Winning Group wins Banksia Sustainability Award 2025

For leadership in the circular economy

The push toward a more sustainable future depends on organisations willing to rethink how products are designed, used, collected and recovered - and how waste can be dramatically reduced. In 2025, Winning Group, the parent company of Appliances Online and Winnings, has been formally recognised for that work, taking out the Circular Economy Award at the Banksia Foundation’s 2025 NSW Sustainability Awards.

The win reflects the scale and ambition of the group’s ongoing efforts to support more responsible consumption across Australia.

Alice Kuepper Winning Group Sustainability

Alice Kuepper, Winning Group’s Head of Sustainability and Industry Impact

Acknowledging the achievement

Commenting earlier on the recognition and what it represents for the group, Alice Kuepper, Winning Group’s Head of Sustainability and Industry Impact, said:

"We’re honoured to have been named a finalist in the Circular Economy Award. Reducing our environmental impact is central to how we operate: we collect and repurpose packaging, manage responsible recycling of old units, and prioritise product sourcing from suppliers that support sustainable practices."

The Circular Economy Award

The Circular Economy Award celebrates organisations making tangible progress toward circular systems - businesses that design out waste (preventing it from being generated in the first place), keep materials in use longer, and embed sustainability at every stage of operations.

This year, Winning Group stood alongside Auburn Hospital Sustainability Team, John Holland’s M7M12 Integration Project, Lion Pty Ltd, OceanEarth Foundation, and Sustainable Scrubs. Taking out the top spot positions the group as a leader in building practical, measurable change.

Winning Group won the Circular Economy Award at the Banksia Foundation’s 2025 NSW Sustainability Award.

Winning Group recognised for efforts to minimise waste and maximise the use of resources

A circular economy is an approach to production and consumption that minimises waste and maximises the use of resources. Instead of following a disposable approach, materials are kept in circulation through reuse, repair, recycling and thoughtful design, reducing environmental impact while supporting long-term economic and community wellbeing.

The NSW Sustainability Awards, run by the highly regarded Banksia Foundation in partnership with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, celebrate practical, high-impact initiatives. Entries are carefully assessed by over 30 independent judges, who provide detailed feedback and ensure fairness, transparency and integrity throughout the evaluation process.

Why Winning Group was recognised

The group has reached the finals through initiatives that make circular practices part of everyday life for Australian households:

Encouraging responsible consumption by helping customers choose more efficient products
Offering free take-back services for old appliances, mattresses, and packaging to ensure responsible recycling
Partnering with suppliers to expand recycling capabilities
Recycling more than 80,000 tonnes of e-waste, making it Australia’s largest retail collector of end-of-life appliances.

This acknowledgement follows other industry and consumer recognition, such as being named Category Winner in the AFR’s Sustainability Leaders List 2024 and winning Best Last Mile Sustainability Initiative in the Retail Sustainability Awards 2023.

Following the award announcement, Graz van Egmond, CEO of the Banksia Foundation, said:

“Overall, the judges viewed Winning Group as driving genuine, system-level circular change - proof that commitment and integration can deliver real impacts at scale.”

Her comment underscores the depth of the group’s impact and affirms why the judging panel placed them at the top of the Circular Economy category.

James Bartlett, General Manager of Appliances Online

A longstanding commitment

Reflecting on the group’s approach to collection and recycling, James Bartlett, General Manager of Appliances Online, previously said:

“At Appliances Online, our free collection and recycling program is central to how we operate. We’ve been running it for many years, taking full responsibility for the proper disposal and recycling of old washers, dryers, fridges, TVs and more. It is truly gratifying to have these efforts to divert waste from landfill acknowledged by such a respected body as the Banksia Foundation."

Everyday actions, measurable change

Taking home the Circular Economy Award reinforces Winning Group’s impact as a retailer, demonstrating that large organisations can reshape environmental outcomes by integrating sustainability into everyday operations at scale - and that measurable change is possible when recovery, recycling and better product choices are prioritised.

Oli Kitchingman

Oli is Appliances Online's editor and blogger, with almost two decades of lifestyle-related writing and editing to his name. With a mission to help you buy better and live smarter, his brand loyalty will forever belong to the appliance manufacturer that develops a self-emptying dishwasher.