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July 4, 2008
Alcoa Invests in Community Future - Wagerup Sustainability Fund & Peel Regional Office
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The Premier Alan Carpenter, together with Alcoa’s Managing Director Alan Cransberg, has announced two major milestones for the Peel and South West regions – Alcoa’s multi-million dollar commitment to the Wagerup Sustainability Fund, and the official opening of the Peel Regional Office resulting in another 60 Alcoa jobs for the region.
Today’s announcements demonstrate Alcoa’s continued commitment to building capacity in the two regions, and creating stronger communities in its operational areas.
Through the Wagerup Sustainability Fund, established under the Trusteeship of the Western Australian Community Foundation (the Foundation), Alcoa has made a multi-million dollar donation commitment, which will be linked to production at the Wagerup Refinery, and could be up to $15 million over the next 20 years.
Local community members came up with the idea for the Wagerup Sustainability Fund in 2004 following forums which enabled community members to table ideas for their future. The Fund will focus on supporting projects that:
- Produce long term sustainable outcomes for communities in and around Harvey and Waroona;
- Enhance leadership, knowledge, enterprise and innovation;
- Further preserve and protect the local environment; and
- Contribute to creating positive and stronger communities.
Alcoa’s Managing Director Alan Cransberg explained that the Fund is a unique model of social investment, with local community members working alongside the Foundation to determine the Fund’s spend.
“It is tremendously important to Alcoa that we support our communities in the way they want to be supported. This endowed fund is a first for Alcoa and offers the best return for our community,” Mr Cransberg said.
“The community reaps the benefit of our contribution and its interest. It is an ideal vehicle to ensure the community benefits in perpetuity.
Grants are made from the interest earned, so the corpus remains and grows which creates a sustainable financial model that supports the local community now and into the future.
“Partnering stronger communities is a core value of Alcoa and we see this venture as a win-win, affording opportunity to grow and prosper for all parties.”
“One of the best things about the Fund is that while Alcoa is the primary contributor, other businesses and individuals can donate as well if they wish,” Mr Cransberg said.
Recommendations on how to best support the community and distribute funds will be driven by two local advisory committees, representative of the communities of Harvey and Waroona. The Foundation’s structure allows it to be responsive to the current and emerging needs of the community.
Alcoa is the first corporate company to set up a trust with the Western Australian Community Foundation.
Today’s official opening of the Peel Regional Office in Pinjarra has seen 60 Alcoa jobs brought to the region and community capacity building with more people living and working locally.
An increased number of local services are now being supplied to Alcoa including: office security, cleaning, building maintenance, recruitment services, waste disposal and caterers.
“The region is already home to our Pinjarra and Wagerup alumina refineries as well as the Willowdale and Huntly bauxite mines, so it makes good business sense to bring Alcoa’s essential support services closer to our sites,” Mr Cransberg said.
“Our move proves to industry that support roles can and should be co-located near to their operations so local employment and economic benefits are brought to local communities.”
Alcoa has also reaffirmed its position as a business leader in sustainability with the new office being an example of best practice in energy efficiency.
The state-of-the-art building falls into line with Alcoa’s global commitment to sustainability and was designed to achieve a 4-star 'base building' Australian Building Greenhouse Rating (ABGR).
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Media contact: Sarah Tempest 0404 800 417
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