COS and Social Responsibility
There are many social and environmental issues needing remedial action today. It’s easy to assume someone else will pick up the slack, but Australia’s business segment have a huge opportunity and responsibility to contribute to a solution.
Our belief is that organisations have a big opportunity to make a impact where these issues are concerned. We are passionate about giving back to the community, protecting our environment and engaging with like-minded suppliers, such as Thank you and Who Gives a Crap.
Sharing our Success
Our founder and CEO, Dominique Lyone, came to Australia with his family in 1967 as a 13-year-old war refugee. In 1976 he established COS®; a small, local stationary business with only two staff. Over 40 years it has grown into the largest Australian-owned-and-operated National Office Products company and has won multiple awards.
With this growth and success came a philanthropic urge. Dominique created the Lyone Foundation in 2013 in order to reciprocate the kindness he received from Australian charities upon his arrival in this new country.
The Lyone Foundation contributes over $1M a year to humanitarian causes across the country, including Orange Sky, Backpacks 4 SA Kids, Wings 4 Kidz, Edmund Rice Camps in Brisbane, Food for Change and Wear for Success. We also support early childhood education development for Indigneous children in Far North Queensland, helping to improve reading and numeracy standards through a structured play group.
Addressing social inequalities, hunger and minority groups, the Lyone Foundation aims to assist charities with a focus on human welfare. Each order we receive increases the impact we have on these charities, and our customers are a key part of our work to improve the lives and opportunities of hundreds of Australians.
Reconciliation Action Plan
COS® have a long history of support and collaboration with the Australian Indigenous community, shown through our advocacy of Indigenous-owned business.
We are proud to claim the largest range of Indigenous office products through our partnership with the Muru Group; founded by CEO Mitchell Ross, a Bidjigal man from Sydney. COS® is also an active member of Supply Nation, promoting opportunities for Indigenous business across Australia.
By working together with Indigenous businesses, we are able to support Indigenous communities who benefit from business revenue which is reinvested with the intention of creating prosperity for current and future generations. According to a 2015 report, Indigenous businesses create $4.41 of economic and social revenue for each $1 of business revenue. Choosing to purchase from Indigenous businesses has a flow-on effect for everyone involved, from business sales to the communities who benefit from the revenue raised.
In 2018 we launched our Reconciliation Action Plan; a milestone which celebrates our achievements and outlines our commitment to continue to support reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people.
Recognising and supporting the rich heritage and contributions of the ATSI community is one of the key ways COS seeks to address social inequalities and promote positive change. By increasing the availability of Indigenous-owned products, we can extend these social and financial opportunities to the whole of Australia, simply by encouraging their purchase.
Environmental Responsibility
Like so many industry-leading organisations today, we embrace our role as ecologically sustainable leaders.
Our own operations are solar based, with over 1500 solar panels installed on our Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane warehouses. Our offices and warehouses are designed to use minimal power and produce as little waste as possible; we reuse packaging, maximise natural light, use remanufactured toner cartridges and preference video conferencing over air travel.
We’re also constantly adding to our own range of eco-friendly solutions for the workplace. Everything from BioPlastic bags, recycled toilet tissue to recycled office stationery and beyond. COS prioritises ethically responsible suppliers, particularly those who source and manufacture with consideration for the environment. We’re constantly expanding our range of environmentally friendly products and are proud to provide a large number of recycled and recyclable options in each category.
We’re able to supply environmentally responsible products while continuing to operate sustainably. It means that those who order through COS® are both directly and indirectly contributing to a better business model for environmental sustainability.
With over 12 certifications for fair, ethical, and environmentally responsible business practices, our success means we can make a genuine difference to those issues which affect Australia and all those living here.
