Australia’s leading salary packaging and novated leasing provider, Smart, today announced a commitment of almost $1 million towards environmental restoration in South Australia over the next decade, to be funded through customer contributions to its Carbon Offset Program.
Smart’s long-time environmental partner Greenfleet has purchased 40 hectares of cleared agricultural land at Lake Alexandrina, around 1-hour south-east of Adelaide near the mouth of the Murray River.
The Lake Alexandrina project will be funded by voluntary contributions from Smart novated leasing customers through Smart’s Carbon Offset Program, supporting the revegetation of approximately 32ha of land. A minimum of $100,000 p.a. will be directed from the offset program to the new Greenfleet project over the next nine years.
Sophie MacIntosh, Group Executive for Sustainability at Smart, and Greenfleet Deputy CEO Annabel O'Neill at Lake Alexandrina, South Australia.
“Over the past 18 years, Smart customers have contributed over $17 million to support our environmental partners to deliver positive biodiversity outcomes across Australia. More than 1 million tonnes of carbon will be offset over the life of the forests planted to date,” said Smart’s Group Executive for Sustainability, Sophie MacIntosh.
“This agreement provides certainty over the investment that will be directed towards environmental restoration in South Australia over many years. I am so excited to see the transformation of this landscape, which will become another visible example of the positive impact that our Smart customers and Greenfleet can achieve together.”
Smart’s Carbon Offset Program allows novated leasing customers to voluntarily contribute a small amount each fortnight to help offset the emissions of their vehicle. In 2025, around $1.6 million in contributions were invested into biodiversity projects across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
Greenfleet CEO Wayne Wescott said a range of native species would be planted on the Lake Alexandrina site including Melaleuca, Salt Bush and the South Australian Pink Gum.
It is hoped the revegetated site will also provide habitat for rare and endangered birds which have been sighted in the nearby area, including the endangered Australasian Bittern and critically endangered Curlew Sandpiper. The site is also home to the Cape Barren Goose, Elegant Parrot, Singing Honeyeater and White Fronted Chat.
Mr Wescott said: “We're thrilled to be taking the next step in our 18-year partnership with Smart. This project demonstrates that Smart is truly leading the way in authentic environmental action and we look forward to delivering it on their behalf.
“For almost 30 years, Greenfleet has planted native, biodiverse forests to restore nature and capture carbon emissions. By legally protecting our forests for up to 100 years we are committed to long-term action and it's thanks to organisations like Smart that we can continue this work."