Benefits of sustainability for your business and supply chains

Why act on climate?

Gain a competitive edge. Taking climate action can drive innovation and put you ahead of the competition.
Meet and exceed customer expectations. Customers, including government agencies and larger businesses, are increasingly expecting businesses to play their part in addressing the climate crisis.
Save money. Being more efficient with energy and resources reduces costs and emissions.

Increase appeal to key stakeholders. Being climate-responsible helps to attract and retain talented people. It is also an increasing expectation of investors and other stakeholders.
Be future-ready. A plan to become low carbon and climate resilient will prepare your business for the future.
Carbon Neutral Government Programme. Public sector agencies must report on their carbon emissions. They will be asking their suppliers to provide emissions information.
Climate-related financial disclosures legislation. This directly affects larger financial and insurance-related businesses. These obligations will also place requirements and expectations on customers and suppliers.
Carbon pricing. The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) directly affects a small percentage of large businesses. But, as carbon prices continue to increase, businesses that have carbon-intensive operations and products and services, will experience increased costs.

Reducing your carbon emissions

Review the sustainability of your business based on what you're doing to measure, reduce and offset carbon emissions. Learn how to achieve best practice.

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Why act on waste?

Save time and money. Reducing waste levels can reduce costs and increase business efficiency.
The waste levy rate for landfills is being increased from $10 per tonne – set in 2009 – to $60 per tonne by July 2024.
Reduce your environmental footprint. Cutting waste levels reduces the amount of raw materials required in the first place and their associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Increase customer service and drive innovation. Provide end of life solutions and new business models to make it easy for your customers to reuse, repair or recycle your products.
Increase customer engagement throughout the lifecycle of your products, including the end of life phase.
Meet customer expectations. Increasingly customers are demanding action from businesses to reduce waste.
Carbon Neutral Government Programme. Public agencies must report on their waste to landfill figures. They will be asking their suppliers to provide measurements for waste.
Regulated product stewardship is being introduced for six 'priority' products. It will make businesses responsible for the following products when they reach end of life: plastic packaging, tyres, electrical and electronic products (e-waste including large batteries), agrichemicals and their containers, refrigerants, farm plastics.

Reducing your waste

Review the sustainability of your business based on what you're doing to measure the waste you generate. Learn how to achieve best practice.

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Why act on regenerating nature?

Boost your business reputation and attract conscious consumers.
Environmental negligence can affect your profits and reputation and, in a worse case scenario, could result in legal action.

Recruit and retain top talent.
Be future-ready. Reducing your water use and other impacts on nature can help prepare your business for limits around resources and/or price hikes.
Degradation of land and resources can affect your supply chain's access to resources and social licence to operate.
Expectations of clients and customers. Larger businesses and government procurers are increasingly seeking out nature positive products and services.

Regenerating nature

Review the sustainability of your business based on what you're doing to identify and mitigate your impacts on nature. Learn how to achieve best practice.

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Why act on health and safety?

Help reduce the likelihood of workplace accidents and illnesses.
Help reduce business costs by reducing worker time off.

Improve productivity due to safer, healthier, happier workers through an improved health and safety culture in your business.
Boost your business reputation. Attract and retain staff.
A strong focus on health and safety is an investment in your business. It reduces the likelihood something will go wrong. And, if something does go wrong, it may be less severe and your business will be better prepared to respond and learn from it. This could mean significant cost savings for your business in the future.
All businesses have rights and responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Keeping your workers healthy and safe

Review the sustainability of your business based on what you’re doing to improve health and safety in the workplace. Learn how to achieve best practice.

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Why act on workers' rights?

Positive impact on customer goodwill, loyalty and demand for your goods and services.
Attract and retain good workers.

Employment practices that are not legal, ethical or sustainable can hurt your reputation and brand. This could reduce your revenue, profit, financial viability and market value.
Businesses that have been penalised for exploiting or mistreating their workers are identified in publicly available information.
You can be fined and temporarily prevented from supporting visa applications from overseas workers.

Upholding your workers' rights

Review the sustainability of your business based on what you’re doing to meet, or exceed, employment standards. Learn how to go above and beyond your legal obligations.

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Why act on modern slavery?

New Zealanders want to know that their actions contribute to a fair world where people are treated with respect and dignity. New Zealanders are global citizens and stand against exploitation here and overseas.
Consumers increasingly want to know that the goods and services they buy are not the products of modern slavery or worker exploitation.

Meeting modern slavery requirements could be key to your ability to export, or to be part of a supply chain covered by those laws. For example, Australia requires some corporate and public sector organisations to report on the risks of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains and to take actions to address those risks.