The NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards, which are now in their 14th year, celebrate the contribution organisations and individuals are making to transforming New Zealand to a more sustainable nation. They focus on four transformation areas that are key to the future direction of sustainability in New Zealand: Renewables, Community, Mega Efficiency and Restorative.
The supreme award, NZI Greatest Contribution to a Sustainable New Zealand, is awarded to a business that has performed outstandingly well in all aspects of sustainability.
Air New Zealand was named the overall Supreme winner of the 2016 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards, held on 17 November at Shed 10 in Auckland. Judges said the company had demonstrated true corporate leadership in sustainability since launching its Sustainability Framework a year ago. The framework sets out social, environmental and environmental goals, priorities and targets for six areas: Our Communities, Our People, Carbon, Nature and Science, Tourism, and Trade and Enterprise.
Action items included the bold move to transition its existing car fleet to electric vehicles (EVs), saving 65,000 litres in fuel each year. The judges were impressed that Air New Zealand did not wait for a pending announcement on a government subsidy for EVs but instead has forged ahead with its plans.
Furthermore, the company challenged other New Zealand corporates to follow suit, which stimulated CEO-level sustainability conversations throughout the country.
Rachel Brown, Sustainable Business Network (SBN) Chief Executive says over the past year there had been a significant upswing in the number of businesses taking a systematically sustainable approach.
“Air New Zealand’s very public commitment has had a big impact on the speed and uptake of sustainability from businesses.
“As one of the nation’s biggest burners of carbon, it is setting a fantastic example of how it is possible to set big aspirations to operate in a sustainable manner. It has called on an internationally-renowned group of experts to push it on its strategy and delivery. The scale of the challenge is huge but it is determined to succeed.
"Air New Zealand's integrated company-wide approach means it is now being recognised as the nation’s greatest contributor to sustainability.”
This year’s NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards recognised 22 other organisations’ and leaders’ sustainability efforts at the awards.
Travis Atkinson, Executive General Manager of NZI, which is principal partner of the Sustainable Business Network, says: “As an organisation that provides business insurance for a growing New Zealand, being sustainable is at the heart of the way we do business, so we salute the SBN for helping New Zealand businesses change the way they think and reshape how profit is made.”
For the full list of winners visit the Sustainable Business Network website.