Significant Step Forward For New Zealand Wool As Strategic Alliance Signed

A formal Strategic Alliance established by Wool Impact and Campaign for Wool NZ (CFWNZ) aims to create efficiencies and strengthen collaboration between the two organisations, delivering better outcomes for wool growers.

Wool Impact and CFWNZ’s chairs signed an agreement last week which outlines how the two parties will work together to drive change within the strong wool sector. The signing heralds “an exciting, collaborative and well-considered pathway forward for New Zealand wool,” says Ryan Cosgrove, CFWNZ chair.

“Both organisations have, for a long time, seen an opportunity to team up on a number of plans, projects and purposes,” continues Ryan. “Formally outlining what those shared goals are, achieving alignment on those goals, and limiting the possibility of duplication when working towards achieving outcomes is a huge step forward for the industry.”

The Strategic Alliance is the output of a steering group established in 2023 and encompassing board members and executives from both CFWNZ and Wool Impact. It will be implemented immediately.

“Although our two entities have been working together in an informal capacity for over a year, this Strategic Alliance is a significant step, and one that will serve to further nurture relationships and create stronger synergies,” says Stuart Heal, Wool Impact chair.

There are six projects, initially, that are defined within the scope of the Strategic Alliance and cover:

• Joint communications and engagement to deliver collective and consistent messaging to partners and stakeholders;
• Developing an evidence-based ‘wool story’ to be used by partners in the promotion of New Zealand strong wool;
• Delivering resources and activities to support the increased use and specification of wool in architecture;
• Collective input into the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) working groups and events to elevate strong wool globally;
• Facilitating events that support greater connectivity within the wool industry to achieve greater use of wool and shared learning;
• Collectively investigating the framework for a sustainable working body for the New Zealand wool sector.

For wool growers, who fund CFWNZ through a per-kilo voluntary contribution, as well as central government and sheep sector stakeholders falling under the Wool Impact funding umbrella, it means their investment goes further to drive meaningful change for everyone involved in growing, manufacturing, exporting and retailing wool.

Representatives from each entity will report back to their respective boards on progress, with full board-to-board meetings held throughout each year. “For too long, our industry has worked in silos,” says Ryan. “By signing this agreement, we are committed to identifying and eliminating duplication, as well as ensuring sound operational models and cost efficiencies are in place to get our industry back on track.”

Stuart agrees that the Strategic Alliance signals a considerable shift in how New Zealand strong wool is promoted - and the wool community is better supported - now and in years to come. “It’s great to be working together to unify the wool industry and build a better future for our New Zealand-grown super fibre.

“It’s exciting, and we believe it shows real progress in bringing together our sector and delivering greater impact.”

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