CONGRATULATIONS TO RESONATE HOWICK
‒ Winner of the Supreme Award for Best Business in the East Auckland Business Awards 2024
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East Auckland
Business Awards Winners
20
Sustainability: The Green Gap
– Greenwashing: Greenhushing
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Power of Sharing: Partnership – Leanne’s Kitchen and KiwiHarvest
Congratulations to all the entrants, finalists and winners of the inaugural East Auckland Business Awards!
You should be proud of your accomplishments, we certainly are. What a brilliant way to begin the year by celebrating our incredible local businesses and the talents behind their success. A massive thank you to Business East Tāmaki for partnering with Howick Village Association to make this happen.
The Howick Local Board is proud to support this initiative, helping to shine a spotlight on the outstanding accomplishments setting the standard of excellence in the business world.
We’re opening our Youth Space in the Botany Town Centre which will provide a dedicated facility for our rangatahi (youth) as well as employment and leadership opportunities. We unlocked this opportunity thanks to the support of Te Tuhi and the Botany Town Centre, providing a great example of how to deliver more for our community by partnering (something we’re keen to repeat). Moving onto the next big challenges, we’re hoping to make progress on the much-needed Flat Bush Community Centre and Library.
Throughout the year our incredible Libraries and Leisure Centre teams continue to run a wide range of activities and events that
provide you, and your whānau, nearly endless opportunities to learn, grow and stay healthy.
Our new three-year strategic Local Board Plan takes effect in July, with a renewed focus on doing more with less. Instead of trying to do everything ourselves, we will look more for partnerships and local procurement.
We’re looking to refresh both the Howick Heritage Plan and Howick Tourism Plan to ensure they stay relevant (the world has changed a lot since they were written). We’re considering expanding our Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme (which educates and informs industry about the impacts they may have on local waterways) to broaden its outreach and include all businesses. We’re also looking to see how we can better support businesses that aren’t fortunate enough to have a formal business association.
Bayleys is New Zealand’s largest Commercial and Industrial Real Estate provider, however it wasn’t always that way. Bayleys Commercial started in East Tamaki with David and John Bayley transacting warehouses and vacant land in the 1980’s, when East Tamaki was predominantly farmland and a former quarry.
153-hectare Ra Ora Horse Stud, overlooking the Tamaki River. An area we know today as the Highbrook Business Park developed by Goodman Property Trust.
Like Bayleys, East Tamaki has transformed significantly. From a fringe factory precinct to Auckland’s industrial powerhouse, Bayleys has been there every step of the way. One of the more notable transactions was the
While the Bayleys business and team have evolved, we remember our roots and are proud of our East Tamaki heritage. Our local team accounts for more than half of the industrial sales and leasing in the area and continues to focus on serving our clients every step of their real estate journey.
In our first edition of the year, Business East Tāmaki is on the eve of another first; the inaugural East Auckland Business Awards. These awards are about local recognition; giving the opportunity to herald and support businesses that go the extra mile, do the hard yards and do something different. When Ruth White came up with the idea, I said, “it’s a huge undertaking, but if you’re up for it…give it a go”. She did, and it’s required a herculean effort for the whole team. By the time you read this, we will have had the awards’ Gala Dinner, hosted and MC’d by Paula Bennett, with special guest speaker Dr Michelle Dickinson, better known as Nanogirl. Well done to all the entrants, contributors and judges who have made these awards a new addition to our Business East Tāmaki ecosystem.
This issue has some interesting content on sustainability as we try to declutter the space around Greenwashing, Greenhushing and Sustainability Reporting. I’m a simple man and believe that we have “to do the right thing” on our sustainability pathway. I must admit I’ve never understood some of the measurement and industry certification tools. We each have to identify the main inputs to our business that can make a difference and then do something, small steps, measure the change and judge whether we’ve made a difference. I was chuffed to do the numbers on my Solar installation at the Quest Highbrook hotel, and find we were saving nine tonnes of carbon emissions annually, generating about 25% of our own electricity, as well as nett savings of over $1000 per month.
Telling our business stories, either with initiatives like the Business Awards, our regular showcases or articles, is about sharing our lived experiences. A great recent example inspired after our Spring “Sharing” issue came from Leanne’s Kitchen, who make dumplings; they put a call out through Business East Tāmaki, because they regularly had excess dough which they were keen not to waste. KiwiHarvest food rescue snapped up the offer, creating a win-win for both companies and our local sustainability.
I was re-assured with last week’s OCR announcement keeping interest rates stable and seeing key banks this week introduce lower rate mortgage offers. While we are still under inflationary pressure around the 5% mark, our job is to get on and grow GDP and employment. Enjoy this issue, and let’s keep ensuring that Business East Tāmaki powers and grows our NZ economy.
Part of the community, proud to support it
Be
If your business has a lot of large recycled plastic containers sitting in your yard or storage area, and you don’t know what to do with them, read on!
Recycled Plastic Containers Ltd is a 20 year-old New Zealand-owned company based in Silverdale, Auckland.
They specialise in collecting, recycling and cleaning Industrial Plastic Containers for reuse – all for free!
Their recycled containers are:
• De-labelled
• Steam cleaned
• Triple rinsed
So they appear as new!
RPC Ltd’s free collection service for these containers is used by various suppliers, including those in the food and chemical fields and cleaning, hospitality and service industries. There are some exclusions for containers that have contained oil and Class 3, 4 or 6 chemicals but call RPC first to discuss.
The empty containers are transported to Silverdale, where they are washed, stored or on-sold for re-use.
Alternatively RPC will collect, clean and return your containers for your own re-use.
To find out more, contact Billie Kindley on 09 426 6706, 022 365 6944 or rpc2002@xtra.co.nz.
In 2010, Chorus launched a cabinet art initiative to try and reduce the amount of vandalism to their telecommunication cabinets. It was so successful it has been extended throughout the country, and approximately 170 cabinets are now painted each year.
