In a world of constant change, one thing is for certain, we all have the power to influence and to make a positive impact. Life and business are not mutually exclusive for us at COS. We’re a family run business and since opening our doors over forty years ago, we have worked together to use our influence for positive change.
Social Responsibility
We Give Back
We’re passionate about sharing our success with our fellow Australians, we are committed to supporting local Australian charities focused on human welfare, through the Lyone Foundation.
With our customers support, COS® has pledged over $6million to the Lyone Foundation so far. And with your ongoing support, we pledge a further $1m minimum per year, to support local Australian charities.
The Lyone Foundation was created in 2013 as the legacy of the Lyone family after their journey from Egypt to Australia. The Foundation allows the family to repay the kindness and support they received on their arrival in Australia, providing them with a platform to thrive in their new country.
By choosing COS® you can make a difference in the lives of others.
Find the latest news on the Foundation and donations here.
“Every one of our customers, however large or small, has contributed to the growth and success of the Lyone Foundation. By engaging with COS you can make a direct difference to the lives of others.” ~ Dominique Lyone
Indigenous Engagement
We are excited to be part of a positive movement creating opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their communities, businesses and suppliers. Our Indigenous brands are hand-picked for their strong commitment to giving back within local communities and our range has grown to include office stationery, copy paper and kitchen supplies.
Muru Range
Muru Group is the only Indigenous owned and operated office products company in Australia. Muru is exclusive to COS®, and committed to creating a pathway for future generations.
Yaru Water
Yaru Water is a social enterprise that tells an important cultural story, whilst creating better health outcomes for Indigenous communities through the Yaru Foundation.
Corporate Connect.AB
Featuring the stunning artwork of Aboriginal artist Keith Brown, all purchases from this collection goes towards the Indigenous community, to enhance social and economic conditions.
“Each purchase of a Muru product provides direct social and economic support to Indigenous communities.”
Eco-Conscious Operation
Together with our large customer and supplier network, we’re developing smarter, more sustainable solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and other environmental impacts. Our goal is zero emissions, and we’ve already made significant progress towards this goal by installing hundreds of solar panels across our warehouses giving us the industry’s largest solar farm.
Eco Conscious Range
We offer an expansive range of eco-conscious products designed to make sustainable choices easy and part of your every day life. All it takes is just a few small changes to create real, positive change, and reduce the harmful effects businesses can have on the environment.
Our Suppliers
We scrutinise every element of our supply chain and only work with socially responsible suppliers committed to meeting our sustainability criteria. Working with our suppliers to reduce plastic has helped us to remove over 27,000 pieces of plastic across the COS private label range in the last year.
Our Logistics
With a vision of sustainable logistics, we are tackling these issues across our operations:
- Our fleet upgrade now produces 70% less carbon
- Our solar farm has saved an equivalent of 5000 trees
- Paperless picking has saved 130 trees
- We have increased our waste to recycling ration by 4%
Environmental Certification
EU Ecolabel
Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA)
Australian Certified Organic
AFRDI
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Fairtrade
Rainforest Alliance
UTZ Certified
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
ENERGY STAR
CRI
Man
Confirm the factory is not employing underage staff, workers are in a healthy/sanitary environment, and wages are paid in line with labour laws?
Materials
What materials are being used and where are they sourced from?
Machines
What type of machines are being used and what are the carbon emissions?
Mother Nature
What impact is the manufacturing process having on the surrounding environment – either through the sourcing, physical production or waste disposal of the factory?
Method
What manufacturing and waste disposal processes are used in the factory? Are they efficient and do they have minimal impact on the surrounding environment?
Ethical Sourcing
At COS, we place a high level of importance on the behaviour of our total supply chain, as we believe this is where we can make the most significant impact. A core focus of managing our relationships with suppliers is ensuring they share our commitment to social and environmental responsibilities.
COS places preference with suppliers practicing ethically responsible methods of sourcing and manufacturing whilst maintaining world best practice labour standards.
Supporting Social Enterprise
The decision to buy from a social enterprise can deliver huge benefits to individuals and communities and is one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of disadvantage and strengthen Australian communities. The power of buying socially means that every time goods and services are bought from a social enterprise, positive change is also created.
Social Traders enable social procurement contracts with their businesses and government members and work with social enterprises to increase capacity and access to new opportunities.
To date, Social Traders has facilitated more than $30 million in sales for social enterprises with businesses and government members.
Social Traders certification is the only social enterprise certification in Australia that recognises the diversity of social enterprise forms across ownership structures and models of impact. By 20201, social Traders goal is to generate 1,500 jobs for disadvantaged Australians.
Their unrivalled experience working with social procurement buyers has given them a privileged position to inform and support social enterprises to new growth opportunities across a broad range of industries.
Fairtrade
Fairtrade ANZ is an active member of the global Fairtrade system and works directly with businesses, consumers and campaigners to make trade fair by securing a better deal for farmers and workers.
Who Gives A Crap
Making super-soft, 100% recycled toilet paper, and donating 50% of profits to rebuild toilets in the developing world. Good for your bum and great for the world!
Thank You
Owned solely by the Thankyou Charitable Trust. Thankyou commits 100% of profits to fund sustainable development projects, with the goal of ending glob al poverty in this lifetime.