Action Plan
Based on the ratings you’ve assigned, identify the areas where your business can make improvements. Consider setting realistic goals and timelines to implement changes. The goal is to gradually increase your ratings over time as you adopt greener practices.
Remember, even small changes can make a significant impact on reducing your business’s environmental footprint. By taking steps towards sustainability, your business can contribute to a healthier planet while potentially saving on costs in the long run.
Need help getting started?
Here’s a step-by-step guide for your sustainability journey: Sustainability Strategy Tool
Have you taken steps in your business to reduce energy consumption and promote energy efficiency?
Energy-efficient lighting and appliances offer a range of benefits that include cost savings, environmental protection, improved indoor environments, and technological progress. By making conscious choices to use these technologies, individuals and societies can contribute to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.
Complete the Climate Action Toolbox on business.govt.nz to uncover ways to reduce your footprint like ensuring your printers and computers have adequate ventilation.
Review the resources below to make a start to reduce your energy consumption.
You’re on the right path to having an energy efficient business but it’s important that your appliances and lights are turned off when not required.
Reduce energy waste by reducing printing, turning off computers and equipment overnight and encouraging your employees to turn off the lights.
Keep improving wherever you can.
Complete the Climate Action Toolbox on business.govt.nz to uncover ways to reduce your energy consumption.
Checkout EECA Energy Rating Label
Gen Less – Heat efficiently (GenLess)
Gen Less – Insulate your workplace (GenLess)
Check out our guide with tips to help your business
Gen Less – Use efficient office equipment (GenLess)
Gen Less – Explore HVAC systems (GenLess)
Gen Less – Efficient appliance calculator (GenLess)
Gen Less – Use efficient lighting (GenLess)
Benefits of being green (ASB)
Do you have recycling or waste reduction programmes in place?
Recycling helps.
Plastic production has more than doubled in the last two decades and about half a percent of it ends up in the ocean. In New Zealand it’s equivalent to about 100 grams per person every year.* The Kantar New Zealand Food Waste Survey in 2023 reported that we waste 100,000 tonnes of perfectly good food every year.
We can all help to improve these alarming statistics and play our part in helping New Zealand achieve its goal to be a low emission, low waste society built on a circular economy by 2050.
Recycling programmes help to reduce waste, conserve resources, and minimise the environmental impact of discarded materials. Programmes vary depending on your location and the initiatives established by your council.
Review the resources below to make a start to recycle and reduce waste.
You’re already making an effort, and that’s great, but any extra effort helps.
Plastic production has more than doubled in the last two decades and about half a percent of it ends up in the ocean. In New Zealand it’s equivalent to about 100 grams per person every year.* The Kantar New Zealand Food Waste Survey in 2023 reported that we waste 100,000 tonnes of perfectly good food every year.
Have a think about if there is anything more you can do to:
- Eliminate plastic bags
- Reduce wastage in production
- Clean up effluent
- Eliminate packaging waste
- Reduce paper use
- Encourage employees to pre-sort recyclables (glass, food waste, cardboard, etc)
Analyse your sustainability (Sustainable Business Network)
Do you always source environmentally friendly materials or products for your business operations?
By opting for environmentally friendly products, your business can align with sustainable values, reduce its impact on the environment, and be seen positively in the marketplace.
Designing your products and processes with sustainability in mind, can also help improve profits.
Even minimising paper usage by digitizing documents and processes can have numerous benefits for efficiency, organisation, and sustainability.
Think about each stage your product or service goes through.
- Are raw materials from renewable sources?
- Are raw materials produced by ethical labour?
- What is the carbon footprint on the freight systems used?
- Are you using renewable energy sources?
- Is your equipment operating efficiently?
- Is packaging recyclable or bio-degradable?
- What emissions are created during production?
Consider joining The Sustainable Business Network. They have plenty of resources and regular workshops to help you become more environmentally conscious as a business.
Review the resources below to become more environmentally friendly.
By creating environmentally friendly products, your business will be establishing an alignment with sustainable values, reducing your impact on the environment, and be seen positively by your customers. Consider joining The Sustainable Business Network. They have plenty of resources and regular workshops to help you become more environmentally conscious as a business.
There may be more you can do. Have you explored renewable resources, biodegradable packaging options, and eco-friendly manufacturing processes?
Have you considered what happens to your product at the end of it’s life? Think about conducting a lifecycle assessment to minimise environmental impact at every stage. Engage with suppliers committed to sustainability and communicate your green initiatives transparently to customers. These steps will strengthen your brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Design Products Sustainably (GenLess)
Designing out waste (Sustainable Business Network)
Environmentally friendly products (Digital Journey)
Attend a workshop on Starting out on Sustainability (Sustainable Business Network)
Energy smart work habits (Gen Less)
Find products and supplies with circular features (Circular Economy Directory)
Do you always monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with your business activities?
Start by getting an estimate on your emissions. Calculate your emissions and set a baseline for future measurements with the Climate Action Toolbox on business.govt.nz then use the tool to identify where you can make improvements.