The programme promotes a sense of community belonging and pride, while also helping to discourage anti-social behaviour.
The latest cabinets to be completed in our business precinct are two on the corner of Lady Ruby Drive and Sir William Avenue. The artist was Rod Horton who chose the design to complement the industrial nature of the location.
If you are a budding artist or know someone who would like an opportunity to get their name out there, check out chorus.co.nz/ community/cabinet-art-programme mid-June
In this update, Inspector Raks Cook talks about how to prevent theft from your vehicle, how to make your vehicle less desirable for thieves, counterfeit bank notes, illegal street racing and how to keep yourself safe in an aggravated robbery.
Don’t make it easy for thieves to steal your personal belongings from your car. Remember the basics:
• Always lock your parked vehicle even if it’s in your own driveway. Obvious but many forget.
• If you must leave items in there, make sure they’re stored securely out of sight. Pulling a coat over your laptop doesn't count as ‘secure’! Most thieves are opportunistic - bags, coins, cigarettes or sunglasses - if it's visible, it's tempting.
• Don’t leave windows down – even slightly.
• Try to park in a secure garage or in your driveway.
• If you have to park on the road, try to park in a well-lit area and near a CCTV camera if possible.
Most cars stolen these days are pre-2012 models – because they’re key-operated and do not have in-built immobilisers. New cars with sophisticated security systems are a lot harder to steal, and therefore less of a target.
Thefts of vehicles – top five within the Counties Manukau East policing area (includes East Tāmaki)
If you have an older car without an immobiliser or alarm, use a steering-wheel lock. In fact, a steering-wheel lock is a good deterrent for modern cars too.
To minimise the risk of your car being stolen, follow the advice in the bullet points above.
Raks wants to assure the East Tāmaki community that Police are continuing to patrol the East Tāmaki area to deter illegal street racers. Intelligence continues to be used to identify trends and patterns of behaviour and tactically deploy resources to areas as events occur. As a result, although Police are unable to completely wipe out this behaviour, they are able to deal with it more proactively.
“We still need members of our community to call 111 if they observe illegal street racing or dangerous riding in their area,”
There have been incidents of fake $50 notes circulating in the East Tāmaki area.
Fake notes are easy to spot, just Look, Feel and Tilt:
• Look through the holographic window - the edges of the window should look smooth and you should see the bird's silhouette, a map of New Zealand and a 3-D feature showing the value of the banknote.
• Feel the note - you should be able to feel raised ink on the denomination and the letters at the top.
• Tilt the note - a bright shining bar should roll across the bird's silhouette on the front and the holographic window's colours should shift and change revealing fine details.
What to do if you find a fake banknote or coin
• If you are offered one as payment, politely refuse it if you can.
• If you end up with one, put it in an envelope to preserve evidence.
• Tell the Police in either case.
Aggravated robberies and ram raid events are traumatic even if you are just a witness to it. If this happens to you in
SPONSORED BY
The winners of the inaugural East Auckland Business Awards were announced at a glitzy awards dinner on 20th March 2024. The awards showcase the best of our vibrant and diverse business community and they honour all of the finalists’ and winners’ hard work, dedication and innovative spirit that set them apart from the rest.
With Bayleys as the overall sponsor, category awards were sponsored by individual businesses, each a standout in its own industry.
A collaboration between Business East Tāmaki and Howick Village Associations, sponsored by Bayleys and supported by the Howick Local Board.
Resonate Howick is a values-led state-of-the art audiology business totally disrupting and transforming the audiology world. With a commitment to delivering better hearing health outcomes for all New Zealanders, the best audiologists in the business have collaborated to deliver a truly unique and innovative solution to make hearing health more accessible, affordable, and transparent.
The customer is at the heart of their business and has played a key role in the design and delivery of the service offering, and continues to do so. Always looking for better, the wider team connects daily to share insights and ideas to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
New Zealand is the first in the world to experience this innovative offering. They have scaled the wider business across NZ and opportunities to expand globally. They are patient focused, have a growth mindset and are using innovative technology to support their agile business model. Instead of customers having to pay a significant amount of money up front for hearing aids, they offer an affordable monthly Netflix-type subscription approach. They only opened their doors in July 2023 and have already smashed their original sales targets. Although early sales growth is exciting, they see the importance of building relationships through quality conversations as their primary goal.
Resonate Howick is committed to sustainability outcomes and community engagement – with great examples of both including a focus on health equity. Unique walk in clinic with very experienced & enthusiastic employees – exceptional ambassadors for the business providing an amazing customer experience.
Sponsored by Two Tides Consulting
Sponsored by BNZ Judge, Dr Will Reedy
Sponsored by Nautech Electronics
sponsored by Health Improvement Group Ltd
In a highly competitive category, RSM stands out due to several key factors.
Firstly, their innovative approach to technology, leveraging AI, machine learning and automation, positions them as pioneers in driving transformative change within the East Tāmaki area. This strategic use of technology not only streamlines processes but also enhances client services, showcasing their commitment to staying at the forefront of industry advancements.
Secondly, their ambitious 2030 Global Strategy, aiming for 100% growth, underscores significant business impact and a clear strategic direction. Supported by a vast network of 820 branches globally, this strategy exemplifies a robust foundation for future growth and success. Moreover, RSM's dedication to sustainability, social responsibility, and community engagement, alongside their focus on ethical practices and staff well-being, reflects a holistic approach to business excellence.
Highly
Finally, their demonstrated adaptability to market changes and their commitment to providing high-quality, tailored advice demonstrates a profound understanding of client needs and market dynamics, solidifying their position as the category winner.
sponsored by Goodman Property Trust
Leanne’s Kitchen is an East Auckland-based food manufacturer and marketer of great value and excellent quality frozen dumplings, for the retail and food service sectors in New Zealand and the Pacific.
