New pandemic resilient sustainable business award

Judges for the 2020 Sustainable Business Awards have announced this year’s 86 finalists, and are now calling for entries for a special additional award.

The new Resilience in Crisis Award has been created to recognise business resilience in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s focused on successful responses with sustainability outcomes. Independent judges will select the finalists, with the winner chosen by public vote.

Rachel Brown is founder and CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, which has run the awards for 18 years. She paid tribute to the quality of all the entrants so far, in what has been a difficult year.

She says: “2020 has been a massive upheaval for Aotearoa and particularly for business – nothing is ‘business as usual’ anymore. These Awards are more important than ever as they recognise how businesses have pivoted and are radically changing their models. They’re discovering entirely new ways of doing business sustainably. Our Resilience in Crisis award is designed to celebrate the best of those.”

Meridian General Manager Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Claire Shaw says the company is particularly proud to be Awards Partner this year.

“We know many businesses have been heavily impacted by the pandemic and we are proud to support and recognise innovative New Zealanders. Meridian is committed to playing our part to help support the opportunities that will deliver sustainable economic and environmental outcomes for Aotearoa.”

The Resilience in Crisis award is free to enter, and entries are open until 19 September. Entries to all other categories of the Awards are now closed.

The winners for all categories will be announced at a ceremony in November. In response to the ongoing pandemic, the ceremony is set to be broadcast online via regional events up and down the country, rather than the familiar large gala dinner in Auckland.

Find out more about the Resilience in Crisis award: sustainable.org.nz/resilience-in-crisis-award/

The finalists for the 2020 Sustainable Business Awards are:

Sustainability Superstar – Sponsored by NZI

Gary and Adrienne Dalton, Te Whangai Trust

Christine Langdon, The Good Registry

Rhys Miller, Ahika Consulting

David Trubridge, David Trubridge

Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, For the Love of Bees

Steve West, ChargeNet

Change Maker

Ged Finch, X-Frame & Victoria University of Wellington

Francesca Goodman-Smith, Foodstuffs NZ

Ursula Griffen, independent

Jacinta Gulasekharam, Dignity NZ

Aleshia Johnson, Kōaka

Jayden Klinac, For The Better Good

Patrick Moynahan, Computer Recycling

Alice Rule, 3sixty2

Bridget Williams, Bead and Proceed

Communicating for Impact – Sponsored by Kind&Co

All Heart NZ

Beca

NZ Post

Predator Free Wellington

Remix Plastic

The Hawea Grove

Waste Free with Kate

Social Impactor – Sponsored by MAS

Connect Chiropractic

Dignity

Humanitix

Pathfinder Asset Management

Predator Free Wellington

Raglan Food Co

Sustainability Trust

The Sleep Store

Whenua Iti Outdoors

Going Circular – Sponsored by Auckland Council

Again Again

Better Packaging Co

Deja

Fonterra Cooperative Group

Foodprint

Milk 2.0

NZ King Salmon

Wholly Cow

Why Waste

X Frame

Climate Action Leader – Sponsored by EECA

Ahika Consulting

Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd – biomass boiler

Foodstuffs NZ

Open Country Dairy

Soar

Suncorp

Climate Action Innovator – Sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

Auckland Council – FutureFit

Big Street Bikers

Blue Cars

Carbon Click

Cityhop

CoGo

The Formary

Outstanding Collaboration – Sponsored by Toitū Envirocare

All Heart NZ

BNZ and Good Shepherd

Elastomer Products and Scion

Foodstuffs and CHEP

Jacobsen

Meat the Need

Predator Free Dunedin

Student Volunteer Army

Tech for Good

Auckland Council – FutureFit

Carbon Click

CoGo

Kathmandu

Mutu

Reemi

RiverWatch

Student Volunteer Army

Sustainable Coastlines

Good Food – Sponsored by New World

Bostock Brothers

Common Unity Project Aotearoa

Foodprint

Kaicycle

Miraka

Raglan Food Co

Sealed Air

The Fermentist

Yum Granola

Restoring Nature – Sponsored by Department of Conservation

Conservation Volunteers NZ

Hanging Gardens

Lake Hawea Station

Natural Habitats Landscapes

Tahi

Watercare