Hands-On Sustainability: Volunteering with CERES' Olive to Oil Initiative

At Perspektiv, sustainability isn’t just what we do – it’s how we live and work. That’s why our team is encouraged to take volunteer leave and contribute their time and energy to causes aligned with our values. On the 11th of June, three of our Melbourne-based team members rolled up their sleeves for a day of community action, volunteering with CERES as part of their annual Olive to Oil initiative.

This grassroots project exemplifies circularity in action. Community members across Naarm/Melbourne are invited to harvest surplus olives from backyard trees and nature strips, then deliver them to CERES for cold pressing. The resulting oil is shared back in proportion to the quantity of olives contributed – a local, low-waste system that prevents food waste, promotes urban food sovereignty, and revalues the hyper-local produce often overlooked. 

People across are invited to harvest surplus olives and deliver them to CERES for cold pressing.

Our team assisted with the bottling and labelling of this year’s freshly pressed oil, experiencing firsthand how the power of community can turn small individual actions into collective impact. It’s not every day you get to work a production line that smells like a Mediterranean harvest. 

The Naarm/Melbourne team busy bottling and labelling olive oil with CERES Olive to Oil initiative.

We were also fortunate to be joined by volunteers from Aussie Broadband – a fellow purpose-driven organisation committed to climate action. Together, we shared stories, solutions, and the occasional laugh, highlighting the power of collaboration in the sustainability space. It was a reminder that, no matter your industry, there is a shared sense of responsibility – and opportunity – in building a better future. 

CERES Olive to Oil bottling facilities in Brunswick.

Importantly, we acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong / Boon Wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Owners of the land on which we gathered. This area has supported thriving, nourished communities for thousands of years, and we pay our respects to First Nations sovereignty, stewardship, and continuing connection to land. 

As a consultancy, we are deeply invested in helping organisations turn sustainability ambition into action, not just through our professional services, but through how we show up in the world. Volunteer days like this are a way for our team to walk the talk, staying connected to the tangible outcomes of sustainability work and contributing directly to the communities we serve. 

Because for us, sustainability isn’t just a strategy – it’s a culture.