Biosecurity Business Pledge gathers momentum

Signatories to the pledge

Will you commit to playing your part?

By Anna Rathé : Biosecurity Manager, HortNZ

The Biosecurity Business Pledge is a partnership that aims to help all New Zealand businesses take a proactive approach to their biosecurity practices. The pledge was launched in October 2019 and has continued to gain momentum – there are now more than 80 businesses who have signed up and publicly demonstrate their commitment to biosecurity. Companies taking part range from ports and airports to primary producers, distributors, freight companies, research organisations and more. It’s great to see so many diverse businesses taking biosecurity seriously and implementing steps that ultimately protect growers and farmers from biosecurity risks.

The pledge was developed by industry organisations in partnership with Biosecurity New Zealand to provide a framework for managing the risk of unwanted pests and diseases (plant or animal) disrupting individual businesses or even whole sectors. This framework for action makes biosecurity a core part of operational activity and assists businesses to meet their corporate and social responsibilities. Businesses commit to being an active part of New Zealand's biosecurity team of all New Zealanders by integrating proactive biosecurity practices into their operations and supply chains. Taking a proactive approach to biosecurity is not only good for an individual business or sector but helps protect our economy, unique natural environment and our way of life. When a business signs up to the pledge they are committing to: • actively seek to understand and manage the biosecurity considerations associated with their business activities; • promote a culture of proactive biosecurity management within their operations, across their business, around their board tables, and across their teams;

• incorporate biosecurity into their procurement policies that guide the selection of goods, travel, logistics, and service providers; • take opportunities to support their customers, staff, suppliers and stakeholders to understand the importance of biosecurity and what good biosecurity practice looks like; • approach biosecurity with the view that it is everyone's responsibility, that risk is best managed offshore, and that it will actively engage with Biosecurity New Zealand to support better biosecurity outcomes for New Zealand.

there are now more than 80 businesses who have signed up and publicly demonstrate their commitment to biosecurity

Any business can sign up to the pledge, including horticultural operations. Joining the pledge demonstrates that your business is committed to protecting our industry from biosecurity threats. Becoming a participating business also provides you with access to members forums and online seminars where senior members of the Biosecurity New Zealand team share the latest insights in the preborder, border and post-border working environment. Sign up to the pledge and play a part in protecting your assets, your industry, and New Zealand’s natural environment, lifestyle and livelihoods.

The Pledge We are committed to playing our part in the efforts to prevent pests and diseases from getting into New Zealand or helping to stop their spread if they do get here. Our pledge is to be an active part of New Zealand’s biosecurity team of all New Zealanders by integrating proactive biosecurity practices into our operations and supply chains.

Why take the Pledge • Taking a proactive approach to biosecurity management will help protect New Zealand’s unique natural environment, the New Zealand way of life and our economy for future generations. • It will enable more proactive biosecurity risk management to avoid unnecessary costs and disruptions for New Zealand businesses. • A proactive approach to biosecurity is good business risk management. It is also part of caring for the communities we live and work in.

www.ThisIsUs.nz/ biosecuritybusinesspledge