Sustainability makes sense, say leading businesses
“Sustainable business makes sense.”
That’s the message from leading Bay of Plenty businesses entering this year’s Environment Bay of Plenty Sustainable
Business Awards.
The awards, which are the only regional awards of their kind in the country, recognise outstanding sustainable business
practice, innovation and sustainable economic development.
Alan Bougen, Sustainable Business Network (SBN) Chairman and Director at Comvita, says the awards are “a great learning
experience”. Comvita, a Paengaroa-based natural health products company, will enter for the first time this year.
“Entering the awards challenges us to look at how sustainable we are and provides a benchmark from which Comvita can
develop ongoing improvements,” he says. “Sustainability is core to the success of our business, it’s part of our
business plan and it makes sense.”
Tauranga company Design Mobel won the supreme Sustainable Business Award in 2003. Quentin Quinn, CEO, explained at the
recent breakfast launch of the awards how media coverage of their success in the awards last year had opened up export
opportunities for them in Germany. Harvey James, winner of last year’s medium sized business category and Managing
Director of Waimangu Volcanic Valley near Rotorua, said the awards helped them to maintain their industry leadership in
the field of sustainable tourism. Marketing sustainability to their educated, informed and affluent tourists was core to
their business, he said. Environment Bay of Plenty is again major sponsor of the awards. Chairman John Cronin says this
year’s theme - Sustainable business makes sense - reflects the growing realisation that sustainability is good for
business, the environment and the community. “These awards give us an opportunity to support businesses on the path
towards sustainability. By doing this, we hope to contribute to the creation of role models for the community.”
To assist businesses to enter the awards the Sustainable Business Network is running free workshops in Whakatane (March
23), Rotorua (March 24) and Tauranga (March 25). SBN Regional manager, Calum Revfem, says the workshops are there to
make it easy for businesses to take the first step towards sustainability. “Businesses can learn a lot from entering the
awards and they get some great resource material to refer to, as well as an individual written report from the judging
panel of sustainability and business experts,” he said.
The awards are supported by Environment Bay of Plenty, the major sponsor, as well as the University of Waikato
Management School, TrustPower and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Nominations stay open until April 23. Forms are
available from SBN 07 9288778 or kathryn@sustainable.org.nz.