By investing significantly in technology and introducing automation and lean manufacturing principles to the manufacturing process, Leanne’s Kitchen has dramatically increased capacity and efficiency and can now produce well over 180,000 dumplings in a single shift.
Investing in a state-of-the-art spiral freezer, dumpling machines and new packaging equipment has enabled the company to quickly process and pack its products ready for the market. Automation not only enables consistency of product quality but has allowed the company to hold its pricing to the supermarkets for over eight years whilst increasing market share to 43 percent.
Leanne’s Kitchen, through its research and development, is constantly looking for new product introduction and has recently brought to market three new plant-based products.
sponsored by Green Gorilla
Ecobags’ entrepreneurial innovation mindset was a standout feature of its submission. It was underpinned by its foundation on the need for more sustainable alternatives to plastic bags, and the work it undertook to seek a range of solutions to fill this need that could meet the different price points and expectations of its customers.
This innovation mindset continued as market conditions and regulatory requirements evolved, enabling Ecobags to build a strong market presence and leverage the opportunity to bring a range of more sustainable products to Aotearoa New Zealand, whilst also ensuring independent validation of claims and performance.
Ecobags’ commitment to bringing sustainability into its operations, as well as through its products, such as its investment in electric forklift trucks, is also commended.
sponsored by Quest Highbrook
A stand-out local operator who has identified and responded to a gap in the market. Their thoughtful and innovative response to Covid helped put the restaurant ‘on the map’ and to build connections to and with the local community.
A fresh approach to food with focus on authenticity, nurturing younger staff in a way which creates loyalty and potential long-term career pathways in hospitality.
Creative fit-out and design with evidence of sustainable mindset.
Ownership demonstrates a long-term vision and commitment to the community, with a new venture recently opened nearby. It’s clear that the team behind Daisy Chang is the one to watch within the East Auckland community.
sponsored by Spark Retail Hub Auckland South
Poppies of Howick is based in the heart of Howick in the middle of the Main Street. They are a quality book retailer steeped in old-fashioned customer service.
Owner Tony Moores has been a bookseller for over 40 years, is a director of Booksellers New Zealand and most recently was instrumental as project manager in the development of BookHub – a website that offers book buyer access to over 70 bookstores throughout the country.
The store’s layout and presentation is meticulous and increased social media marketing to engage their customers has been a priority. The store runs a breadth of different events and initiatives, including Book Club evenings, chess tournaments, ‘Meet the Authors’ and loyalty cards. There’s a great children’s section, along with hand-crafted wrapping paper, cards and gifts.
Poppies is selling more books than ever and this is in no small part thanks to Tony’s team who are encouraged and empowered to help run the store seven days a week.
sponsored by The Rotary Club of Howick
Since KiwiHarvest started in 2012, it has rescued 11 million kgs of food which would have gone to waste, prevented 30 million kgs of carbon dioxide from reaching our atmosphere, and supplied the equivalent of 32.5 million meals to charities. They have branches in East Tāmaki, North Shore, Dunedin, Queenstown and Invercargill.
With the passion and determination of staff and volunteers, KiwiHarvest’s aim is to meet the core needs of families and individuals experiencing food insecurity, offering them support, providing them with food, and all the other services necessary to recover and rebuild their lives.
In 2023, they focused on laying the groundwork (with the right people, processes and strategic plans in place), to enable them to double their annual food volumes from two million kgs to four million kgs. They also strengthened key relationships and established long-term funding.
They’re working with 250 food donors and 225 recipients’ agencies, knowing their operations, capabilities (food storage and food safety) , and who their clients are in order to work better with each charity.
Highly commended, Independent Living
Highly commended, AIS Global Group
By Paul O’Neil, Head of Legal and General Counsel, Employers and Manufacturers Association
The new government hasn’t wasted any time changing New Zealand’s employment law, passing through the Employment Relations (Trial Periods) Amendment Act which has reintroduced 90-day employment trials for all businesses.
Ninety-day trials, which were previously only available to employers who had fewer than 20 staff, are aimed at reducing the risk to businesses when employing someone new, hopefully making them more willing to give prospective employees a chance.
If things don’t work out, you can end the employment without the risk of them bringing a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal.
The legislation has some important checks and balances in place to protect employees, and it’s important that you get the process right to avoid an uncomfortable date with the Employment Relations Authority.
And when it comes to trial periods, both the Employment Court and the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) take a strict approach to whether employers have complied with the Act or not.
In fact, statistics from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show that between 2015 and 2023, out of all the 90-day trial challenge cases considered by the ERA, 75% were found to be invalid. This was largely because employers did not meet the necessary procedural requirements.
So, what are the rules when using a 90-day trial period when you employ someone new?
• First, you can only use a trial period for new employees. Trials cannot be used if an employee is already working for you or if you have previously employed them.
• Second, if you are employing someone subject to a 90-day trial, you need to write it into the employment agreement.
Note that you will need to specify the length of the trial in days, which can be up to a maximum of 90 calendar days.
Be sure to draw the employee’s attention to the trial clause contained and let them know of their right to seek independent advice. You need to ensure you allow reasonable time for them to consider the offer and obtain this advice.
Critically, for a trial to be valid, the employee must sign the agreement and return it before they start work.
This is important, because if they start work before signing their employment agreement, the trial period will likely be considered invalid by the Authority.
• Finally, you need to include a notice period in the employment agreement.
Remember that this notice period applies during the trial period.
• It is also important to understand that all other employment law applies.
For example, all employees are protected from harassment, discrimination, or unjustified disadvantage, and are eligible for all other minimum entitlements.
Not meeting these requirements, even if an employee is subject to a trial, may mean they can bring a personal grievance.
• You also need to remember that good-faith obligations still apply.
That means providing an employee with the necessary training and feedback and a reasonable opportunity to address concerns and improve their performance.
The Authority will likely take a dim view if these good-faith obligations are not met.
