams play a direct role in the restoration of natural bushland and forests, reduce emissions, and support biodiversity.
What benefits has the partnership delivered for CHEP so far?
Every CHEP employee receives three paid volunteering days each year, which they can use to contribute to community causes and initiatives. Over the past six years, our teams have contributed more than 2,200 volunteer hours at over 30 locations, planting thousands of native trees and helping to protect endangered species. The partnership has really empowered our people to get involved in hands-on projects like bushland restoration and making a real difference to local landscapes. Landcare volunteering days are very popular within our teams; they are regularly oversubscribed!
Towards our regeneration mission, we’ve planted more than 4,000 native plants in urban and regional areas, including 900 trees planted in Shoalhaven in 2025 alone. Our teams have also removed 120m² of invasive weeds using sustainable methods and propagated over 1,800 seedlings in community nurseries to support future revegetation. These efforts have restored critical habitats, like those at Nurragingy Reserve in Doonside, and supported wildlife such as the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo.
How have staff responded to volunteering opportunities with Landcare Australia? Any advice for other businesses?
Landcare volunteering projects are an absolute favourite. Our Teams love the opportunity to work together on something tangible, where they can see their positive impact on nature and participating as a team. In the last year, 81 CHEP volunteers participated in six major Landcare events, contributing over 525 hours of support. For some employees, the projects are in their local community, which is especially meaningful for them. This connection to our purpose, our strategy and finding partnerships that enable our teams to be hands-on together is what makes this relationship successful year after year.
Can you share a memorable highlight from the partnership?
The two-day Landcare event in the Shoalhaven area last year, is a clear stand out. 30 CHEP employees planted endangered shrubs to support black cockatoo populations in Kangaroo Valley and we also took part in a cultural immersion at Bundanon. Learning about the Carbon Forest and seeing the Landcare Living Landscapes project – over 44,000 native trees planted across 60 hectares, was inspiring. Our teams have also participated in Indigenous engagement activities, including Welcome to Country ceremonies and cultural workshops, which have strengthened our connection with local communities.
Why do you think partnerships like this are important for businesses?
Partnerships like ours with Landcare Australia are vital because they allow businesses to create meaningful, lasting impact beyond their core operations. By collaborating with Landcare, we’re not just advancing our sustainability goals—we’re giving our employees the chance to actively contribute to environmental regeneration in their communities. When organisations work together with community groups and non-profits, they can drive positive change at scale, delivering tangible benefits for people, planet, and business alike.
What advice would you give to other companies considering a partnership focused on environmental or community impact?
As I mentioned before, the magic for us, is the connection to our organisational purpose, our strategy and finding partnerships that enable our teams to be hands-on together is what makes this relationship successful year after year. The Landcare Australia team work with us to ensure that the engagements meet the needs of both organisations and create impactful outcomes for each other and the communities we serve.