The tool will ask you to set a target so you can track your progress over time. Set clear reduction targets and regularly audit progress. Make sure it’s team effort by engaging employees in your plans.
If you’re unable to reduce emissions as much as planned, you could explore purchasing carbon offset credits.
Review the resources below to help reduce your gas emissions.
It’s good to keep track of your emissions. If you’re not yet doing this, you can set a baseline for future measurements with the Climate Action Toolbox on business.govt.nz then use the tool to identify where you can make further improvements.
The tool will ask you to set a target so you can track your progress over time. Power up your efforts by including your employees in your plans.
If you’ve been unable to reduce emissions as much as planned, you could explore purchasing carbon offset credits.
Carbon Offsetting Tool (CarbonClick)
Case study – Reducing your fleet emissions (ASB)
Join the low carbon economy (Gen Less)
Measuring emissions guide 2024 (Environment.govt.nz)
Do you always reduce your emissions related to travel and freight?
Using virtual meetings instead of unnecessary business travel can result in cost savings, improved productivity, and a smaller environmental footprint.
These days there are plenty of options to stay connected virtually like: Microsoft Teams, Slack and Zoom and they are getting smarter all the time.
It’s well researched that it takes some time for employees to get back on task after a meeting so make sure you need to actually have that meeting and that the people invited are necessary.
When face-to-face meetings and attending events like conferences are essential to your business, choose sustainable options. If traveling internationally you can often offset your flight emissions or choose more efficient transport such as trains instead of planes.
You may not be able to directly control the emissions caused by freighting your goods from your suppliers and to your customers but you can make small changes such as:
- Ordering in bulk.
- Choosing surface transport over air freight.
- Warehousing goods closer to their destination.
- Encouraging customers to buy in multiples.
- Choosing a freight company that is making an effort to be sustainable.
Review the resources below to make a start to reduce your emissions.
As you’re already making efforts to reduce freight and travel emissions, take a moment to think about if there are still more ways you can reduce your footprint.
Make your meetings more productive by utilizing the right tools.
Software abounds designed specifically for this purpose and it’s getting smarter all the time. Examples of tools build for business include Microsoft Teams, Slack and Zoom. Investigate the AI capabilities being introduced into these tools that help you improve meeting note taking and organisation of related materials and agendas, etc.
Meetings can potentially be a time waster for participants with surveys indicating that they believe many are unnecessary and often too long. It’s also well researched that it takes some time for employees to get back on task after a meeting so make sure you need to actually have that meeting, that the people invited are necessary and that you run it in an effective manner.
Here’s some ideas you may not have considered.
- Warehouse goods closer to their destination.
- If traveling by air you can often offset your flight emissions.
- Do you use trains over planes when overseas?
- Consider an upgrade to hybrid or electric vehicles.
- Check out the government backed tax free e-bike purchase scheme for e-Bikes purchased for commuting.
- Order more goods in bulk from suppliers.
- Choose surface transport over air freight.
Vehicle total cost of ownership calculator (Gen Less)
Advice on flexible working arrangements (business.govt.nz)
Case study – Helping New Zealand toward sustainable transport (ASB)
10 Best Practices to Run an Effective Virtual Meeting
Energy smart work habits (Gen Less)
Guide for choosing electric vehicles (Gen Less)
Labour productivity template (ASB)
Guide for choosing efficient vehicles (Gen Less)
Explore your transport options (Gen Less)
Do you assist employees to use eco-friendly transportation options, for example public transport, biking and carpooling?
Encouraging employees to use eco-friendly transportation options like public transport, biking, and carpooling can have a positive impact on the environment, reduce traffic congestion, and promote a healthier lifestyle.
For employees who wish to bike to work, you could help them with the purchase cost of an e-Bike by signing up to the government backed e-bike purchase support scheme or help them co-ordinate using a ride share service like coseats.co.nz. Public transport options vary throughout the country but there is a nation wide move towards integrated ticketing. Consider offering subsidised public transport to your employees (e.g. purchase some prepaid Smartcards for employees’ use.)
Incentivising walking or cycling can have a positive health impact on employees too. This could be encouraged with education or in-house competitions for example.
If you need more ideas on how to encourage cycling check out the New Zealand Transport Agency Workplace Cycling Guide.
Review the resources below to make a start using eco-friendly transport.
By encouraging employees to use eco-friendly transportation options like public transport, biking, and carpooling you are having a positive impact on the environment, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting a healthier lifestyle.
If you need more ideas on how to encourage cycling check out the New Zealand Transport Agency Workplace Cycling Guide.
For employees who won’t or can’t use a bike, are there other ways you can help them commute more sustainably such as subsidised public transport or encouraging walking?
Do you promote employee work-life balance, wellbeing, professional development and career advancement?
Fostering work-life balance is shown to boost employee morale, commitment, productivity and reduces costs associated with turnover and absenteeism.
Being an ’employer of choice’ through supportive workplace cultures not only attracts talent but also fosters positive community perceptions. Employees benefit from better management of personal and professional responsibilities, facilitated by flexible work arrangements that accommodate diverse needs.
Review the resources below to make a start promoting employee work-life balance.
