Zero waste to landfill is firm's goal

Business needs positive change says Trevelyan's sustainability co-ordinator Rachel Brodie.

Bay of Plenty post-harvest company Trevelyan's Pack and Cool has published its second annual Sustainability Report.

The company says its initiative, based on the Global Reporting Initiative G4 framework, is the only one of its kind in New Zealand's horticultural industry.

Trevelyan's sustainability co-ordinator Rachel Brodie said the report analysed the Te Puke company's economic, social and environmental performance and showed how it had tackled issues such as carbon emissions, waste to landfill, biodiversity and corporate social responsibility during 2015.

"It reflects our company's values and demonstrates our commitment to being a successful and responsible business which also cares about people and the environment," she said.

In the report, Trevelyan's outlines its progress in areas such as reducing waste to landfill. The company's comprehensive recycling programme has resulted in 90 per cent of production waste generated diverted from landfill.

The company's long-term goal is to generate zero waste to landfill.

"Our compost initiative continued in the 2015 season and resulted in the diversion of garden green waste, kiwifruit dust, leaves and flowers, as well as avocados being turned into compost," the report says. "This closed loop solution delivered 200 tonnes of compost that was then spread over our gardens, lawns and orchards on site."

Ms Brodie said the World Climate Change Conference held in Paris last December signified the growing importance world leaders placed on climate change.

"The outcome of the conference was a need to move to a lower global carbon economy and this requires positive change by individuals, governments and companies such as ours."

Executive director Alister Hawkey said Trevelyan's had been committed to sustainable business practices since 2011.

Every business decision now took into account the economic, social and environmental ramifications, he added.

"I'm extremely proud of how far we've come in terms of reducing our carbon footprint and operating in a sustainable manner. This report certainly highlights the progress we have made, and motivates us to keep moving forward."

Trevelyan's inaugural Sustainability Report was recognised in the 2015 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards, where the company was named a finalist in the "communicating sustainability" category.

Mr Hawkey said he had been proud to represent the company at last year's awards ceremony.

Trevelyan's Pack & Cool:

* Kiwifruit - packs for 200-plus growers throughout the Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and the King Country.

* Avocados - packs more than 500,000 trays annually for 150-plus growers.