Under embargo until 8pm 5th September 2007

Dulux Paints steals the show at the Sustainable Business Awards

Dulux Paints has made a surprise entrance into the limelight to steal the supreme title at this year’s Regional Sustainable Business Awards, to be announced this evening. Dulux won both the Trailblazer award– Large business, and the overall Sustainable Business of the Year Award.

Other winners include Squiz (Trailblazer SME), Contact Energy (Emerging Large), Starfish (Emerging SME) YHA Wellington City (Not for profit organisation), and 3R (Sustainable Innovation).

Dulux received the Award for its exemplary work with waste management including their site stormwater containment system. They have set ambitious targets for reducing electricity, water, waste and green house gas emissions and report quarterly on these. Staff at Dulux are rewarded for participating in environmentally and socially responsible initiatives.

Dulux Paints is a relative newcomer to the Sustainable Business Network, and has been keeping its environmental and social practices under the radar, according to the judges of the Awards. “Dulux has surprised us with the extent of their commitment to sustainability. Clearly, an area for improvement is Dulux’s communication of its vision and achievements to a wider audience!” says judge Paul Mather.

The Sustainable Business Awards are run in conjunction with the Get Sustainable Challenge, a rigorous assessment process which measures a business’ commitment to key sustainability goals. Judges consider a range of indicators from energy, waste and transport issues, to social responsibility and family friendly employment policies.

The Trailblazer Award is open to companies that treat sustainability as a strategic part of their operations. In addition to Dulux, other Trailblazer winners were Squiz (SME) and YHA Wellington City (not for profit organisation). YHA Wellington City provides leadership in the tourism sector with its practical initiatives for guests and staff. Squiz also has extensive initiatives in place including successful efforts to influence their suppliers and strong community involvement.

These two trailblazers were winners at last year’s inaugural awards. YHA Wellington City was the winner of last year’s Trailblazer Award. Squiz in its previous incarnation as Absolutely.co.nz was the winner of the Emerging Category.

The Emerging category (large) was won by Contact Energy, for a business that is relatively new to sustainability and has actively begun implementing sustainable initiatives. Contact Energy have made giant strides both internally and externally, with policies such as matching staff’s investment in becoming carbon neutral at home dollar for dollar, as well reducing its nationwide waste to landfill by 58% in six months.

Starfish fashion picked up the Emerging (SME) for its thorough sustainable product design and fabric sourcing policies. The business is committed to waste and packaging reduction.

The Sustainable Innovation Award was won by 3R (Responsible Resource Recovery) for its Paintwise mobile crusher and decanting system used in Resene’s Paintwise Programme. This technology enables paint cans to be crushed and the liquid decanted on site at Paintwise collection depots throughout NZ (they take the factory to the store). Transport and fuel use is significantly reduced as the truck has substantial storage capacity with crushed packaging and decanted paint separated on board.

The Get Sustainable Challenge and Awards are proudly sponsored by Greater Wellington Regional Council, the Hutt City Council and Wellington City Council, who sponsored last year’s inaugural awards. Winners from the Regions will go to the NZI National Awards in Auckland in October.

Editor’s Note

The Sustainable Business Network represents over 600 businesses, from SMEs, consultants, through to large businesses and corporations. The Network promotes sustainable business practice through networking, practical advice and support, research and policy. We focus on leading, promoting and facilitating practices and procedures that enhance economic prosperity, environmental quality, social equity and business ethics.

The judges for the Get Sustainable Challenge were Kerry Griffiths (URS Sustainability Consultant), Russell Longuet (Exergi/EECA Board), Daryn Jemmett (SBN Advisory Board), Liz Mellish (Wellington Tenths Trust, Business Mentor), Chris Laidlaw (Greater Wellington Regional Council), and Paul Mather (Weltec).

ENDS

www.sustainable.org.nz

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