Clever vision for the future

The Sustainable Business Network: Stephen McKernon (left), Sarah Munro, Jo Wills, Theresa Gaire, Betsy Joseph, Rachel Brown, Mark Roberts, Natasha Fromont, Gretchen Bunny and James Griffin. Photo / Ted Baghurst

The NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards are upon us again.

This is also the time of year when we look back. To envision what the next few years will look like, we asked a number of sustainability experts to identify the key trends.

Research from the University of Waikato Management School suggests that businesses engaged in sustainable practices continue to maintain a point of difference and reap rewards, despite an economic downturn.

Jacqueline Ireland cites a recent Colmar Brunton survey, Better Business Better World, which says that the majority of Kiwis believe smart business equals sustainable business, with six in 10 people equating serious sustainability with being innovative and progressive.

After two decades of deliberation, New Zealand now has a price on greenhouse gas emissions and waste-to-landfill, with water costs likely to be next. This is providing not only an incentive to change behaviour but opportunities for businesses to innovate in this space, says Peter Neilson, chief executive of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.

John Stansfield, executive director of Cleanstream, says there's a need for social entrepreneurs to create business models to solve key social and environmental issues. However, director of Prometheus Finance New Zealand and Australia Glen Saunders says that while smarter operations are already seeking global opportunities, real change in this area will depend on finding people with the right capacity to build up the sector.

Case studies show that effective resource use makes good business sense, but this efficiency drive in many cases has reduced staff numbers, meaning smaller teams with less 'thinking time'.

On the other hand, Supplejack's Stephen McKernon believes there is an opportunity here for developing services that can help save organisations' time or make this precious business resource more effective, while Tim Allan of Locus Research looks ahead to an increasing trend of consumer-driven design.

This year, the Sustainable Business Network team worked with some of its members to identify ways in which it could support them.

Help with leadership was the strongest call. These members are striving to be authentic businesses, so that they can genuinely appeal to the solution-seeking consumer who cares.

Marketer Kath Dewar cites a number of New Zealand businesses that are building successful brands based on staunch sustainability principles. Professor Niki Harre reminds us not to underestimate the power of a good role-model - both as a business and within an organisation.

As we look ahead to the next few critical years, we hope to see even greater numbers of businesses take a systematic approach to sustainability.

For the expert articles and finalist case studies visit www.sustainable.org.nz

Rachel Brown is the CEO of the Sustainable Business Network

FINALISTS

Emerging - Small and Medium Business Award finalists:: NappyDays, Nextbike NZ, Pinnacle Underlay

Emerging - Large and Corporate Business Award finalists: BDO Waikato; SCA Hygiene Australasia Kawerau; The Quadrant Hotel Auckland; Yealands Estate Wines

Trailblazer - Small and Medium Business Award: Andrew.Stewart; Powersmart Solar; Serra Natural Foods

Trailblazer - Large and Corporate Business Award finalists: Jasmax; Resene Paints; Sinclair Knight Merz

Trailblazer - Not for Profit Award finalists: Energy Options; He Waka Eke Noa Charitable Trust

* The Sustainable Design and Innovation Award, Sustainability Champion Award, and Social Innovation Award will be announced.