Sustainability trailblazers announced

NEWS RELEASE

Thursday, 25 September 2008

New Zealand’s sustainability trailblazers announced

After an extensive six-month search across the country, the finalists of the 2008 NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards have been announced.

Vying for this year’s coveted Sustainable Business of the Year title are the following finalists:

• Bayfair Management Retail managers of Bayfair Shopping Centre, Mt Maunganui

• Criterion Furniture East Tamaki-based furniture designers

• FIL New Zealand Mt Maunganui-based dairy hygiene and animal health product manufacturers

• McBride Farm Farm management company in Te Kowhai, Hamilton

• Naturally Native Native plant wholesalers based in Tauranga

• Nomad Safaris Queenstown-based tourism operator

• Paradigm Auckland-based design company

• Paraoa Bakehouse Paraparaumu-based organic bakery

• Resene Paints Makers of Paintcrete, a waste paint product, Hutt Valley, Wellington

All of the above finalists were Trailblazer category winners in their respective regions, and have been recognised as actively integrating sustainability throughout their business operations for the last few years.

Rachel Brown, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Business Network is encouraged by the diversity of organisations that are leading the way.

“It’s important to celebrate New Zealand’s sustainability trailblazers. This year’s group represents organisations from across the industry spectrum, some of which have tackled significant sustainability challenges for a number of years now.

“The Trailblazers are business heroes that are not afraid to take sustainability head on - they’ve seen the benefits for their bottom line and are making it happen.

“As sustainability becomes entrenched in the business psyche, we are seeing an increased number of innovative approaches that extend beyond business operations into new products and service delivery.

“This year’s entrants demonstrate once and for all that sustainability is more than just turning off the light switches!”

To enter the awards, businesses either participated in the Sustainable Business Network’s ‘Get Sustainable Challenge’that looks at key areas of sustainable practice and whether they are being embedded throughout the organisation; or entered the Sustainable Design and Innovation Award that celebrates businesses offering an outstanding product, service or building.

As foundation partner of the Sustainable Business Network, Head of NZI Karl Armstrong said NZI is delighted to sponsor the annual awards for the second year running.

“As an innovative and progressive company, NZI has been working to integrate sustainable business practices across the organisation - our customers want us to take action, and our people want to work for a company that's taking its environmental responsibilities seriously.

“NZI’s involvement with the awards is a practical way we can support the efforts of other companies making real change to the way they do business. “

Winners of the awards will be announced in at a gala dinner at Auckland’s War Memorial Museum on Thursday, 9 October, A full list of category finalists is included below.

ENDS

Wright Communications is proud to provide pro bono public relations services to the Sustainable Business Network.

Editors’ notes

About the Sustainable Business Network

Nationally, the Sustainable Business Network represents more than 700 businesses from SMEs, consultants, research and academic staff, through to large businesses and corporations. The Network has five regional offices and promotes sustainable business practice through networking, practical advice and support, research and policy. It focuses on leading, promoting and facilitating practices and procedures that enhance economic prosperity, environmental quality, social equity and business ethics.

• ‘Trailblazers’are those organisations that have been implementing sustainability measures for two years or more

• ‘Emerging’organisations have been on the journey for two years or less

• Trailblazers and Emerging finalists participated in the Get Sustainable Challenge

• The Sustainable Design and Innovation Award category covers products, services and buildings

• All finalists were winners in their regional awards held in August and September of this year.

Category Finalists Summary

Trailblazer Category Finalists

Large and Corporate – sponsored by Toyota

Northern finalist: Criterion Furniture

Waikato finalist: No winner selected

BOP finalist: Bayfair Management

Central finalist: Resene Paints

Southern finalist: No winner selected

Small and Medium (50 employees or less)

Sponsored by Ministry of Economic Development

Northern: Paradigm

Waikato: McBride Farm

BOP: FIL New Zealand and Naturally Native

Central: Paraoa Bakehouse

Southern: Nomad Safaris

Not-for-Profit – sponsored by Kyocera

Northern: YHA Auckland International

Waikato: No winner selected

BOP: Rotorua District Council

Central: YHA Wellington City

Southern: YHA National Office and Christchurch City

Emerging Category Finalists

Large and Corporate – sponsored by Corporate Express

Northern: Express Couriers

Waikato: Fulton Hogan Waikato

BOP: Fletcher Construction – Harbour Link Project

Central: NZX Limited

Southern: No winner selected

Small and Medium – sponsored by University of Waikato Management School

Northern: Kate Sylvester

Waikato: Fusion Print

BOP: Devan Group

Central: Francis Consulting

Southern: Tasman Bay Vets

Sustainable Design and Innovation Category Finalists

Sustainability trailblazers announced

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