Being an ’employer of choice’ through supportive workplace cultures not only attracts talent but also fosters positive community perceptions. Employees benefit from better management of personal and professional responsibilities, facilitated by flexible work arrangements that accommodate diverse needs. The links below may provide some additional ideas for you to improve what you are already doing in this area.
Advice on flexible working arrangements (Business.govt.nz)
Consider joining Diversity Works – New Zealand’s national body for workplace diversity.
Best practice for an age-diverse workplace (business.govt.nz)
Mental health for you and your staff – business.govt.nz
What Exactly Does Work-Life Balance Mean? (Employsure)
Training and development options for your team (business.govt.nz)
Are you involved in local environmental or community projects?
We all depend on clean rivers and oceans and Kiwi love our native wildlife. Supporting a conservation or restoration project is a great way to show your staff and customers that you care about the environment. There are lots of options – you can donate money, gift trees to your staff at Christmas or get out with a spade and plant some trees.
83% of consumers believe the way businesses talk about their social and environmental commitments is confusing. It is important to provide clear information to your customers. Don’t worry if your social and environmental work isn’t perfect – it is an ongoing process and customers will appreciate your transparency. Follow the links below for some ideas on what you can do and to find out how to communicate sustainability with customers.
Review the resources below to make a start to get involved with environmental and community projects.
83% of consumers believe the way businesses talk about their social and environmental commitments is confusing. It is important to provide clear information to your customers. Take a moment now to check out your environmental messaging. How well are you educating your customers about your environmental efforts? Letting them know what you’re doing helps to promote your business in a good light, but you may also helps promote the projects you are working on (you may even find that customers will want to get on board and join in too).
Follow the links below to find out how to communicate sustainability with customers.
Sustainable.org – Sustainability Certifications
How to avoid the greenwash trap – Sustainable business network
Are you compliant with relevant regulations and standards regarding economic, social, and environmental impacts?
There may be a number of laws you need to know about to keep your business compliant for any economic, social and environmental (ESE) impacts caused by your business.
The primary legislation in New Zealand that promotes the sustainable management of New Zealand’s natural and physical resources is the Resource Management Act. It’s the responsibility of businesses to ensure that they are compliant with the Act and don’t engage in business activities and development that could damage our natural environment. For example, air pollution, non-compliant structures, unfiltered wastewater and ground contamination.
We also have laws governing employment conditions, minimum wages and other employment factors such as living conditions for live-on-site workers.
Any company director in New Zealand has legal responsibilities to their shareholders and their company including to trade sensibly and submitting all the necessary returns and financial statements.
You can work out the laws that apply to your business using the Compliance matters Tool as a starting point.
Review the resources below to help become compliant with ESE impacts.
In addition to what you’re already doing, there may be other laws you need to know about to keep your business compliant. This is particularly likely with climate change and policies that are evolving around this such as our emissions reductions targets.
You can work out the laws that apply to your business using the Compliance matters Tool as a starting point.
Fair work practices (employment.govt.nz)
What it means to be a director (companiesoffice.govt.nz)
New Zealand National Environmental Standards
Use the Compliance matters Tool to assess your requirements (business.govt.nz)
Everyday guide to the Resource Management Act – Ministry for the Environment
Environmental Claims Guidelines (Commerce Commission)
Worker Accommodation Fact Sheet (Worksafe)
Are you preparing for future challenges and opportunities related to sustainability?
It’s crucial to think through your approach towards sustainability as it impacts your business’s longevity and reputation. Start by conducting an assessment of your environmental impact and identify areas for improvement. Set clear sustainability goals and integrate them into your business strategy, ensuring they align with your values and resonate with your stakeholders.
Embrace innovation in eco-friendly practices and products to stay ahead in a changing market.
Engage with sustainability experts and collaborate with like-minded partners to access knowledge and resources (for example, think about joining organisations like The Sustainable Business Network).
There are numerous information sources in New Zealand that can help you in your planning like Environmental Indicators and Data for business on stats.govt.nz or NZTE’s guide, Using Sustainable Development Goals in your sustainability strategy.
Review the resources below to make a start using eco-friendly transport.
Take your planning to the next level by engaging with sustainability experts and collaborate with like-minded partners to access knowledge and resources (for example, think about joining organisations like The Sustainable Business Network).
Check out these information sources in New Zealand that can help you in your planning like Environmental Indicators and Data for business on stats.govt.nz or NZTE’s guide, Using Sustainable Development Goals in your sustainability strategy
Using Sustainable Development Goals in your sustainability strategy (myNZTE)
How to be a sustainable business (myNZTE)
The future of business for Aotearoa New Zealand (MBIE report)
Sustainable Supply Chain Toolbox (Sustainable Business Network)
Disclaimer
The resources and information provided in relation to the Sustainability Assessment digital tool is intended for general informational purposes only. This is not financial or other advice and does not take into consideration your or a specific business’ circumstances. For specific advice tailored to your or a business’ circumstances, you should seek advice from a qualified professional. ASB is not responsible for the content, reliability, or accuracy of links to external websites or resources which are provided for information only.
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