They are all members of our network and part of the Next 95 – finalists selected by the judges of the 2024 Sustainable Business Awards. They’re leading Aotearoa New Zealand towards a better future. Their insights are based on hard-earned experience and well-placed optimism.
We asked: “What’s next for 2025?”
Honouring Te Taiao: A holistic path forward
In 2025, sustainable business in Aotearoa New Zealand will take deeper inspiration from Te Taiao - the interconnected relationship between people and the natural world.
Businesses will increasingly recognise the importance of integrating Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) into their strategies, ensuring that sustainability isn’t just a goal but a way of being. This means fostering partnerships with mana whenua, restoring biodiversity and valuing the health of ecosystems alongside economic outcomes.
By aligning kaitiakitanga (guardianship) with business innovation, we have an opportunity to lead globally, showing how indigenous wisdom can guide meaningful action for a resilient and regenerative future.
Helen Paul-Smith
Ōku New Zealand
Co-Founder & Director
Sustainability takes centre stage
In 2025, climate transparency in Aotearoa New Zealand will become unavoidable - stakeholders now demand thorough Scope 3 accounting and genuine pledges, exposing greenwashers.
Sustainability isn’t an afterthought; it’s the power source fuelling competitive edge, resilience and brand loyalty. Companies who champion equity, resource renewal and shared prosperity will increasingly dominate the market.
Meanwhile, impact reporting will become the must-have ticket to the global stage. Over 80% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s exports land in countries with mandatory disclosures. Meticulous reporting not only validates values but also pinpoints what truly drives change, ensuring resources go where they matter most.
Rebecca Mills
The Lever Room
Founder and Director
Climate-related data to drive more informed investing
As climate accountability grows, the ability to measure and manage climate and sustainability metrics through improved data will play a pivotal role in shaping Aotearoa New Zealand's sustainable business landscape.
For KiwiSaver providers, advancements in high quality quantitative and qualitative data are enabling more accurate risk assessments and better-informed investment decisions aligned with sustainability goals.
Beyond compliance, these comprehensive metrics mean greater transparency. This will empower investors to understand the real-world impact of their investments - such as emissions reductions, renewable energy projects and social equity improvements. As demand for better data increases, New Zealand's innovation will drive smarter investments, mobilising capital towards a greener, more equitable future for businesses and the planet.
Sean Henaghan
Aurora Capital
Chief Investment Officer
Focus on the Blue Economy
We’ll hear much more about the Blue Economy, and the sustainable use of ocean resources to promote economic growth, improve livelihoods and protect the ocean ecosystem.
Innovation and prosperity will be driven by practices that generate value for businesses through protecting and enhancing nature – revenue models in a nature-based economy.
Working with investors, innovators and communities to find solutions for improving ocean health - with biodiversity as a driver of economic opportunity – will allow for action, regardless of ideology.
Frontier technology, solutions that take a cue from nature, and AI-driven transformations will reward those who dare to start. Expect to see environmental solutions that are economically self-sustaining rather than solely reliant on grants.
Through our imagination and collaborative action, we’re in an unparalleled time to create a better world, using the environment of Aotearoa New Zealand as a place to drive the Blue Economy.
Dr Nigel Bradly
EnviroStrat
CEO and Founder
Planetary Facts take on greenwashing
Nutrition Facts helped curb "health-washing" by requiring businesses to disclose nutritional data to back up health claims. Now, consumers are demanding verified, easy-to-understand environmental information about products.
In 2024, New Zealand became the first country to introduce Planetary Facts for sustainability. Raglan Food Company and Silver Fern Farms have already released their Facts. More than 20 early adopters will follow in 2025.
As New Zealand brands showcase the power of Planetary Facts in fighting greenwashing and gaining market differentiation, they will position the country at the forefront of global efforts to disclose and communicate the environmental impact of products and services.
Kate Meyer
Planetary Accounting
Founder/CEO
Power to the people
For Rewiring Aotearoa, 2024 was a year of planning. We did foundational research, identified the key areas of focus, raised awareness and gained the trust of decision makers. 2025 will be a year of action and we're confident our hard work will start to bear fruit.
We will see a number of new electrification groups popping up to push the message in their own communities. There will be some significant regulatory changes that will level the playing field for customers with solar and batteries. There will be better access to low-interest finance for electric upgrades. And we’ll see early signs of Aotearoa New Zealand becoming a world leader on electrification.
Our country has already crossed the electrification tipping point, which means electric machines are cheaper to buy and run over their lifetimes than fossil fuel equivalents. This means we will continue to see rapid growth in EV sales, heat pumps, rooftop solar and batteries because they are now smart economic AND environmental decisions. This is a powerful combination and gives me hope that we can reach our climate goals.
Mike Casey
Rewiring Aotearoa
CEO
Energy-intensive industries seek alternative supply options for secure, clean energy
The impetus for companies to reduce their carbon footprints and adopt more sustainable practices is coming from all directions: the market, boardrooms, operational economics, and consumer expectations.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s larger financial entities must now comply with recently introduced climate-related disclosures and demonstrate robust transition plans that deliver tangible outcomes as we move towards a low-emissions, climate-resilient future.
On top of this mounting pressure, the winter of 2024 sent a strong reminder to our energy-intensive industries about the importance of being hedged in New Zealand’s highly volatile energy market.
Innovative energy products with strong renewable credentials, like Lodestone's ‘Virtual Rooftop Solar’, that offer an accelerated path to carbon reduction goals and deliver tangible economic value will continue to gain momentum and reshape thinking around traditional energy contracts.
Sarah McHardy
Lodestone Energy
GM Customer