Should things not work out and you wish to dismiss an employee under the trial provisions, there is a process you should follow. This includes:
• Writing to the employee.
• Going through an engagement process.
• Giving them the opportunity to seek independent advice and to bring a support person.
• You will need to notify them of any issues previously discussed, advise them you are intending to terminate under the 90-day trial period, ask for any comments and consider their response.
• Finally, if you decide to terminate, you should advise this verbally and follow up in writing to ensure you’ve properly followed any notice requirements.
The new legislation aims to balance reducing the risk to employers while also providing safeguards for employees.
If you need any help or support, call our Member Advice Line on 0800 300 362 or visit www.ema.co.nz.
When you ask Tony Gillion about what’s in the water we drink from our taps, he says that even though it’s quality approved by water regulatory authorities, it contains a whole raft of “impurities” which often include fluoride, heavy metals, chlorine, and other man-made chemicals.
Tony and his wife Belinda are the owners of Pure Dew - bottled water that’s familiar to many of us on our supermarket shelves and in our office water coolers. Pure Dew water passes through a series of highly advanced purification technologies, so it ends up extremely pure, super oxygenated and PH neutral, As Tony points out, it contains about 100 times less dissolved solids or impurities than a typical mineral, spring or tap water.
Tony and Belinda are passionate about high quality water. The family established the Pure Dew business in East Tāmaki in 1993 which makes this their 30th anniversary year. “We are proud East Tāmaki locals,” says Tony.
Typical of many small business owners, Tony was on his own 30 years ago, filling the bottles himself by hand, and only selling about one pallet every two weeks to Countdown. They now sell over 200 pallets a week to most supermarkets in NZ,
The Pure Dew East Tāmaki factory has a state-of-the art purification system, with technologies including steam distillation, reverse osmosis, and ozonation. They make their own plastic bottles and employ 15 people in the factory and delivering the large bottles directly to homes and businesses.
Interestingly, Pure Dew is not only used for drinking water. It’s sought after for many other uses where the highest purity is required. Because it contains less than 1ppm (parts per million) dissolved solids, Pure Dew is bought and used by dentists and doctors to sterilise their equipment. It’s also used in fish tanks, in wet cell batteries, and by beauty and food manufacturers who all require water of the highest purity and the lowest level of dissolved solids.
Pure Dew are very conscious of their environmental impact. They supply large 15 Litre bottles by direct delivery to home and offices. These bottles are collected, washed and re-used. The smaller bottles you can buy in supermarkets are also 100% recyclable, says Tony.
Tony and Belinda say they are really proud that their business is still going after 30 years. “We were the first NZ bottled water on the Countdown shelves. There have been many other competitors over the years and most of those have come and gone - but we're still here,” says Tony.
“I think it's the quality of our water, at the end of the day. People like our water. Once they taste it and know about it, they keep buying it.”
Pure Dew provides a home and office returnable bottle delivery service. If you’re based in East Tāmaki, mention you saw this article and you will receive a 15% discount on your home or office delivery.
To find out more about getting a delivery to your home or office, call the team at Pure Dew on 09 2748983.
An East Tāmaki-based family-run business is playing a massive part in making our public spaces cleaner, smarter and greener.
Manco Environmental, a division of Manco Engineering Group, is New Zealand and Australia’s sole distributor of US-made Bigbelly bins. The ‘smart’ and solar-powered rubbish bins are designed for public spaces like parks, beaches and busy streets.
Because the rubbish is automatically compacted, they hold five times more waste than open-top bins, using solar power to operate a cloud-driven software management platform which ‘communicates’ with the waste operation personnel.
Logan Black, Manco’s Product and Business Development Manager, says they’ve been distributing the innovative smart bins throughout New Zealand for 10 years.
“We’re constantly trying to stay ahead of the game in an ever-changing industry,” he says. “The rise of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) was already on our radar and smart products are evolving very fast.”
“There's a point where change happens and the world is moving more towards these sort of things. So you’ve either got to jump on, or get left behind.”
Overflowing waste bins in our parks, at our beaches and on our streets, not only attract seagulls and pests, but also overflowing litter pollutes our environment. “When you install a Bigbelly, you remove so much of that. You just massively enhance and beautify an area because you're enclosing that waste. You're keeping away the pests and the smell,” says Logan.
He points out that the solar panel provides the renewable energy to operate the compactor crushing the rubbish down.
“The solar also powers the internal circuit board, which is relaying the collection information to
This is where the ‘smart’ part of the bin plays its part. Instead of burning up fuel to make the unnecessary trip to a half-full bin, the collector only goes when they need to, reducing fossil-fuel emissions. The smart software also provides invaluable data and reports from each bin and its location.
Bigbelly Bins are distributed throughout New Zealand from the Far North to the bottom of the South Island, including a bin in the busy Highbrook Crossing office and café development in the heart of East Tāmaki. The uptake of the smart bins has been rapid, with around 35 regional councils and numerous private sector organisations on board so far. However, Logan says some waste collection personnel are still getting used to this type of new system.
“There's a point where change happens and the world is moving more towards these sort of things. So you’ve either got to jump on, or get left behind.”
Bigbelly bins - cleaner, smarter, greener:
• Reduce fuel consumption and emissions - fewer collection trips, leading to lower fuel use by waste collection trucks.
• Improved resource efficiency
- solar panels reduced reliance on fossil fuels and promote renewable energy.
• Minimized waste overflow and littering - enclosed design with sensors prevents overflow, windblown litter, and animal scavenging.
• Data-driven waste management
- data collected means better waste management practices. Includes identifying areas with high waste generation and optimising collection schedules.
IoT is revolutionising various sectors, from smart homes and cities to industrial automation and healthcare.
Everyday objects are embedded with sensors, software, and internet connectivity. These ‘smart objects’ can collect and share data, allowing them to communicate with each other and with other internet-enabled devices.
