Australian Restoration and Construction Pty Ltd (ARC Projects) is a leading insurance builder with over 11 years of experience delivering end-to-end restoration and construction services across the east coast of Australia and New Zealand. Headquartered on the Gold Coast and supported by a dedicated team of more than 165 full-time employees and an extensive subcontractor network, ARC partners with insurers, loss adjusters, and property owners to rebuild homes and communities following natural disasters and other insurable events. Founded by Ben McArthur and Jordan Powell—carpenters turned directors with deep industry insight—ARC has built a reputation for excellence through its commitment to integrity, responsiveness, and forward-thinking innovation.

In 2023, ARC launched Build Clean, Lead Green (BCLG)— an industry-first, whole-of-business sustainability strategy. Developed through a collaborative, cross-functional Sustainability Leadership Team, the initiative applies a soft systems thinking approach to embed sustainable practices across ARC’s operations, culture, and supply chain. BCLG moves beyond traditional corporate social responsibility by integrating measurable, accountable sustainability actions into core business processes—addressing everything from subcontractor engagement and waste reduction to emissions tracking and transparent reporting.

BCLG’s inaugural strategy, implemented from mid-2023 to September 2024, comprised 20 clearly defined actions aligned to SMART KPIs and structured under three core pillars. The strategy was supported by strong executive leadership and company-wide staff engagement, with SLT monthly meetings/ working group sessions closed out with regular reflective practice enabling continuous improvement. Despite challenges such as catastrophe response demands and workforce pressures, ARC achieved full completion of 15 out of 20 strategy actions, with the remaining five actions progressing into the current 2025–2026 strategy cycle. A comprehensive public report detailing progress, outcomes, and lessons learned was released in early 2025 to encourage industry-wide transparency and collaboration.

The outcomes of BCLG 2023–2024 and those already observed for 2025-2026 have been significant. Internally, ARC has seen a measurable uplift in organisational morale, cross-departmental collaboration, and a strengthened sense of purpose across teams. The initiative has inspired subcontractors to introduce their own sustainability practices and influenced clients to consider shared sustainability metrics in procurement and partnership models. ARC’s commitment to transparent reporting, including voluntary climate risk disclosure, has further differentiated the brand and attracted new strategic partnerships with like-minded insurers.

In 2025, ARC expanded its focus to external stakeholder engagement, embedding sustainability deeper into its technology platform, Loop. Through real-time data collection, emissions tracking, and job-level sustainability metrics, ARC is piloting a series of live sustainability case studies with one of Australia’s largest insurers. This initiative aims to operationalise sustainability across the entire claims lifecycle—setting a replicable benchmark for the insurance construction sector.

ARC is currently finalising its BCLG 2025–2026 strategy, which includes 32 ambitious, data-informed actions. A formal Climate Action Plan is also underway, supported by independent emissions assessments and expert consultation. These efforts form part of ARC’s longer-term goal to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.

Through its innovative, participatory, and transparent approach, ARC is redefining what sustainability leadership looks like in a traditionally low-regulated and high-waste industry. The Build Clean, Lead Green initiative is not just transforming ARC’s own operations—it is setting a new industry standard, influencing the supply chain, and proving that insurance construction can be both efficient and environmentally responsible.

For more information about ARC Projects, visit arcprojects.com.au