Sustainability news, views and insights | | | |
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Happy holidays from the SBC team The SBC team wishes you a happy holiday season and a restful, relaxing summer break with your loved ones. This will be the final edition of Pānui for the year, and the first edition back for 2026 will be on 5 February. Please continue to send your stories, events and jobs through to the team and we will spotlight them over the course of the first few editions of the new year. | |
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A holiday message from SBC’s CEO | In his last update for the year, SBC’s CEO Mike Burrell provides details on the work currently underway on SBC and CLC’s Economic Imperative Report. Mike also extends a heartfelt thanks to all SBC Members, SBC’s Advisory Board and the SBC team for all the important mahi that has taken place over 2025 and wishes everyone a happy holiday period. | | | |
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WBCSD Nature Action Portal now live! |
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has launched its Nature Action Portal, a digital tool enabling companies to translate pledges into measurable nature-positive actions and investments aimed at halting and reversing nature loss by 2030. Co created with over 100 firms, the portal offers sector-specific insights, metrics, and disclosure guidance across agri food, forests, energy, built environment, pharmaceuticals and water. Explore the portal here.
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Meridian Energy takes top ESG rating spot | Congratulations to Meridian Energy who has been named Number 1 in New Zealand by Forsyth Bar Limited’s Carbon Environmental, Social and Governance Ratings Report for the fourth year in a row. The report measures the efforts of 55 NZX Limited companies, accounting for around 96% of the NZX's market capitalisation and 13% of NZ's greenhouse gas emissions. Read the full 2025 report and scorecards here. | | | |
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New fund supercharges climate resilience in Tāmaki Makaurau |
Auckland Council has launched the Te Ara Urutau - Climate & Emergency Ready Fund, a $1 million grant supporting community-led climate adaptation and emergency preparedness projects across Tāmaki Makaurau. Funding covers emissions reduction, emergency readiness, and climate adaptation planning, with grants ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 to boost grassroots resilience against climate change and extreme weather. Find full details here.
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Boosting climate-resilience through AI | AI could be the answer to NZ’s infrastructure challenge by boosting climate adaptation and resilience through smarter planning and maintenance. That’s according to Beca’s Thomas Hyde who highlights in this latest Op Ed how AI can help assets withstand more extreme weather, speed up decarbonisation, and improve stewardship. With New Zealand facing infrastructure pressures, AI-driven tools offer targeted solutions to enhance preparedness for future climate impacts. | | | |
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Register for the Sustainability Leadership Programme taster session |
From Operational Execution to Strategic Impact - explore the benefits participating in SLP had for Fonterra’s Tracey Putt in this new Case Study. Keen to learn more about how the programme can help you gain new knowledge and tools to influence? Don’t miss your opportunity to join our free online taster session 10-11am on 5 February. Register here.
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New interest-free lending supports home resilience | Westpac NZ is offering interest free home loan top ups up to NZ$50,000 over five years to support resilience against natural hazards. Choices home loan customers can fund improvements such as drainage, moisture barriers or raising outdoor electrics. It’s the first NZ bank to include flood resilience in long term lending saying it’s committed to helping its customers navigate climate risk. More details here. | | | |
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Custom Fleet partners with Carbn Group to accelerate fleet decarbonisation |
Custom Fleet has announced a strategic partnership with Carbn Group to help businesses across New Zealand and Australia transition to electric vehicles and reduce emissions. The collaboration combines Custom Fleet’s fleet management expertise with Carbn Group’s sustainability solutions, that combine technology, data insights, advisory and flexible financing to deliver measurable outcomes in cost optimisation, asset utilisation and emissions reduction.
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Call for support – Ratepayers Assistance Scheme (RAS) | Rewiring Aotearoa is seeking support for an open letter urging Government to prioritise a new finance scheme giving all ratepayers access to energy loans for faster electrification. The proposed Ratepayers Assistance Scheme (RAS) would fund solar, batteries, hot water heat pumps and heat pumps. Learn more about the scheme here or sign the letter here. | | | |
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Sustainability Leadership Programme 2026 - Taster Session Online | 5 February 2026 | 10:00am
The Sustainability Leadership Programme (SLP) is a course delivered by Catapult and SBC designed to empower sustainability leaders to drive transformational change by giving them the connections, tactics and confidence to make a measurable impact. Join us for this free online taster session where you will hear from past participants on how SLP has had a positive impact on not only their leadership within their current role and organisation, but also beyond. | |
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NEW: NZ future population and its implications Online/In Person | 21, 28 Jan, 11 Feb 2026 | 9:00am
Explore NZ’s future population and its implications for climate goals, sustainable investment, and business resilience. Gain insights on immigration, emissions, infrastructure, and strategic planning - critical for boards shaping adaptation and avoiding stranded assets. Register via Eventbrite or Zoom for these expert-led sessions. | |
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Become a certified Planetary Accounting Practitioner Online | starts 26 March 2026
Enrolments are now open for the Planetary Accounting Practitioner Course, a six-month program designed for sustainability professionals, board members, engineers, accountants, consultants, and other change-makers from all sectors to apply the science of the Planetary Boundaries in their work. Through this course, you’ll learn to navigate and apply the Planetary Boundaries framework, understand and use Planetary Accounting metrics, translate science into actionable business and policy strategies, join a global community of practitioners creating change within planetary limits. | |
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Please send Pānui stories (50 words plus square image) or event listings (100 words plus banner image) to sbccomms@businessnz.org.nz by Wednesday 12pm. | | | |
See guidelines around SBC's expectations of member communications and transparency here. | | | |
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