Buddies Sustainability - SustainabilityTracker.com

Sustainability Summary

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Targeting 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 in line with Australian packaging goals.
Solar installations saved 101 tonnes of CO2 emissions across the group.

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Our Commitment towards building a sustainable future

Buddies®, a Sleep Corp® brand, is proud to be one of the foundation members of Sustainability Tracker — a commitment that reflects our belief that transparency is at the heart of sustainable business.

Our vision is "supporting people to deal with life's challenges by unlocking the power of sleep." For us, that means not only making products that perform, but doing so ethically and with the environment in mind.

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Our Sustainability Council drives ongoing change across every part of the business — from the raw materials we source and how we manufacture, to our packaging, distribution and beyond. We are committed to making meaningful progress, not just incremental ones.

Australian owned and operated since 1978, our brands in Australia and New Zealand include Buddies® and Protect-A-Bed®, while in the USA you will find us as Airley® and Bedscape®. Many of our products are made right here in Melbourne, at our state-of-the-art facility we moved into in late 2021.

Purpose-built with sustainability in mind, the facility runs on solar power — significantly reducing our CO₂ emissions — while autonomous mobile robots and electric forklifts further reduce our environmental footprint. You can read more in our Actions and Commitments.

Across our entire product range, every item is OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified — independently tested and verified as free from harmful substances. As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation), we have transitioned the majority of our packaging from PEVA bags to 100% recyclable cardboard made from at least 50% recycled material — a change we are proud to have already put into action.

Looking ahead, we are an active participant in the Top-of-Bed Working Group led by the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council (ABSC), helping shape industry-wide recycling infrastructure for top-of-bed products. We have also identified a potential partner for recycling returned products and off-cuts into household goods — an exciting initiative we are continuing to develop.

To speak with our team, call 1300 857 123 during business hours or email us at clientservices@sleepcorp.com.au.

About Buddies

Status

Website
Visit Website

Employees
25 - 100

Industry
Textiles

Country
Australia

Founded
2013

Buddies Sustainability Actions

Social and Environmental Responsibility

Responsible business extends beyond our own walls. We require all suppliers and partners to meet our standards on human rights, environmental practices and ethical business conduct — and we hold them to the same expectations we set for ourselves. All suppliers must be signatories to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs that promotes respect for workers' rights around the globe. They must also have a formal policy outlining how they manage their environmental impacts, and comply with all relevant local and national environmental laws. In addition, our suppliers must adhere to the principles of the Greenpeace Detox Movement — a global commitment to eliminating hazardous chemicals from the entire production process for household textiles, garments and footwear. It is a commitment to a toxic-free future for people and the planet, and one we take seriously throughout our supply chain.

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Recyclable Consumer Packaging

As a member of APCO (the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation), we committed to transitioning our consumer packaging away from PEVA bags — and we are pleased to report that the majority of our range has now made that move to 100% recyclable cardboard, made from at least 50% recycled materials. Most of our new cardboard packaging features the ARL (Australian Recycling Label) to clearly communicate disposal methods to customers. Where the ARL is not yet present it will be incorporated at the next packaging update. Our commitment to responsible packaging is reflected in our APCO reporting, where Sleep Corp® has been assessed as operating at Beyond Best Practice — the highest rating available. Where cardboard is not yet commercially viable, we are transitioning to LDPE or fabric bag alternatives — both a significant improvement on PEVA in terms of environmental impact. Better still, we encourage customers to give these bags a second life at home — they make great storage for linen, children's toys, packing cubes and more, keeping them out of the waste stream for longer. This is a journey we began in 2023 and continue to build on, with the goal of ensuring every product in our range is packaged as responsibly as possible.

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Evidence

Sustainable Design Approach

When we moved into our new Melbourne facility in late 2021, sustainability wasn't an afterthought — it was built into the design from the ground up. The factory layout maximises natural light, reducing our reliance on artificial lighting throughout the day. Rapid-open/close roller doors help naturally regulate airflow and temperature, reducing the need for mechanical heating and cooling. And a lean approach to operations ensures a more efficient flow of goods through the facility, minimising unnecessary movement and energy use. We believe that thoughtful design choices — made once — can deliver sustainability benefits every single day. Our facility is proof of that.

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Solar Power at our Head Office and Manufacturing Facility

We have been committed to solar energy since 2020, when we made the switch at our Melbourne head office, manufacturing and warehousing facilities. When we moved to our new state-of-the-art facility in late 2021, we took the time to carefully assess our new machinery's power requirements to ensure the right solar system could be designed and installed to meet our needs. By May 2022 we had made the switch, and have been running on solar ever since. The results speak for themselves. Across our three most recent reporting periods, our solar system has saved an estimated 309.7 tonnes of CO₂-e — the equivalent of removing 72 cars from the road, planting 5,162 trees, or avoiding 134,663 litres of petrol. Numbers we are proud of, and committed to building on.

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Internal Recycling

Recycling is embedded into our day-to-day operations. Dedicated recycling stations throughout our office and manufacturing facility make it easy for the team to sort and separate waste, which is then regularly collected by our waste services partner for recycling. We also take a reuse-first approach where possible — cardboard cartons are reused across manufacturing, storage and distribution before reaching end of life, reducing the volume of materials we consume and keeping useful resources in circulation for longer. Small habits, consistently practised across a whole organisation, add up to a meaningful difference.

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Buddies Sustainability Commitments

2021

APCO (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) Member

Supporting the Government's initiative to reduce packaging waste going to landfill, we joined APCO and committed to transitioning all our consumer packaging, where possible, to 100% recyclable alternatives. We are proud to report that the majority of our range has now made that move — and our efforts have been recognised by APCO, who assess us as operating at Beyond Best Practice.

2021

Operational Initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint

In late 2021, we moved to new state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution facilities — and from day one, sustainability was central to how we set up and operate. A bespoke cardboard packaging machine supports our transition to recyclable packaging. Autonomous mobile robots have near-eliminated paper-based order picking. Electric forklifts — powered by our rooftop solar — have removed diesel from our facility floor. And a commitment to recycling across all materials underpins everything we do.

2022

Sleep Corp Sustainability Committee Established

Formalising our commitment to sustainability, we established a dedicated Sustainability Council to drive change across every part of the business — from raw materials and product production, to packaging, distribution and day-to-day operations. The Council ensures sustainability remains a standing priority, not an afterthought.

Sustainability Summary

Buddies Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary

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About Buddies