As global governments and the Trump administration pull back on climate action and sustainability, New Zealand business leaders are being urged to do the opposite to boost their companies’ profile and profits.
Sustainable Brands Aotearoa spokesperson Lewis Patterson says businesses should focus on more than just the usual product or service advantages (like premium features or pricing).
“Sitting at the bottom of the world, we’ve got to work smarter,” says Patterson in a statement.
“Our distance from markets means we can’t compete on volume or price – we have to lead with purpose. Our value chain partners and consumers aren’t just asking about quality and price; they’re demanding value, purpose and sustainability practices across the entire supply chain.
“The true value of purpose-driven brands or programmes lies in their ability to create broader benefits such as improving efficiency, benefiting people (likely customers, employees, or communities), and reducing risks—whether financial, reputational, or operational,” he says.
Two Day Conference in May – The Value of Purpose
Sustainable Brands Aotearoa will host a two-day conference in May called The Value of Purpose to help Kiwi CEOs, CFOs, chiefs of strategy, HR, communications and sustainability professionals to connect with other business leaders who are successfully turning sustainability into opportunity.
“To successfully launch purpose-driven programmes, it’s essential to have the rigorous data that backs up the business case. Only with this data can CEOs and company executives confidently approve the right initiatives. They need solid proof. The Value of Purpose conference will offer valuable insights on how to make this calculation and ensure it’s properly supported.”
The organisation says speakers include Brianne West founder of Ethique (which sold for almost $100 million in 2019), who is building her new start-up Incrediballs which she hopes will disrupt the global drinks industry.
Alongside West, will be award-winning leader, NZ military veteran, international speaker and facilitator, Dr Ellen Joan Ford, who specialises in bringing the best out of people and organisations. She has previously worked for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, helping exporters to grow their international business.
Industry leaders from IKEA, Comvita, Blunt Umbrellas, Ecostore and iconic Kiwi brands such as Icebreaker are among other guest speakers. The organisation says they will share how purpose drives profit and give practical tips on how to measure the return on investment into values and communicate those values both internally to their teams and externally to consumers and across their supply chain.
“The businesses getting ahead aren’t just measuring carbon, they’re measuring value creation. They’re asking how sustainability initiatives drive efficiency, inspire innovation, engage staff and build brand value. They’re finding that business models that are prioritising value, deliver better returns – not despite being sustainable, but because of it,” says Patterson.
Globally, many governments are now putting economic growth ahead of conservation efforts by weakening environmental regulations and expanding fossil fuel mining and drilling. But Patterson says this recent shift just underscores the need for rigor in calculating impacts and values of purpose aligned change.
…There is enormous push-back from people around the world who are experiencing the effects of climate change first-hand…
“There is enormous push-back from people around the world who are experiencing the effects of climate change first-hand. In New York (the 10th largest economy in the world), the governor has signed a law that will require fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damage repair. This is the cost businesses must account for.
Patterson says as an export nation, New Zealand businesses are already impacted by regulatory and global brand requirements which reflect the values of consumers. “This can only accelerate the changes in how customers buy and, therefore, the importance of sustainability criteria.”
Sustainable Brands Aotearoa is part of a global network of brand innovators throughout Europe, Asia, North and South America which are working to reshape the future of commerce.
The upcoming conference will be held in Rotorua and feature speakers from SMEs and large/global purpose-driven brands, and those who are transitioning their business models to incorporate more purpose.
For more information, including the full speaker line-up, see: https://www.sustainablebrands.co.nz/home.
