With more entrants and more attendees than ever before, the growth of the NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards reflects the burgeoning growth and mainstreaming of sustainability in business.
MCs Bernard Hickey and Andy Kenworthy hosted a black tie gala dinner at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront. The night was captured on film, thanks to Borderless Productions.
In her opening address, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network Rachel Brown said: “Tonight shows how sustainability has extended across our institutions and how addressing the challenges has become a must for all of us. The issues we face are urgent, they are diverse and inter-connected, and addressing them requires each of us to play a role.
“Tonight is our chance to celebrate the work of business leaders. Without your hard work, nothing improves. Your leadership is vital. Your stories inspire us and prove ‘we can do this’. All 92 finalists are examples of future business our planet needs.”
But the night was all about the winners. They came from the construction, agriculture, food and transport sectors to name a few, and businesses big and small, reflecting the ubiquity of sustainability in today’s business world.
The winners of the 2018 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards are:
SUPREME AWARD: NZI TRANSFORMING NEW ZEALAND AWARD
WINNER = City Rail Link
Finalist = Wā Collective
Finalist = Ethique
COMMUNICATING FOR CHANGE
Sponsored by Cadence Communications
Winner = Wā Collective
Commendation = Countdown
Commendation = The Rubbish Trip
SUSTAINABILITY SUPERSTAR
Sponsored by Enviro-Mark Solutions
Winner = Tracy Brown, DairyNZ
Commendation = Dave Maslen, NZ Merino Company
MILLENNIAL ON A MISSION
Sponsored by Ministry of Youth Development
Winner = Olie Body, Wā Collective
Commendation = Maddison McQueen-Davies, Share a Pair
Commendation = Olivia Philpott, Watercare
TRANSFORMING FOOD
Sponsored by Yealands Family Wines
Winner = Our Land of Milk and Honey
Commendation = Kai Ika
RESTORING NATURE
Sponsored by Department of Conservation
Winner = Auckland Whale and Dolphin Safari
Commendation = Tahi
Commendation = Te Whangai Trust
EFFICIENCY CHAMPION
Sponsored by Ricoh
Winner = City Rail Link
Commendation = Auckland District Health Board
Commendation = Fonterra Pahiatua
GOING CIRCULAR
Sponsored by Auckland Council
Winner = Ethique
Commendation = NZAgbiz
SMARTER TRANSPORT
Sponsored by WSP Opus
Winner = Yoogo Share
Commendation = Waste Management NZ
REVOLUTIONISING ENERGY
Sponsored by EECA Business
Winner = emhTrade
Commendation = Red Stag Timber
Commendation = solarcity
HARDWIRED FOR SOCIAL GOOD
Winner = Kilmarnock Enterprises
Commendation = Sudima Hotels
PARTNERING FOR GOOD
Sponsored by Alsco
Winner = Take My Hands
Behind the scenes many organisations come together to make these Awards the most sustainable in New Zealand:
Ethical procurement
All the organisations that have supplied goods and services at the Awards are committed to leading sustainability in their industry and are fantastic to work with – Borderless, Soar Print, Corporate AV and Hire Plants.
The food from Collective Hospitality is healthy, seasonal, locally sourced and organic. Drinks come from great names in sustainability – Yealands Family Wines, Hallertau, Karma Cola and Better Drinks.
Circular economy
We use circular principles to ensure all our resources for this event are reusable, recyclable and compostable. We work with our designer Paradigm and caterer Collective Hospitality. Together we ensure we don’t send resources to landfill and aim for a zero waste event. Clean Event make sure we get that right.
Smart transport
We want this to be a low carbon event and work with Auckland Transport to ensure attendees can get to the event by public transport, carpool, car-share in an electric vehicle, foot, bike or using Uber or Green Cabs. We will calculate the collective emissions and donate a collective carbon offset to Million Metres.
Our Awards trophies are made by a local artisan who has been making these for us for the past 13 years. And our Supreme Award, an array of beautiful river stones designed by Paradigm, is simply handed on from the past year’s winners and another stone is added to the pile.
Find out more:
Read our media release.
Check out our hashtag on social media, which was the number one trending hashtag in New Zealand on Twitter during the event: #SBNawards
View our photos on Facebook: