The BNZ has come out of this well too - the decision to use the Plunket logo as a replacement is a great call, plus gives profile to a hardworking charity the bank supports.
Someone else I've admired this week is our MP Chester Borrows. I fully support his call for a fresh approach to sentencing, even if it's out of line with his party's push to build more prisons.
Another case of principles in action this week has been the good news that after years of having to take a fair pay fight through the courts, Kristine Bartlett and the unions have secured pay rises for 55,000 workers in Government-funded aged care, home support and disability sectors.
I don't know about you, but I've visited enough loved ones in rest homes to know that those carers work hard. But more than that, they care deeply and give so much of themselves to their jobs.
Columnist Audrey Young summarised the court-case outcome in this simple statement: "Women's work is low paid because it is women's work and the market values it less than men's." Ms Bartlett is evidence of this.
After 24 years' experience, at age 68, her pay will increase from about $15.75 an hour to $23.50 at the start of July, rising to $27 over the next five years.
She said: "This is going to be the biggest pay rise we'll ever get, and it's going to be a life-changer." We now need the private aged care sector to get on board and match these increases.
One New Zealand business doing it differently is Thankyou Payroll. This social enterprise has more than 4300 clients and is growing through reputation.
They offer their staff five weeks' holidays each year, have access to mental health leave and domestic violence leave, and pay more than the living wage. And their product is free - a cloud-based payroll intermediary service that also donates 25 cents per person, per pay, to community organisations. Find out more as part of their equity crowdfunding campaign at www.pledgeme.co.nz.
New Zealand has just hosted Nobel prize-winner and founder of Grameen Bank Muhammad Yunus in New Zealand.
Known as a hero in the social enterprise and microfinance world, Professor Yunus is all about doing business differently. He has helped establish more than 60 social businesses in his home of Bangladesh.
Grameen has had nine million borrowers and has made US$21 billion in loans with a 97 per cent payback rate. Its current balance is $2 billion in savings and $1.5 billion in loans.
And Professor Yunus' motivation? Protecting people from loan sharks - maybe SBW wouldn't mind Grameen on his next rugby shirt.
•Next week Confluence is hosting a screening of the documentary A New Economy, which looks at co-operative models including social enterprises. Buy tickets online at www.confluence.kiwi and get inspired about the future of business.
Nicola Patrick is a Horizons regional councillor, a Sustainable Whanganui trustee and works for Te Kaahui o Rauru. A mother of two boys, she has a science degree and is a Green Party member.
