About the Green Team

In line with our goals toward a more sustainable future, we’ve enlisted a group of self-selected employees to teach our team to be more green.

The Green Team is Penguin Random House’s very own team of dedicated team members who take on initiatives to spreading sustainability throughout our office and beyond. Comprised of Penguin Random House (PRH) and United Book Distributors (UBD) employees, the team focuses on making our workplace more environmentally for us all. The team promotes a proactive approach to sourcing renewable resources and reducing carbon emissions and waste.

Green Team Mission Statement

​To encourage PRH AU staff to behave responsibly towards our environment.

To promote a proactive approach to the sourcing of renewable resources and the reduction of carbon emissions and waste.

Green Team Activities

The great Keep Cup intiative

To eliminate single-use coffee cups from our Melbourne and Sydney offices, the Green Team organised a group order of Keep Cups.

To encourage employees to order one for themselves, the Green Team gave PRH staff the option of designing their own personalised cup – much more fun than the paper-and-plastic takeaway alternative!

Dozens of team members participated, with some even ordering for family and friends as well. Not only did the initiative shine a light on the issue of single-use cups, but it also directly provided another, more environmentally-friendly option.

Veggie and herb planter boxes at Centre Road

The Green Team at UBD made their own planter boxes to beautify the outdoor space and provide employees with lovely, fresh produce. First, they took a trip to the Yarra Valley to pick up used apple crates, which were then repurposed into planters.  

Once they had transported the crates to UBD, the team filled the boxes with filler dirt, straw, donkey poo, and a bale of hay. They finished it with some topsoil and mushroom compost to encourage healthy plant growth.

The team members submitted suggestions for plants they’d like to see, and the team began gardening. They planted coriander, mint, rosemary, and garlic. Four years later, the garden is still there, with team members hoping to re-plant herbs for a new season soon. 

Clean Up Australia Day

One key event for the Green Team each year is Clean Up Australia Day. We get a group of PRH employees and venture out to collect waste. We’ve untangled bags from piles of seaweed, sifted through the sand to eliminate beads, and collected endless cigarette butts. One Green Team member has even gone out in a kayak to collect rubbish from the water!

National Tree Day

PRH is proud to participate in National Tree Day, where nearly 300,000 Australians work together to plant trees around the country. The Green Team facilitates sign-ups and encourages our team to join in on the fun. Not only is it a great bonding experience, but it’s also a fabulous way to give back to the community, help the climate crisis and educate ourselves.