Some examples include: smartphones and tablets; many home appliances which can be controlled remotely (heating, lights, washing machines); cars with GPS and Bluetooth.
In today's environmentally conscious world, sustainable practices hold significant sway over consumer decisions and brand reputation.
But navigating the landscape of environmental claims is a challenge. We face not just Greenwashing, where companies exaggerate or fabricate their eco-friendly credentials, but also a subtler and often more confusing tactic, Greenhushing, where businesses are deliberately silent about their genuine environmental achievements, either from the fear of being accused of greenwashing, to maintain a certain corporate image, or appease stakeholders.
As the demand for sustainable products and practices continues to surge, the lines between authentic ecoproducts and marketing strategies blur. Unravelling them is crucial - not only for consumers trying to make informed choices - but also for holding businesses accountable for their environmental claims.
This article delves into Greenwashing and Greenhushing, exploring not only how both practices manipulate consumer perception and hinder true environmental progress, but how it is being tackled in New Zealand and what you, as a consumer and a business, can do about it.
When consumers are misled into believing a product or business is more environmentally friendly than it actually is, ultimately influencing their purchasing decisions – this is what’s commonly known as Greenwashing.
Some businesses may spend more resources on marketing their limited or non-existent sustainability efforts than on actually implementing them. Other businesses may highlight specific sustainable practices or products while hiding less sustainable practices that harm the environment.
A business might be acting cynically, knowing its products are not really eco-friendly, or it could be acting with good intentions but out of ignorance.
Both approaches mislead consumers and undermine genuine efforts towards environmental responsibility.
“Eco, biodegradable, green, planet conscious, earth-friendly – there’s no shortage of products on the
shelves
spouting environmental claims. In New Zealand, there are no specific rules preventing manufacturers from using vague green claims. Without clear rules, it's hard to know what's real and what's not.” Consumer NZ
New Zealand is lagging behind other countries when it comes to rules and regulations around “dodgy green claims”, says Consumer NZ. A recent EU Commission study found half of all green claims are misleading, unsubstantiated, or vague and that nearly half of all eco-labels in the EU had shaky or flawed verification processes.
Consumer NZ aims to bring New Zealand up to the same regulatory playing field as the EU, which has just approved a directive protecting shoppers from misleading environmental claims:
• In the EU, terms like ‘environmentally friendly’,‘biodegradable’ and ‘climate neutral’ will only be allowed to be used in advertising or on packaging if there’s the evidence to back up the claims.
• Businesses in the EU won’t be able to falsely claim that a product is climateneutral, has reduced climate impact or is climate positive because of emission offsetting schemes.
• Environmentally friendly labels will only be allowed in the EU if they are based on official certification schemes or set up by public authorities.
We need your help to call out Greenwashing.
Whether it's at the supermarket, in a store or online, we need you to send us examples of suspicious or questionable green claims so we can hold manufacturers to account.
Send us your examples of greenwashing with photos to playfair@consumer.org.nz
How to spot Greenwashing:
• It looks eco-friendly – brown packaging or images of nature – but is it?
• Sustainable claims but only single use - a rubbish bag may be constructed from 50% recycled plastic, but it can still only be used once and end up in landfill.
• Meaningless terms – such as green, natural, environmentally friendly, eco and sustainable are all terms that create the impression of great environmental performance but usually mean nothing. Even biodegradable – everything biodegrades eventually!
• Pointless ‘free from’ claims - your dishwasher detergent may boast it's 'phosphate-free’, but dishwasher detergents no longer contain phosphates, so the
Consumer NZ’s campaign, End Greenwashing Now, is calling for an independent investigation into Greenwashing claims and new regulations to tackle them.
Last year, Consumer NZ found a number of products on supermarket shelves with misleading or inaccurate sustainability claims. But Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer NZ’s Head of Research and Advocacy, says that unlike other countries we don’t know how big the issue really is.
“For a start, I think we want to know how bad the problem is, where the Greenwashing has taken place and in what industries, and what type of Greenwashing is happening - and then from there that would help provide a framework for legislative recommendations,” she says.
“The EU, the UK and Australia have all done ‘market sweeps’; studies across multiple industries to ascertain how extensive Greenwashing is. They found that around 40 to 50 per cent of sustainably focused or sustainably appearing products were Greenwashed.”
Gemma says that nothing of that kind has ever been done here, partly because of limited resourcing and partly because the government hasn’t seen it as a priority. While the Fair Trading Act protects consumers by prohibiting businesses from misleading or deceiving them, there’s complexity in applying the law because it’s fairly broad and open to interpretation.
Greenwashing creates an environment where consumers are left confused and unable to confidently identify truly sustainable options.
But the Commerce Commission (which is responsible for enforcing the Fair Trading Act), has released more extensive Environmental Claims Guidelines for businesses, which explicitly break down how to tell the truth, use plain language and be specific, when it comes to green marketing.
The problem is, many businesses are either unaware of, or simply disregard, existing guidelines on making environmental claims, and the consequences for Greenwashing in New Zealand are relatively weak, regardless of whether the practice is intentional, careless or due to lack of knowledge.
“The root of the problem is that for a consumer, if you're looking at two sustainable products on a shelf, one could be greenwashed or one could be a genuinely sustainable product where a company has taken all the right avenues to verify their claims and do the right thing. But that consumer would have no way of really knowing the difference,” says Gemma.
To find out more, go to consumer.org.nz/articles/ new-zealand-falls-further-behind-in-the-fight-againstgreenwashing
• Be truthful and accurate about the environmental impact of your products or services.
• Be specific - for example, if you claim your product is ‘recyclable’ but it can only be recycled in an industrial recycling machine and not in your home compost, then you need to say this.
• Substantiate your claims by making sure you can verify them with independent, easily accessible evidence.
• Use plain language – avoid jargon.
• Do not exaggerate. Be selective in the information you share and look at the whole picture, including the entire life-cycle of a product or service.
