Komatsu has confirmed a sponsorship with the Western Sydney Wanderers (WSW) for a second year.
The A-League women’s football team will be supported by Komatsu for the second year in a row as part of the the company’s organisational focus on diversity and inclusion.
WSW calls Sydney’s major construction corridor home, making the team an ideal match for Komatsu, which has its Australian head office in Fairfield in Sydney’s west.
Komatsu Australia managing director and chief executive officer Sean Taylor said the company was excited to enter the second year of its partnership with the team.
“We love what they stand for and see great synergies between our organisations,” he said.
“Last year at our launch event, Komatsu staff were inspired by the Wanderers players and coaches at the club. There were some great stories that resonated about overcoming adversity as women in a male-dominated arena.
“There are strong links to some of the challenges women face in the workforce – specifically in our sector – and we really want to bring these discussions to the forefront of our organisation.”
The announcement comes after Netball Australia recently dashed a $15 million sponsorship deal with mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
Komatsu’s sponsorship of WSW has helped the company put diversity and inclusion on the agenda, with Taylor saying that “diversity presents a tremendous opportunity for our business”.
Like Komatsu within construction and mining, WSW has been firmly focused on diversity and raising the profile of women in the sport.
Earlier this year, the club appointed Tom Sermanni as its first head of women’s football, with the role forming part of the Wanderers Women’s Football Program, which hopes to lay the foundations for future generations of women participating in the sport.
“The strategies that the Wanderers are implementing echo our business strategies here at Komatsu,” Taylor said.
“We are both focused on creating an environment that offers equality and opportunities for women because we understand and know the unique value they can bring our workforce and teams.”