Working towards sustainability in Aotearoa
Urgently, sustainability is the issue of our time. It’s significantly a core focus of Retail NZ. We explored this in Sustainability Forum 2021, which you can check out here!
Experts from the likes of Kathmandu and Mons Royale, discussed pressing issues like circular economies and supply chains, so you can get insiders’ knowledge on running a sustainable business. In similar fashion to many events during COVID-19, our Sustainability Forum 2021 pivoted from physical to digital.
If you missed it, no worries! You can watch the recordings below.
Chapter One: The Customer
“85% of New Zealanders are personally prepared to change the retailers they buy from, or products they buy, to be more sustainable”.
– Greg Harford, Retail NZ
Chapter Two: Waste
2 July 2021
In this webinar, Sam Buckle from Ministry for the Environment discusses Priority Product Stewardship, and government plans to phase out hard to recycle plastics.
Also, Sean Farrell from Ben & Jerry’s chats about “Letting perfection be the enemy of good”.
Then Greg Harford chairs the Q&A session.
“We seek in all we do, at every level of our business, to advance human rights and dignity, support social and economic justice for historically marginalised communities, and protect and restore the Earth’s natural systems”.
– Sean Farrell, Ben & Jerry’s
Chapter Three: Climate Change
9 July 2021
In this episode we hear about how New Zealand can take action, and how green buildings are markedly our future.
- Kate van Praagh, the Sustainability Lead at Westpac, talks about helping NZ take action on climate change.
- Andrew Eagles, CEO of New Zealand Green Building Council, illustrates the key steps to green retail buildings in Aotearoa.
- Q&A session to conclude.
“Did you know: 40% of Kiwis have STOPPED a relationship with a business because of the negative impact on the environment”.
– Deloitte
Chapter Four: Supply Chains
16 July 2021
This week’s chapter of our 2021 Sustainability Forum features:
- The importance of building a sustainable product supply chain, with Tania Benyon and Mark Anderton from The Warehouse Group.
- The Necessary Redefinition of Success, with Gary Shaw from Kathmandu.
“Growth for growth’s sake is killing the planet. This incessant hunger for more. Sometimes at its own expense. Reframing it into What’s the benefit of what we’re doing? is really powerful”.
– Gary Shaw, Kathmandu
Chapter Five: Purpose & Sustainability
23 July 2021
The fifth and final chapter features Hamish Acland, founder and CEO of Mons Royale. Hamish discusses how being sustainability-focused drove greater value for his business.
Mons Royale is a premium Kiwi brand made for action and adventure. Chiefly, they run on technical performance, style and energy. Their business decisions are driven by their ethical values.
“Hamish and his team are measuring where the greatest negative environmental impact is coming from for Mons Royale, to help them make better sustainability-driven decisions.”
– Mons Royale
“Perhaps in the end, it will not be a change in technology that will bring us to the biomimetic future, but a change of heart, a humbling that allows us to be attentive to nature’s lessons.”
– David Benattar of The Warehouse Group, quotes Janine Benyus, author of Biomimicry.
We hope this series has inspired your sustainability journey – if so, we would like to hear from you.
Presently, Retail NZ members can join our Sustainability Working Group. We meet to discuss policy changes and insights. In essence, we aim to influence the conversation from the retail sector’s perspective. Get it touch with our Advocacy team to have a conversation about being involved.
Read more about sustainability and New Zealand business here.
How do you make your business more sustainable?
In the guide Sustainability and Social Responsibility, you can learn how to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. If you’re operating sustainably then you’re ultimately more resilient for the future.
This guide is FREE for members and $75.00 +GST for non-members. Head over to our resource library to get yours today.
Have you got questions? If so, please feel free to get in touch via [email protected] or 0800 472 472 (1800 128 086 from Australia).
