Support for Government's green development push

1 February 2007

Media Release

New poll shows strong business support for Government's green development push

The Government's new call for sustainable economic development to manage climate change and protect the country's trading position enjoys overwhelmingly strong support among business decision makers, according to a new poll being published today.

A Management Magazine-ShapeNZ survey shows 90% of business managers, proprietors and self-employed agree with the Prime Minister's position, first outlined at last year's Labour Party annual conference, for sustainable economic management.

While three out of 10 worry this may make the country less competitive in the short term, almost eight out of 10 (78%) believe it will make New Zealand more competitive internationally long term.

They also: * See green consumerism playing a major role in the future and influencing their own companies' and others' purchasing decisions. 92% believe green consumerism exists in New Zealand but only 5% believe it impacts the way New Zealanders currently shop. Looking to the future, however, there is a major reversal: 63% believe it will have a significant impact

* Back mandatory procurement of green products and services by Government agencies (70% support), and

* Support the Government playing a major role, including using tax revenue, to develop and promote eco-labels for products and services.

The survey covers responses from 190 business managers, proprietors and self employed, weighted according to their personal party vote at the last General Election to remove potential political bias in the results. The decision makers are members of the public ShapeNZ online survey panel run by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The business decision makers strongly endorse the Government taking a multi-faceted role in sustainable/ green procurement.

* 81% will support Government involvement in promotional campaigns * 71% support creating a green public sector procurement policy * 59% support developing and maintaining specifications for sustainable products and services * 54% support development of green and other sustainability labels aimed at both the business procurement and consumer markets * 53% think the Government should help licensees to comply with sustainable label specifications.

Only 3% believe the Government should play no role at all, 2% don't know.

The poll's publication comes on the eve of the release of the next major report on climate change by the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), expected to firm up on the certainty of global warming, and as UK supermarket giant Tesco introduces carbon footprint labeling on products it sells.

Business Council Chief Executive Peter Neilson says the poll shows there is huge support for the view that the country needs to manage climate change and longer term development in ways which can be sustained and which also protect the country's trade.

"Business decision makers are absolutely convinced that the Government can provide a major lead and impetus for sustainable development here by directing its 47 core agencies to 'buy green'. That will immediately push $6 billion a year in Government spending behind the policy.

"People will get the message very quickly that if you supply costly non-sustainable products you'll stand less chance of getting Government contracts.

"Sustainable Government procurement will help mainstream better business practices. It will also drive small to medium enterprises, which make up 96% of our registered companies, into sustainable practices giving them a share in potentially huge benefits. It will also send a signal to the world that we're seriously and genuinely 'pure'.

"Business people confirm the inclusion of whole-of-life pricing and green conditions in state procurement contracts will affect their decisions to produce and buy goods and services which are not only profitable, but take care of the environment and people at the same time," Mr Neilson says.

"Public procurement policy is the sleeping giant of sustainability policy in New Zealand.

"I don't think there can be any doubt now the Government has a mandate to make sure the country not only promotes itself as 100% pure, but turns that into a reality for business. It will set us up to compete effectively in a world which is rapidly going green, with climate change a major driver," Mr Neilson says.

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