Awards

Marlborough’s Pinoli Premium Pine Nuts has been recognised for its tiny flavour-filled nuts and its risky journey to become the southern hemisphere’s only pine nut producer. The company has been named Supreme Champion at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2023. Investing in the Mediterranean pine aka Pinus pinea is a long game; its first crop is only harvestable after eight to 10 years, so it was a leap of faith for Pinoli Premium Pine Nuts founders Andy and Barb Wiltshire and general manager, Lee Paterson. Andy Wiltshire (pictured) said failure was never an option, and since the first planting in 1998, the company has planted 500,000 trees on 540 hectares in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley. Pinoli pine nuts are sold

Workplace inclusion changemakers who challenge non-inclusive systems, practices and mindsets are key to building environments of belonging. The 2023 Diversity Awards NZ™ will again recognise individuals who expertly use their knowledge, skills, experience and emotional intelligence to create spaces where everyone feels safe to have a voice and to make a contribution to shared objectives. “The Diversity Champion Award, introduced last year as part of the 25th anniversary of our awards programme, will now become a regular addition to our categories,” says Diversity Works New Zealand Chief Executive Maretha Smit. “Being a champion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) means more than being a supporter for a cause. It means more than being able to tell a lived experience story

The Sustainable Business Network announced the winners of the 20th Sustainable Business Awards at an annual ceremony this week. The urgency of sustainability issues has never been more pressing. This was highlighted by the UN Climate Conference (COP27) taking place earlier this month, against a backdrop of extreme weather events, an energy crisis and scientific data reiterating the world is not doing enough to tackle carbon emissions and protect the future of our planet. SBN has been at the forefront of networking and advocacy to help businesses become more environmentally friendly since it was founded 20 years ago. It runs the annual Sustainable Business Awards to recognise the country’s leading business sustainability heroes. Karma Drinks is the winner of the

Kiwi start-up Earshots, which makes the world’s first sports headphones with a patented ‘EarWrap’ system, has been globally recognised on TIME’s list of best inventions for 2022. Its unique product is included as one of the most extraordinary innovations changing lives. TIME has described Earshots as a ‘small company from the bottom of the world’ innovating in a category dominated by billion-dollar budgets. Earshots has been included in the design category alongside the likes of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. They also follow in the footsteps of Allbirds, another Kiwi company previously recognised by TIME for its global leadership in design. Founded and designed by athlete and adventurer James Bell-Booth, Earshots are wireless sports headphones with an ‘EarWrap’ system that

Two pioneering franchise brands from the beauty and personal care industry have shone to the fore in the 2022 Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards. Taking out the Westpac Supreme Franchise System of the Year is hairstyling franchise Rodney Wayne, while the Westpac Supreme Franchisee of the Year went to skin health and confidence clinic, Caci Blenheim, owned by Krista Coningham. This is the first time Rodney Wayne has won this prestigious award, says Robyn Pickerill, CEO of Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ). She could not be more pleased for this iconic brand and long-time FANZ member to achieve this accolade. “The concept of ‘we listen, we care’, is at the heart of the Rodney Wayne business, and tonight, the

After a lengthy judging process, James Corbett, Tom Batterbury & Phil Thomson, founders of Auror, have been named overall winners of EY Entrepreneur of The Year for 2022. The Auror founders were announced as the overall winners and recognised for their achievements in business at an awards gala dinner in Auckland. The calibre of nominees was particularly high this year, and they had some tough competition with the other four category winners. Auror is a crime prevention and detection software that is helping retailers around the world reduce losses, and police prevent crime. With more than 80% of the nation’s retailers using the platform, Auror saves NZ Police 200,000 hours a year in investigations. James, Tom & Phil will now go