Media releases

Lights out at Westpac Group buildings to support Earth Hour

 

25 March 2010

The Westpac Group will turn off the on-floor lights and sky signage in all its corporate offices across Australia at 8.30 pm on Saturday March 27 to show support for Earth Hour.

The Westpac Group General Manager of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Sally Herman, said Earth Hour provides an opportunity for everyone to consider ways in which they can reduce their impact on the environment.

“It’s the small things we do everyday that make a difference. As well as switching off lights in support of Earth Hour, The Westpac Group is encouraging employees and customers to make small changes in their day-to-day lives to help reduce their carbon footprint”, Ms Herman said.

Between 1996 and 2008, The Westpac Group reduced its emissions by over 40%. As part of its five-year climate change strategy, The Westpac Group has committed to an aggressive overall emissions reduction target of 30% by 2013. The Westpac Group will also continue to develop products and services to help customers reduce their own carbon footprint.

"At The Westpac Group sustainability is deeply embedded in our culture and reducing our impact on the environment has been a key priority for our organisation for more than 15 years”, Ms Herman said.

“Our focus for 2010 is to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5%, our paper consumption by 7% and our water consumption by 6% in corporate sites, contact centres and branches.

"We are encouraging our employees to participate in Earth Hour at work and at home, by switching off lights and all non-essential electrical items, such as computers, photocopiers and printers," Ms Herman concluded.

Earth Hour begins at 8.30pm local time, Saturday, 27 March 2010.

How The Westpac Group is supporting Earth Hour

  • The Westpac Group (including Westpac, St.George, BankSA and BT) will turn off the on-floor lights and sky signage in all its corporate offices across Australia for Earth Hour.
  • In Sydney, The Westpac Group’s three main buildings (Westpac Place, 60 Martin Place and 182 George St), will be completely dark, apart from essential security lighting.
  • At all other corporate offices, including Westpac Business Banking Centres, all occupied floor lights will be turned off. As a tenant at various sites, The Westpac Group is also working with the relevant building owners to encourage full participation in Earth Hour.
  • All sky signs of The Westpac Group will be turned off, including the iconic ‘barometer’ on the top of Westpac Place in Sydney and the sky signs on St.George's 182 George St head office and Westpac House, Adelaide's tallest building.
  • The Westpac Group will maintain all essential security lighting, (including ATMs) to ensure employee and customer safety.
  • All Westpac, St.George and BankSA branches already turn off nonessential lights every night. Key branches in capital cities will be participating for Earth Hour.
  • The Westpac Group has also encouraged employees, suppliers and customers to get involved and turn their lights off on the night.

For further information on The Westpac Group’s commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability visit /about-westpac/sustainability-and-community/

For Earth Hour information and to measure your environmental footprint, visit http://www.earthhour.org.au

About Earth Hour

At 8.30 pm on Saturday 27 March 2010, millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour, Earth Hour, to show that we can all choose to make a difference. WWF-Australia is encouraging everyone to make one commitment for the year to reduce their impact on the environment.