• Avoid misleading imagery such as pretty leaves or a green tick that may imply a product is better for the environment than it really is.
• Consider certification. Reputable third-party certifications such as Fairtrade, BioGro Organic or B Corp can give consumers confidence that a product or service meets certain criteria. Check out the main sustainability certifications used in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Set specific, measurable and verifiable sustainability goals.
• Check your supply chain. Are you inadvertently supporting poor practices through the businesses you buy from?
(Check out Docket, the Sustainable Business Network’s free online toolbox to help you assess the sustainability of your business and your suppliers.)
For more information go to consumer.org.nz or sustainable.org.nz
While consumers demand transparency and action over environmental issues, the fear of being labelled a Greenwasher has led to a new trend - Greenhushing. This label describes companies that, despite genuine efforts towards sustainability, choose to remain silent about them.
In its 2024 Destination Zero report, Carbon Finance Consultancy, South Pole, says this year's report reveals that, while many businesses are setting science-based net zero targets, a significant portion will not be publicising them. “The pendulum has swung so far that now even the greenest companies are green hushing,” says the report.
Out of 1400 ‘climate conscious’ global companies surveyed:
44% say external communication on climate targets has become more difficult in just the past year
58% are decreasing their communication as a result
18% do not plan to publicise their targets at all
BUT 93% still see the communication of their net zero strategy as being key to their commercial success
This growing reluctance to publicise science-aligned climate targets raises questions around why some businesses do not want to make their goals widely known.
“While environmental claims must be backed by robust data so as not to mislead stakeholders, it is equally important that climate leaders set a good example. Being unwilling to communicate climate action out of fear of attack provides climate laggards with the cover to continue stalling on making meaningful change. In our opinion, the level of scrutiny needs to strike the right balance. Companies taking genuine action should be confident to communicate their successes and their lessons learned. This encourages others to follow their lead.”
South Pole 2024 Destination Zero – the state of corporate climate action - southpole.com/publications/destination-net-zero-report)
Consumer NZ, the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) and Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand Inc (LCANZI) are seeking declarations from the High Court that Z Energy has breached the Fair Trading Act by misleading New Zealanders with its public messaging. This landmark case could set a precedent for holding companies accountable for their environmental messaging in New Zealand and potentially influence similar cases worldwide.
Allegations:
• Greenwashing: Z Energy portrays itself as taking significant action to reduce emissions and combat climate change, while still being the second largest emitter in New Zealand, responsible for over 10% of the country's emissions.
• Misleading statements: Specific claims like "getting out of the petrol business" and being "well on track" with emission reduction are challenged, highlighting a continued focus on fossil fuels alongside their renewable investments.
Z Energy's defence:
• They deny greenwashing, arguing their initiatives represent genuine efforts towards decarbonisation.
Z Energy point out the risk of Greenhushing, where companies such as themselves who are genuinely trying to disclose all their emissions, are discouraged from discussing their sustainability efforts due to fear of litigation.
As Z Energy CEO Lindis Jones says in a Newsroom article:
“I’ve been with this company for 13 years, and we have been extremely deliberate and proud of our reporting, our openness and transparency, and also our ambition.
“The predictable outcome here could be that companies like Z say less, do less and are less ambitious. That’s the last thing New Zealand needs.”
(To read the article, go to newsroom.co.nz/2024/01/26/greenhushing-not-greenwashing-z-energy-denies-court-claims)
+ 4,513 sqm warehouse
+ 510 sqm office
+ 793 sqm canopy
+ 590 sqm yard
+ 70 car parks
+ Fully fitted out office
Available October 2024
+ 3,142 sqm warehouse
+ 406 sqm office
+ 451 sqm canopy
+ 1,069 sqm yard
+ 15 car parks
+ Fully racked
Available April 2024
Your opportunity to join Highbrook, a world-class business park next to SH1 Auckland
Highbrook.co.nz
38C Highbrook Drive, Level 1
+ 204 sqm office
+ 10 car parks
Available now
86 Highbrook Drive, Unit B, D or combined
+ 227, 266 or 493 sqm office,
+ Car parks available
+ Existing fitout
4 Pukekiwiriki Place, Unit A
+ 902 sqm warehouse
+ 263 sqm office
+ 44 sqm canopy
+ 15 car parks
Available mid 2024
For more information or a viewing contact:
4 Pukekiwiriki Place, Unit B
+ 681 sqm warehouse
+ 203 sqm office
+ 42 sqm canopy
+ 15 car parks
Available mid 2024
4 Pukekiwiriki Place,
Units A and B
+ 1,583 sqm warehouse
+ 466 sqm office
+ 86 sqm canopy
+ 30 car parks
Available mid 2024
Robyn Barfoot
Portfolio Manager
021 428 446
Robyn.Barfoot@goodman.com
Thomas Papesch
Senior Property Manager
021 033 4267
Thomas.Papesch@goodman.com
“Emotional intelligence is estimated to account for nearly 90% of what sets high performance leaders apart from those with similar technical skills and knowledge.”
When your managers and leaders are at their best, their people, their teams and your organisation thrives. But when they aren’t, the organisation suffers through increased staff turnover, disengagement and reductions in output and productivity.
Megan Dawson of FLOW360® says people’s careers will grow with their technical expertise “but to go to the next level, you need to develop your people skills.”
Megan, the New Zealand Authorised Partner of DISC Flow New Zealand®, says FLOW360® is a capability-based feedback tool. It helps you to evaluate the behavioural competencies of your leaders at all levels and provides a personalised approach for developing emotionally intelligent leadership skills and improving job performance.
FLOW360® was developed in conjunction with industry to measure a leader’s critical competencies and growth opportunities, helping them to be more successful in the role. 360 feedback is a way of getting an accurate assessment your leaders behaviours as they go about their daily business, from the varying perspectives of those they work with.
