It’s a big job, but science, culture & finance all help protect NZ

When you think of a $2.3 billion company responsible for some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure projects and generating around 15% of the country’s electricity, there are many things you might assume it focuses on. Baby eels probably wouldn’t be one of them.

But making sure the hatchlings have a safe place to swim is one of Genesis’ many ecological projects as it balances scientific innovation, cultural values and investment in its long-term strategy to help create a more sustainable and thriving Aotearoa.

That commitment is reflected in its sponsorship of the Genesis 2025 New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau Award.

Following the introduction of some of the award’s 10 semi-finalists in Sustainability Spotlight episode Championing Conservation, here we profile more to demonstrate the range of sustainability mahi undertaken by Kiwis around the motu. The award’s ultimate winner will be announced at the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland in March.

Professor Aisling O’Sullivan has significantly advanced the understanding of legal frameworks for environmental protection, particularly in sustainable land and water management.

Her passion began as a child in Ireland, endlessly fascinated by watching stormwater run-off. It’s taken her around the planet: witnessing the environmental and cultural disaster of mining in Oklahoma, and now helping keep our waterways clean as an ecological engineer and associate professor at the University of Canterbury.

In 2019 O’Sullivan and colleagues patented the ‘Storminator’, a product which removes heavy metals like copper or zinc from roof stormwater in urban areas by using mussel shells discarded by green-lipped mussel farms. She’s now working to find solutions to contaminants leaching into farm waterways, also using the shells.

Barry Coates’ leadership in organisations like Mindful Money champions ethical investment, emphasising sustainability and climate-conscious financial choices to drive change in New Zealand’s economy.

Coates led the mainstreaming of fair trade in Aotearoa and was Oxfam’s executive director from 2003-2014. He then developed a sustainability programme at the University of Auckland Business School and was a Green Party MP in 2016-17.

Coates emphasises that managing investment risk – including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors – should be a core responsibility for financial leaders. “Yet until recently ESG risks have largely been ignored in financial decision-making. This thinking has been a major contributor to the multiple crises we face today, including climate change, biodiversity loss and inequality.”

For almost a decade, Joel and Awhina Ngātuere have worked on behalf of their hapū to uncover and fight hazardous pollutants around their Mount Maunganui marae.

Their mahi began when they noticed illnesses among kaumātua and tamariki, which they traced back to toxic contamination. They rallied their people, petitioning the Environment Court, presenting to the UN, engaging the media and holding wānanga to spread awareness. They blend mātauranga Māori with western science to restore the land and improve environmental outcomes.

The nominees’ stories resonate with Genesis. Its Gen35 strategy is designed to support Aotearoa’s transition to a low-carbon future with a goal to produce 95% of its energy from renewable sources by 2035.

Genesis’ sustainability lead, Kate van Praagh, says the company understands its core business of generating electricity can have impacts in areas of significant natural and cultural importance. Working with communities, mana whenua and iwi, and in partnership with DoC and environmental groups, is vital.

She highlights initiatives both large and small, such as the Waahi Wetland project, planted near Huntly Power Station last year. “The planting will support a wide range of biodiversity and help improve the quality of water running into the Waahi Stream and down into the Waikato River.”

“In Te Manahuna (the Mackenzie Basin), we’re involved in Project River Recovery with DoC and Meridian that helps to protect and restore the special habitats and species in this part of the country. Some of those species are endemic to the area, so need local expertise and solutions.”

Van Praagh emphasises that Genesis seeks to work as closely as possible with mana whenua impacted by the company’s schemes. “An example is the Tokaanu Stream restoration project. That work is being undertaken in collaboration with community groups, hapū and local contractors. Over time, the removal of pest plants will see the return of indigenous biodiversity and improved water quality.”

And those eels? They’re a van Praagh favourite. “Our hydro generation schemes can impact the connectivity of waterways above and below our structures. This impacts the ability for tuna (eels) to complete their lifecycle, so we work with mana whenua to keep improving the ways we can help tuna heke (mature eels) and elvers (juveniles) migrate up or down the river.”

Genesis’ support for innovation extends to the establishment of a new renewable industry. “We are working really hard to support the establishment of a biomass industry in New Zealand so we can move from burning coal at Huntly Power Station to biomass, which will help decarbonise our electricity generation. That’s a new industry for New Zealand, so it’s taking a bit of work.”

The company is also investing $1.1 billion in new renewable generation. “We’re building solar farms and big batteries that can store energy for use at peak times.”

Van Praagh says the 2025 New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau Award is a chance to spotlight “the amazing mahi going on all around the motu and highlight people who are really getting stuck in and bringing others along with them”.

As much as academics and experts, it’s everyday Kiwi who inspire. “Having heard from the finalists, what’s cool is that a lot of the projects started off within a community or with friends and have expanded. There’s been a snowball effect and the impact has become far wider than they ever thought it could be.”

Indeed, the inspiring semi-finalists show how every New Zealander can play a part in protecting our land – from managing waterways to advocating for cleaner communities. Whether it’s by joining a local river clean-up, starting a compost bin, or simply choosing native plants for your garden, small steps can create a ripple effect for future generations.

• Learn more about Genesis Sustainability Leader of the Year 2025 and the wider Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards.