KEY POINTS:
Businesses are being urged to look across the Tasman for a lesson in energy conservation and environmental initiatives.
A survey published in the Grant Thornton International Business Report ranked New Zealand 25th out of 32 economies in terms of action on conserving energy.
The biggest concern for businesses globally was raw material costs, which was the highest priority for 44 per cent of businesses. Energy costs rated 37 per cent, but among New Zealand businesses the figure was 25 per cent. Businesses here are more concerned about increasing staff costs.
Grant Thornton New Zealand spokesman Peter Sherwin said the survey showed that most businesses did not act on environmental issues until profits were threatened.
One country bucking the trend was Australia, where businesses were undertaking more energy and environmental initiatives than New Zealand, despite low expectations over the Tasman that energy costs would be significant in the next year.
- NZPA
