QIC have made a $12,000 donation through their Furniture Fund partnership with Egans Asset Management during a recent Sydney office relocation. We talked to Dean Paxton, Head of Facilities & Corporate Real Estate about QIC’s involvement in the Foundation’s ongoing sustainable initiative, which keeps office furniture out of landfill and provides a donation to homeless youth.
Thank you for your generous contribution through your partnership with Egans Asset Management! How did it all come about?
When QIC relocated our Sydney office in late 2023, we sought a sustainable outcome for the furniture and e-waste from our former premises at Martin Place. In support of the Property Industry Foundations’ Furniture Fund, QIC engaged the services of Egans to assist in diverting surplus materials from landfill. The profits from the sale of the surplus materials were then donated to the Foundation’s Haven Project which builds homes for youth homelessness charities.
Why did QIC want to participate in the Foundation’s Furniture Fund?
Participation in the Furniture Fund was an easy decision. With furniture available for a second life, QIC investigated opportunities for reuse and the Furniture Fund presented the perfect opportunity. Not only would the furniture be rehomed but proceeds from the sale of the furniture would go to the Foundation, supporting their important work in addressing youth homelessness.
Why is this kind of sustainability partnership so valuable?
The Furniture Fund is an impressive partnership that provides a one-stop solution for the problem of sustainably managing surplus office materials. QIC needed to find buyers for the surplus office materials from our Sydney office relocation in a tight timeframe – the Furniture Fund, in partnership with Egans, provided a simple and effective way to help find new owners for the surplus materials, avoid landfill, and had the added benefit of raising funds for the Haven Project. It worked well for us.
What’s important to QIC about supporting the Foundation’s mission in building more homes for at-risk young people?
QIC recognises that youth homelessness is a significant social issue with around 38,000 young people aged 12 – 24 years seeking homelessness services in 2022/23. A range of solutions are required to ensure young people have a safe place to call home.
In addition to supporting the Foundation through the Furniture Fund for our Sydney office relocation, QIC has also been supporting new innovations in social housing financing. In 2022, we announced a partnership with Australian Retirement Trust (ART), one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, to finance new social and affordable housing supply in Queensland. Working in conjunction with experienced community housing provider, Brisbane Housing Company this innovative investment partnership provides a scalable model for the financing, development and operation of social and affordable housing in Queensland. We expect that up to 1,200 new homes will be delivered through the partnership, largely consisting of social and affordable housing. We hope that this model encourages continued institutional investment into much needed social and affordable housing.
Moving or renovating your work premises and want to find a second life for your unwanted furniture? Find out more about the Furniture Fund.
