Komatsu’s 2023 Live your Dream recipients have been announced, with nine employees across Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia each receiving a $10,000 grant to support a not-for-profit organisation or charity of their choice.
The Live Your Dream program has been running since 2017 and gives Komatsu employees the opportunity to contribute to their local community or wider society. Previous recipients have given back in many ways, including a 4,000km solo bike ride across the country, which raised over $25,000 for charity, a donation to food charity OzHarvest and facilitation and participation in anti-bullying and mental health program Dolly’s Dream to remote schools.
Colin Shaw, Executive General Manager, People and Strategy from Komatsu Australia says the program is one Komatsu is proud to deliver for its employees. “We receive nothing but positive feedback on the Live Your Dream program, not only from our employees, but from those charities or organisations the grants are delivered to.”
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“We’re very proud of this initiative, which helps our people to support the causes they care about. It gives our people the opportunity to do something special that they normally don’t have the provisions to do outside of work.”
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“This is one of the many ways that Komatsu builds employee value so that our people can continue their growth both personally and professionally. This program along with many others helps make Komatsu a great place to work for our people and adds another element for those future generations who are considering employment with businesses that go above and beyond for their people,” Colin says.
The nine 2023 Live Your Dream recipients will start to deliver their grants over the coming months.
The 2023 Komatsu ‘dreamers’ are:
- 1. John Savage, Field Service Technician, Wacol, Queensland. John will be supporting Drought Angels - with a mission to participate in the Long Drive for Drought, collecting money for Queensland farmers in need.
- 2. Mick Bartlett, Service Supervisor, Port Hedland, Western Australia. Mick is supporting The Regional Men's Health Initiative, focusing on men's mental health in remote WA, specifically Tom Price and Paraburdoo.
- 3. Bronte Jewell, Apprentice Technician, Fairfield, New South Wales. Bronte is supporting the Illawarra Music Foundry in ensuring that people with a disability are given the same rights and experiences as the wider community.
- 4. Stacey Renata, Apprentice Technician, Welshpool, Western Australia: Stacey will be supporting Feed it Forward Inc - collecting food from supermarkets and food donors, while also saving tonnes of food and grocery items going to landfill.
- 5. Kristy Gerges, Marketing Specialist, Fairfield, New South Wales: Kristy is supporting marginalised members of our community by participating in Maronites on Mission (M.O.M) weekly food van program and home visit program.
- 6. Jean-Christophe Nyssens, Regional GM, New Caledonia: Jean will be using his grant to welcome the New Caledonia branch’s first beehive, producing honey for employees and pollinating the surrounding mangrove trees – for the benefit of the local community.
- 7. Taia Cleary, Legal Counsel, Welshpool, Western Australia. Taia will be supporting the 16 Days in WA campaign initiated by Zonta House. This campaign encourages communities to assist in stopping violence against women and invites individuals to educate, motivate and advocate within their communities.
- 8. David Bainbridge, Territory Sales Manager, Christchurch, New Zealand. David will be assisting Gumboot Friday, an initiative by the Key to Life Charitable Trust, supporting young people who are struggling with their mental health.
- 9. Julie Aplin, Customer Project Coordinator, Welshpool, Western Australia. Julie is supporting the Pirate Ship Foundation by helping to raise vital funds which are directly invested into childhood brain cancer research programs, including the brain tumour research program at Telethon Kids Institute.