A unique aspect of FLOW360® is the competency alignment measure where the ‘ratee’ and the upline manager can identify what they believe to be the most important competencies for role success. The resulting reports also identify the highest rated items and potential blind spots of the candidate, ultimately leading them to develop their own action plan based on all the chosen competencies measured.
1) Firstly, good internal communications are essential – this is what we want to do, this is why, this is what will happen afterwards.
2) Secondly, you or your organisation will choose eight to 12 behavioural competencies relating to your role. These could include emotional intelligence competencies such as Demonstrating Self-Awareness and Empathy and other more general leader capabilities such as Shaping a Vision, Advocating Diversity and Managing Remotely.
3) Emails with an explanation of rating guidelines will go out to the people who are going to be ‘rated’ and the ‘raters’.
4) Once these reports come back in, the results are shared with the employee, one-on-one.
5) Because it’s about growth, coaching is really important to help facilitate the change. It’s not enough to identify the gaps, it’s having the conversations about where you need to grow and develop. This coaching can be done in-house or by external suppliers.
Megan says it’s important that a business and its employees invest in the feedback. “There’s no point in getting people to complete the 360 then leave it on the shelf. It’s tool for on-going development with actions plans to be reviewed and discussed.
If you want to find out more about FLOW360® and whether it’s suitable for your business and employees go to www.discflow.co.nz or contact Megan Dawson on megan@discasiapacific.com or 021 709 901.
A successful partnership has been cooked up between food rescue organisation KiwiHarvest and popular dumpling manufacturer Leanne’s Kitchen.
Until recently, tens of kilos of leftover dough from the dumpling manufacturer had been going to landfill, and even though they were concerned about the wastage they had no idea what to do about it.
Leanne’s Kitchen directors Karren and Steve Turner knew there had to be a more sustainable way of using the leftovers, but as hardworking business owners they had little time or headspace to explore what options there were. It wasn’t until they mentioned the problem to Business East Tāmaki (BusET) that a solution was found.
BusET introduced them to KiwiHarvest, who now pick up the pastry leftovers on a weekly basis and distribute them directly to families or community organisations.
General Manager of Leanne’s Kitchen, Graeme Laurence, says throwing away 10 kgs a week of good quality and expensive dough had been bothering them. “So we’re really happy that KiwiHarvest can take it and pass it on to other people to eat.”
KiwiHarvest Account Manager Sam Beaumont says Leanne’s Kitchen stores the chilled pastry in crates provided by KiwiHarvest, until it’s ready to be picked up on a weekly basis. It’s then distributed either in small batches directly to families or to community agencies throughout Auckland, which transform the dough into other products such as pizza or steamed buns.
He says a lot of food waste occurs in food manufacturing. “It's sad that there's so much food waste happening out there. But unfortunately, the situation is that a lot of people just carry on with what they know. They haven't heard of solutions like us.
“It was a great introduction from Business East Tāmaki and it's a mutually beneficial solution.”
Congratulations to Leanne’s Kitchen, Winners of Excellence in Industry and Manufacturing, and KiwiHarvest, Winners of Excellence in Community Impact, The East Auckland Business Awards 2024. To find out more, go to pages 12 to 15.
• Based in East Tāmaki, it’s one of the largest manufacturers of frozen dumplings in New Zealand with 45% of market share.
• Employs up to 20 people.
• Everything made from scratch on the premises including the pastry dough, the spice mixes and the garlic oil.
• State of the art machinery, including a spiral freezer which has significantly increased their efficiency.
• Distributed to large supermarkets throughout New Zealand and expanding into Australia.
• Producing a vegan range.
• Looking to expand customer base and product range.
Do you have perfectly good food waste or cleaning product waste that you send to landfill?
KiwiHarvest may be able to help.
KiwiHarvest can take your food waste, and other products such as shampoo and cleaning products which may be thrown away due to faulty packaging.
Contact Kiwi Harvest on foodrescue@kiwiharvest.org.nz
To find out more about KiwiHarvest go to kiwiharvest.org.nz
Do you remember your first yoga class? Was it an uplifting experience, or did you feel out of place and kept checking the time? Regardless of how you felt in that first encounter, the essence of yoga is connecting you with where you are right now.
Yoga has been westernised and adapted to suit our culture. Still, with its growth in popularity, it has also been misrepresented and misunderstood. The yogis we see in the media don’t reflect its inclusivity, creating a perception that yoga is for the young and flexible. We then assume that yoga is not for us if we don’t look like that. I’ve often heard “I’m not flexible enough for yoga”. Saying you’re not flexible enough for yoga is like saying you’re too dirty to bath. Yoga is for every BODY, no matter your shape, size or age. Yoga aims to encourage self-connection, find peace of mind and respect all life. It's a pathway for building a foundation to flourish in both your personal life and career.
Beyond the physical perks like increased flexibility, improved strength and balance, the true gift of yoga is the shift that happens with mental transformation. If you have been to a yoga class, you will recall how calm, focused, and peaceful you felt afterwards. You might have felt that you could concentrate better, felt more connected and even slept better.
Yoga goes beyond simple stretching by connecting the mind, body and breath. This union requires focus and mindfulness, which diffuses the energy from the busy, stressed mind into the body. As you bend, stretch and twist, this awareness reconnects you with your body and pacifies your mind. Integration with the breath, directly works on all your systems, in particular your nervous system, creating steadiness. Breath is an indicator of your mental state - fast and shallow when you are stressed, slower and deeper when you are relaxed. Slowing down and focusing on the breath, transforms you to a calmer state by eliciting the relaxation response in the body. Being able to soothe your nervous system teaches you how to manage stress more effectively.
