Finalists revealed for Sustainable Business Awards

The 76 finalists for the 2023 Sustainable Business Awards span sectors from food and beverage to education, health, forestry and energy.

The Sustainable Business Awards are Aotearoa New Zealand’s pre-eminent sustainability awards. Now in their 21st year, they recognise businesses, local government, social enterprises and individuals for success in sustainability.

Rachel Brown ONZM is founder and CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, which runs the Awards. She says: “Once again, a huge number of organisations and individuals have put their hat in the ring to be recognised as a sustainability impact maker. So despite the cost of living crisis, businesses are as committed as ever to actively addressing the urgent issues of our time: the climate emergency; the nature crisis; and the waste predicament.”

This year, a new raft of organisations have been selected as finalists, says Brown. “That brings us great hope – that a growing number of businesses are making progress on the issues that matter. “That’s more important than ever, as we witness the fallout of both climate-related events as well as the growing division in our community between the haves and have-nots.”

The winners for all categories will be announced at a ceremony on 23 November 2023 to be held in Auckland and broadcast online. Tickets are on sale now.

For more details go to www.sustainable.org.nz/awards

The finalists for the 2023 Sustainable Business Awards:

Sustainability Superstar – Sponsored by NZI

•           Gary & Adrienne Dalton – Te Whangai Trust

•           Jacinta Fitzgerald – Mindful Fashion New Zealand

•           Jasmine Faulkner – Phoenix Metalman Recycling

•           John Berry – Pathfinder Asset Management

•           Kath Dewar – GoodSense

•           Kirsten Patterson – Institute of Directors

•           Lizzi Whaley – Spaceworks Interior Architecture

•           Louise Nash – Circularity

•           Dr Robert Burrell – Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau

Communicating for Impact – Sponsored by Stuff

•           Better Packaging Co.

•           Pathfinder Asset Management

•           Predator Free New Zealand Trust

•           TVNZ + EECA (Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority)

•           University of Waikato

•           With Wild, Citizen, BurgerFuel & Fiordland Wapiti Foundation

Social Impactor – Sponsored by MAS

•           AWWA Period Care

•           Boma New Zealand

•           Debt Managers

•           Digital Wings

•           Kāinga Ora

•           Money Sweetspot

•           Rangi Ruru Girls’ School

•           Te Whangai Trust

•           The Good Registry

•           Trade Aid

Going Circular

•           Beca

•           BLUNT

•           Caffology

•           Circularity

•           Havana Coffee Works

•           Mutu

•           Solid

•           The ReCreators

•           The Sustainable Care Company (Cleanery)

•           Watercare

•           Wilson & Ross

Climate Action Leader – Sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

•           Aro Ha Wellness Retreat

•           DETA

•           eCoast

•           Ecotricity

•           Lawson’s Dry Hills

•           Nature’s Flame

•           solarZero

•           Tāmata Hauhā

•           Te Whatu Ora – Counties Manukau

•           The Institute of Directors’ Chapter Zero New Zealand

Outstanding Collaboration – Sponsored by Ministry for Business, Innovation & Employment

•           Again Again + Lion

•           B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand

•           Beautification Trust, EcoMatters Environment Trust, Kaipātiki Project & Waiheke Resources Trust

•           Eco-Action Nursery Trust, Ōtautahi-Christchurch & Waitaha-Canterbury community

•           Fair Food + Farro Fresh

•           Hastings District Council, Connect Community Trust and Anglican Care Waiapu

•           Trade Aid

•           Urban Miners

•           With Wild, Citizen, BurgerFuel & Fiordland Wapiti Foundation

•           Zero Food Waste Aotearoa

Good Food – Sponsored by New World

•           Fair Food

•           Meadow Mushrooms

•           Red Shoots

•           The Sustainable Food Co

•           Trade Aid

•           Yum

Regenerating Nature – Sponsored by Ministry for the Environment

•           Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust + Lyttelton Port Company

•           CarbonCrop

•           Forever Forests

•           Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust + Department of Conservation

•           NEO Leaders

•           Reconnecting Northland

•           South Wairarapa Veterinary Services

•           Te Whangai Trust

Change Maker Award – Sponsored by Tax Management NZ

•           Aidan Smith – Shutl

•           Frankie McKeefry – Près Strategy

•           Katie Glasgow-Palmer – Action Manufacturing

•           Nelson Harper – Precycle NZ

•           Scott Waddell – Mataura Valley Milk