Nature Regeneration Self-Assessment

Need to know

For some businesses, there are requirements under the Resource Management Act 1991 and local government bylaws to measure and mitigate certain environmental impacts. These include sediment control measures used by builders and developers or council requirements for farmers to operate within strict nitrogen leaching limits.

Make sure your organisation is meeting any relevant obligations. Use this Q&A to help you go above and beyond regulatory compliance to reduce your impact on nature.

How it works

Scroll down and answer the questions to review how sustainable your business is based on its impact on the environment.

This will help you identify the areas where you are doing well or need to improve. Plus there’s helpful advice on making changes and promoting your successes.

Keep a handy record of your answers by downloading and completing the checklist. Your answers are not saved in Docket.

Step 1: Assess and measure

Do you assess and measure the ways your business has an impact on the land and waterways around you?

YES

That's great! It’s likely businesses that buy your products and services will want to hear about this. Here’s an example of how you could communicate this when bidding for new work or reporting on your sustainability actions.

“We have been measuring our water usage and monitoring the amount of nitrogen leached from our operations since [year].”

Want to learn more about best practice or how you could do more?
Click ‘No / Unsure’ below for more information and resources.
NO / UNSURE

It's important to identify and understand how your business directly interacts with the environment around you, including your relationship with waterways, land, biodiversity and air quality. This will help you work out how your business can reduce its impact on the environment and take steps to regenerate nature. Intact ecosystems are among the most powerful and effective ways to safely absorb greenhouse gas emissions.

Assess all aspects of your impacts on nature. Look at measurements of water usage and inefficiencies, pollution runoff from operations and/or sediment and litter.

Learn more

Reduce your impact on nature - Sustainable Business Network

Step 2: Manage

Are you taking action to reduce the negative impacts your business has on nature?

YES

Well done! Here are two examples of how you could communicate this when bidding for new work or reporting on your sustainability actions.

"We are aware of the impacts our organisation has on nature. We know that our [manufacturing plant] is [located near a local waterway]. There are times when runoff from our site can enter the waterway. We are taking steps to minimise the impacts. [Describe]."

"We've been taking steps to reduce our water use year on year since [insert year] by [describe]".

Want to learn more about best practice or how you could do more?
Click ‘No / Unsure’ below for more information and resources.
NO / UNSURE

Look across all your business practices and reduce the negative impacts they have on the environment. Minimise your water use and take steps to prevent pollution from entering surrounding waterways. Make sure you are sustainably sourcing your products and/or raw materials from reputable suppliers and help them to reduce their impacts on nature.

Learn more

Reduce your impact on nature - Sustainable Business Network

Circular Economy Directory, sustainability solutions for your business - Sustainable Business Network

How to protect the quality of freshwater and use it more efficiently - Sustainable Business Network

Are you taking action to increase the positive impacts your business has on nature?

YES

Awesome stuff. Here’s an example of how you could communicate this when bidding for new work or reporting on your sustainability actions.

"We are increasing our organisation's positive impact on nature [e.g. we regularly volunteer time and skills, invest in nature regeneration projects, or help with local stream or beach clean ups]."

Want to learn more about best practice or how you could do more?
Click ‘No / Unsure’ below for more information and resources.
NO / UNSURE

Many businesses take action to have a positive impact on nature, as it’s important to their staff, families, customers, communities and the future. This can be through volunteering time and skills, investing in nature regeneration projects, creating nature refuges on or around your site, restoring local waterways and controlling weeds and predators.

Take action

Guides to regenerate nature - Sustainable Business Network

Invest in nature regeneration - Sustainable Business Network

Volunteer time or skills - Sustainable Business Network

Step 3: Supply Chain

Wherever possible, do you buy products and services from suppliers and other businesses that are actively reducing their impacts on the environment?

YES

Great! Here are two examples of how you could communicate this when bidding for new work or reporting on your sustainability actions.

“We sustainably source our raw materials and/or products, ensuring they are [choose applicable e.g. FSC certified timber, palm oil free, cruelty free, ethical, toxin free].”

Want to learn more about best practice or how you could do more?
Click ‘No / Unsure’ below for more information and resources.
NO / UNSURE

To reduce the negative impacts your business has on the environment it’s important to consider each stage in the lifecycle of your product or service from sourcing and supply, to creation, distribution and end of life.

Assess the impacts that your suppliers have on the environment, considering their water usage, pollution and how they source materials. Identify certifications they have for products/raw materials e.g. Certified B Corp, Certified Organic.

You may want to ask more questions to learn if a business is actively mitigating its impact on the environment so that you can prioritise purchasing from them.

Take action

Reduce your impact on nature - Sustainable Business Network

Share Docket with your suppliers to get them started on their sustainability journey.

Learn more

Benefits of sustainability for your business and supply chains - Sustainable Business Network

Sustainable procurement training and resources - Sustainable Business Network