Community investment fund
At Holcim, we aim to contribute effectively to improving the quality of life of the members of our workforce, their families and the communities in which we operate. The Community Investment Plan has been prepared to provide a clear and transparent framework for implementing community contributions during the first five year of operations.
The Community Investment Plan has been developed in accordance with Holcim’s approach to Sustainable Development, including its Corporate Social Responsibility Policy. Holcim are aiming to build and maintain its good relationship with the local community and other key stakeholders, in a transparent and open manner.
For more details about the plan, see:
The Community Investment Fund focuses on contributions in three keys areas:
- Education
- Sustainable Community Development
- Infrastructure
First round applications will open on the 1 December 2014, and will close 27 January 2015.
Initial enquiries should be directions to lynwood-cif-aush(at)holcim.com
More details will be follow in November and December, including application forms, guidelines, and FAQs (frequently-asked questions).
Community Consultative Committee
The purpose of the Community Consultative Committee (CCC) is to provide a forum for open discussion between representatives of Holcim, the community, the council and other stakeholders on issues directly relating to the mine’s operations, environmental performance and community relations, and to keep the community informed on these matters.
The committee provides a forum to:
- establish good working relationships between Holcim, the community and other stakeholders in relation to the quarry
- provide for the ongoing communication of information on mining operations and the environmental performance of the quarry
- provide an opportunity for comment on the quarry’s environmental performance
- discuss community concerns and review the resolution of community complaints
- discuss how best to communicate relevant information on the quarry and its environmental performance to the broader community, and
- work together towards outcomes of benefit to the mine, immediate neighbours and the local and regional community
Helping the community wherever we can
Holcim Australia has invested $250 million into the region to help build vital community infrastructure such as roads, houses, schools, civil projects and commercial buildings.
Holcim Australia is also working with community groups such as the Beacon Foundation and has established a Community Fund, which will allocate $50,000 in-kind and cash contributions to community based initiatives through a series of competitive tenders. The fund aims to assist projects targeting education, infrastructure and sustainable communities.
Holcim Australia is taking a long-term strategic approach to Lynwood and understand that to do so requires a balanced approach to business, which means a focus on financial, environmental and social performance. This is a core component to the company’s approach with any development in Australia.
Within our community support we are also supporting:
Working in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Boral, as well as other community organisations on the Heritage and Sustainability Park Precinct (HASP)
- Sponsoring the Goulburn Under 15's Hockey club
- Sponsoring the Goulburn Police Indoor Cricket team
- Sponsoring the Goulburn and Marulan Australia Day festivities
- Sponsoring the annual Marulan Kite Festival
- Sponsoring the Marulan Football Club
Holcim are also engaged heavily with the community in the following:
Upgrading the Brayton Road
You can read more here:
The beautification and maintenance of the Marulan township
That’s why Holcim employees at Lynwood quarry have teamed up with local volunteers to help keep the streets of Marulan clean. Every week a group of local volunteers get together to help tidy up the streets of Marulan. Holcim employees volunteer there time to help sweep the streets, pick up rubbish and then dump it at the tip afterwards.
Besides creating up to 100 permanent jobs and numerous casual contracts at Lynwood quarry, Holcim are dedicated to helping the community wherever they can.
Holcim Australia employees at Lynwood quarry will be volunteering every month for the next three months volunteers around Marulan undertaking activities such as mowing, whipper snipping, blowing, installing garden edging and fencing and any other odds and ends to assist in keeping Marulan beautiful for residents and visitors.
You can read more here:
Kangaroo March
The Re-enactment of Kangaroo March will start at Wagga Wagga on 5th September 2015 and make its way through the same towns as the original but connecting those towns via more back roads and private property reflecting the changed traffic conditions in the 100-year interval. The March concludes in Campbelltown on Saturday 10th October 2015 having covered 520km over 36 days.
The re-enactment mission focuses on commemorating the historic event of the 1915 March, inspiring the current generations to achieve success in life as a reflection of the value derived from the WW1 sacrifices, and educating children on the history of the long and continuing fight for freedom.
The purpose of the march is to:
- pay tribute to those local diggers recognising their contributions and sacrifices for the WW1 cause of freedom
- pay tribute to the families, especially mothers, who were left grieving in Australia in consequence of that war
- help communities along the route commemorate the 36 days of the March
- motivate the children of the cities, towns and villages along the route of the March to learn about a significant portion of our local and national history
- inform the broader community of a memorable event of our collective past.
Holcim are going to assist with the movement of the team through the site. This will involve the stop of heavy vehicles along the main access and the creation of a dedicated route for the team to move through and an escorted passage.
Holcim has conducted a risk assessment to map out where the participants could march and see how Holcim can help with making them safe.
Holcim has also undertaken analysis on weed seed transportation and preventing the movement of weeds from other areas onto our site.
Lighting high on the agenda
May 2015 – Holcim is making inroads to lighting issues raised by residents, with its lighting reduction program on track.
Webb Australia is the lighting consultant jointly appointed by Holcim and the Towrang Community Progress Association and has developed the report for the reduction program.
The report assessed the existing external site lighting, identified sources of luminance that may be viewed from off-site and provided recommendations to reduce and/or minimise the corresponding off-site lighting effects.
In addition to Webb Australia’s review, the Lynwood quarry team has been investigating the feasibility of installing a visual screen along the western boundary of the property to shield views of the external lights.
Holcim is pleased to announce that a feasibility study has shown a visual screen would be effective and we are committed to its implementation. Weather permitting Holcim hope to have it installed by the end of July 2015.
We are also pleased to advise that we have commenced implementation of several initial recommendations from the Webb review.
These include:
- The removal of back light shields from all luminaires
- Reducing 400 watt lights to 150 watt lights in the light vehicle car park
- Lowering the light vehicle car park lights from 12.5 metres to 7.5 metres
- Re-configuring the light fittings
- Re-angling all lights located at the end of conveyors
- Re-angling all lights mounted on the workshop building and reducing 400 watts to 250 watts
- Investigating engineering controls to enable on/off switches
- Disabling two of the western facing luminaires
These immediate actions are in addition to those already implemented such as installation of glare shields, realignment of the entry road and installation of guarding to reduce required external lighting; removal of one of the twin 400W globes from each light pole; and removal of five-degree tilt on east side lighting along car park.
Lighting review – background
The Lynwood Quarry Site, and in particular the external lighting design and construction, is compliant with our development consent. The outdoor lighting design was developed to provide the minimum necessary illumination to provide a safe working environment for our employees, while minimising offsite effects through directional and other controls.
While the lights are visible from some external locations, external lighting consultants have found that the lights are not obtrusive and meet the relevant Australian Standards.
Holcim does acknowledge some community concerns relating to the external lighting at Lynwood Quarry, and therefore continues to work with all stakeholders to further address community concerns.
Additional Lighting related activities undertaken to date:
- Community external lighting report (Webb Australia Group Pty Ltd)
- Holcim external lighting report (Mott McDonald Pty Ltd)
- External lighting engineering design certification (GHD)
- Holcim completed Safety Risk Assessments related to site lighting
- Installation of additional Glare Shields
- Removal of 1 of the twin 400W globes from each external light pole
- Removal of 5 degree tilt on east side lighting along car park
- Realigned entry road and installed guarding to reduce required external lighting
- Reviewed remaining globes for improvement opportunities
Guarding and road realignment works (as per the photo below) has recently been completed which will allow a trial of 23 external lights (~40%) being turned off. This trial will be scheduled for late November, and the community will be advised of timing in due course.
Holcim has proposed and offered to fund a combined (Holcim and Community) Process Plant lighting review in accordance with the scope (below):
The lighting review has now been completed and a copy of the final draft report, including conclusions and recommendations is provided (below):