Businesses network for sustainable ideas

The Ministry for the Environment is partnering with business support providers like the Sustainable Business Network to improve the quality and accessibility of information about sustainability.

More businesses than ever before are interested in sustainability but they don’t necessarily know what to do and they don’t want to spend a lot of time or money finding out, says Rachel Brown, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN).

Dave McFarlane, Design Mobel, a member of the Sustainable Business Network and
Sustainable Business of the Year 2007.

The SBN is a New Zealand-wide membership organisation providing practical tools and a forum for its 750 business members to share ideas. Brown was a founder of the SBN which started in 2002 with three or four companies that were talking about environmental or social business practice.

“Companies want to take sustainability on board because they are motivated to be good corporate citizens and have genuine concerns. They also want their businesses to be seen to be doing the right things. Others are motivated by market access – for example meeting purchasing criteria,” said Brown.

“Businesses like being a part of our network because we get new innovations and ideas sparking out of conversations and they like our practical tools like the Get Sustainability Challenge.”

The Ministry is funding the SBN to help it expand the number of businesses participating in its services, such as the “Get Sustainable Challenge”. This is a two-hour comprehensive assessment covering waste, energy and resource efficiency, valuing your people, community involvement and safety and health.

Following the assessment, the participating company is provided with a feedback report, resources about how to improve, and access to workshops. The company can then enter the Get Sustainable Challenge Awards. According to Brown, companies love being recognised for their achievements. Last year there were 150 entries to the awards making them arguably the premier sustainable business event of the year.

Traditionally most companies have been interested in energy and waste, but now transport is becoming more relevant, says Brown. There has also been a growth in sustainable product and services development, and “eco effectiveness”, according to Brown.

Rachel Brown, Cheif Execuitive
of the Sustainable Business
Network.

The Ministry is working on a range of initiatives to increase the knowledge, understanding and practice of sustainability within New Zealand firms.

At small business expos this year, the Ministry sponsored a stand and, with the SBN and The Natural Step, provided free sustainability advice to businesses. This included a 20-minute sustainability ‘health check’, which gave companies ideas and understanding of the opportunities unique to their operation, such as innovation in product design or appealing to new customers.

For more information on sustainable business see www.sustainability.mfe.govt.nz, email Libby.Masterton@mfe.govt.nz or phone (04) 439 7745.

For more information on the SBN “Get Sustainable Challenge” see www.getsustainable.org.nz.

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