"Yoga is more than just a physical exercise but a path to rediscover your potential and enhance your health on every level. "
About Rahle Dusheiko:
Rahle is a dedicated wellbeing guide and yoga instructor, and the founder of Bija. She helps busy professionals empower their business by improving their health so they can thrive in life and at work. Dive deeper into your wellness journey—subscribe to her newsletter for exclusive insights. Discover more at bija.co.nz
Location: Level 2 RSM House, 62 Highbrook Drive, Highbrook
Time: Tuesdays, 12.15pm – 1.15pm
Cost: $15 per class (Electronic transfer and prepay options available)
Bring: Your mat, comfortable clothes, a keen interest in your wellbeing!
Contact: rahle@bija.co.nz
• Improve your flexibility and strength,
• Release tension and illicit your relaxation response,
• Improved concentration and ability to overcome daily stress,
• Cultivate resilience and a positive outlook.
Whether we’re taking the dog for a walk or navigating rush hour traffic, podcasts have become the soundtrack to our modern lives.
But with the sheer volume of options out there, how do you find the perfect show to match your mood and moment?
Here we delve into a selection of recommended podcasts that will make you laugh, enrich your downtime (hopefully!) and keep you company when you’re on the go.
So have a read, make your choice, and tune in to Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Steven Holloway and Seamus Marten
Between Two Beers mixes light-hearted anecdotes and stories with deep dives into the guests' most revealing moments.
From Kiwi legend Marc Ellis, media personalities Jeremy Wells and Paddy Gower to rugby coach extraordinaire Wayne Smith, sexologist Morgan Penn and Dame Lisa Carrington, the guests on this podcast tell their stories about career highs, lows and moments of raw vulnerability. It’s funny too!
Turn your down time into ‘do time’ and learn a language in these podcast-style lessons. The Coffee Break Language series teaches 10 languages including Gaelic, Swedish and Portuguese! The lessons have a casual feel and offer lots of explanations, building on each other nicely. Recommended if you’re going on a trip to Europe and need to brush up on your coffee ordering skills!
Hosted by Elizabeth Day
This highly recommended podcast celebrates the things in life that haven't gone right and what we might learn from them along the way.
Stories of tenacity, courage, and growth are recurring themes on this UK-based podcast, with an impressive guest-list. The conversations are open, honest, educational, often very funny and you’ll feel inspired and motivated.
Stand-out episodes include the conversation with Dan Carter and both laugh-out loud funny episodes with Phoebe-Waller Bridge (of Fleabag fame).
Hosted by Frances Cook
This award-winning podcast is aimed at ordinary people seeking information about a range of financial issues. Each week, the New Zealand Herald and BusinessDesk's Cooking the Books tackles a different money problem.
Podcasts have included: How to make money from your spare room; How to move from side hustler to business owner; How to watch your pennies in 2024; Tips to smash your mortgage faster. Really useful and in plain-speak – no jargon!
Hosted by Ryan Wolf
Investigating some of New Zealand's most enduring unsolved criminal cases, this award-winning podcast will keep you at the edge of your seat. It features interviews with engaging witnesses and new developments in cold cases. Described by IMDb as “intense, emotional, and filled with mystery, leaving you craving what's next”.
Hosted by Lauren Laverne
This UK-based radio and now podcast series is an oldie but a goody! The eclectic mix of guests have to choose eight tracks, a book and a luxury to take to a desert island. Recent guests have included the likes of film director Sir Steven Spielberg, model Kate Moss, singer Adele, Bradley Walsh (The Chase), author Richard Osman, footballer David Beckham and rugby player Kevin Sinfield.
Roberts Road is being
scheduled to open in March and will
The project team is working with the local community and Auckland Council to redesign the playground in Tī Rākau Park.
A mana whenua artist is incorporating mahi toi / cultural art, and an unused area of the park will be transformed into a vibrant youth space complete with seating and a 3-on-3 basketball court.
The existing playground will be dismantled and donated to GreensceneNZ, a local landscape design company partnering with Saint Kentigern College in Pakūranga. Together, they refurbish and install playgrounds in schools and communities across the Bay of Plenty, Eastern Cape and the Pacific Islands.
Some adjustments to your travel routes are inevitable as new connections, including the Eastern Busway, take shape in East Auckland.
Changes to routes will be clearly marked along Tī Rākau Drive, William Roberts Road, Palm Avenue, and other streets between Pakūranga and Botany. The team appreciates your patience, urges you to take extra care when passing through the project area and thanks you for your ongoing support in developing a connected and accessible future for East Auckland.
With lots of work happening, it’s important to stay up to date so you can plan for change. Keep an eye on the work that’s in progress and detours by checking the construction page of the Eastern Busway website easternbusway.nz/construction.
Thank you for your patience while the Eastern Busway is built. The project team appreciates your understanding and your interest in the work that’s underway.
Highbrook Crossing will be packed full of fun events and prizes – like Beat the Bar Challenge with ZM and Hook a Lucky Duck with Radio Hauraki. You can win a Mother’s Day weekend with Quest and Fisherhouse, Easter egg packs, Kagura vouchers, and we have three food trucks coming to visit. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
MARCH
MAR 14
MAR 18
MAR 20
APRIL
APR 3
APR 17
APR 24
APR 29
MAY
MAY 8 MAY 16
Thursday 14 March
Olas Arepas food truck
Monday 18 March
Easter egg hunt starts on Facebook and Instagram
Wednesday 20 March
Beat The Bar Challenge with ZM at Highbrook Crossing
Wednesday 3 April
Kagura competition starts on Facebook and Instagram
Wednesday 17 April
Loco Bros food truck
Wednesday 24 April
Learn about the Magic of Bees with the Bee Lady at Johnson Corner
Monday 29 April
Mother’s Day Highbrook Holiday competition starts on Facebook and Instagram
Wednesday 8 May
Hook a Lucky Duck with Radio Hauraki at Highbrook Crossing
Thursday 16 May
Akemi’s Gyoza food truck
See you at Highbrook Crossing! *Events
Visit highbrook.co.nz for details
Highbrook Crossing, 60 Highbrook Drive