How well are NZ companies reporting their climate impacts?
(Left)Sarah Walton, Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Otago (Right)Andrea Foley, Assistant research fellow, University of Otago Interpreting corporate reports on carbon emissions can be challenging. The current, adhoc approach to how businesses share this information makes it difficult to see whether they have set the right targets, have realistic […]
Feeding the Machine
From: September issue of NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz The Hidden Human Labour Powering A.I. Callum Cant, James Muldoon, Mark Graham For readers of Naomi Klein and Nicole Perlroth, a myth-dissolving exposé of how artificial intelligence exploits human labour, and a resounding argument for a more equitable digital future. Silicon Valley has […]
Reducing manufacturing emissions
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister of Manufacturing Manufacturing is a significant sector for New Zealand. It employs 230,000 people and accounts for nearly 10 per cent of GDP and 60 per cent of exports. I often describe it as a “sleeping giant” for New Zealand’s economy, because its significance is […]
Nature is in the business news
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz With good reason. In the next few years, New Zealand manufacturers can expect to be called on to answer these two questions. How is your business reducing your impacts on nature? How will changes to nature affect your business? Who’ll be asking these questions? […]
NZ Wool Industry to benefit from multi-million dollar marketing investment
-Mark Devlin New Zealand’s rural sector is set to benefit from a multi-million dollar marketing investment by one of the country’s largest wool carpet manufacturers, designed to address misconceptions about the natural fibre and grow exports. New Zealand is the world’s third largest producer of wool, accounting for 9% of […]
The Interview: Sam Cotter-Dephoff, Scale Studios, Wellington
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz How are you finding current business conditions? It’s been an interesting year. We have been fortunate enough to have been working on our largest project to date for the majority of the year (delivered at the start of July) which has meant that we […]
Digital Factory Accelerator: Driving Northern Ireland’s Manufacturing into the Future
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz -Adam Sharman, Senior Partner, Dsifer As New Zealand’s manufacturing industry continues to evolve in the face of global challenges, it’s crucial to look beyond our shores for inspiration and insights. In this article, we review the approach taken in Northern Ireland, where a pioneering […]
Digital Capability – A Critical Lever for Success
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz David O’Connor, Commercial Manager, The Learning Wave One of the greatest challenges for any organisation is the cost and effort of onboarding a new employee . This is further amplified in a tight job market where you may need to recruit individuals who do […]
Coming full circle
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz By EMA Head of Manufacturing Jane Finlayson Global demand for sustainable goods is increasing, and among New Zealand manufacturers there’s an urgent need to innovate to remain competitive. From SMEs up to huge multinationals, ‘business as usual’ won’t be enough to meet the sustainability […]
It’s all about the people!
From: August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Ian Walsh, Partner, Argon & Co Last month, I wrote an article on productivity (Productivity – The Only Game in Town) and I received a few questions and comments relating to the skills gaps we have in New Zealand. I’d really encourage you to […]
Oasis Engineering – energy and fuel transfer specialist to the world
From August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Export award winning, Tauranga based Oasis Engineering continues to expand its international market as a specialist manufacturer delivering world leading solutions to those pushing the boundaries of energy and fluid transfer for the benefit of humanity and the environment. The company originally began as […]
‘We haven’t the money, so we’ve got to think”
EDITORIAL: From August issue NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz These words were spoken by Lord Sir Ernest Rutherford, Nobel Laureate. Since he spoke them, some inspiring products have been made. These include The Martin JetPack, The Yike Bike, The Springfree Trampoline, Woollen Shoes, The Pavlova, Richars Pearse’s Flying Machine, Hamilton Jet, The […]
Ten tips to make your business case for sustainability stack up
This information is based on a guide we wrote with the Sustainable Business Council and Kaitiaki Collective. It’s a situation we know many manufacturers face. You want to make your business more sustainable. (Bravo!) You can see the many benefits of manufacturing products that reuse resources, avoid modern slavery and create fewer environmental impacts. But – here’s the kicker – you’re struggling to get the business case for making these changes ‘over the line’ with your accountant or finance team. These ten tips will help you. Tip 1. See becoming more sustainable as an investment Sustainable businesses are excellent businesses. They create value in the short and long terms – economically, environmentally and socially. Treat your sustainability programme as an investment and manage it as one. Tip 2. Identify your stakeholders Consider the many people who have a ‘stake’ in your business succeeding sustainably. You will naturally think of your investors, customers, suppliers, team, local community and regulators. Think longer term and wider too. Include the environment and people who will live many years in the future. Tip 3. Confirm where to focus with a materiality assessment Your business case needs to reflect the views of all these stakeholders and your business too. Start with a ‘materiality assessment’. It’s a practical way, using interviews and surveys, to home in on the sustainability activities that your stakeholders and business care about and to prioritise the ones that matter most. A materiality assessment takes a broad view of sustainability and covers environmental, social and economic topics. Include your top priority topics in your business case. Tip 4. Understand who you need to convince Who do you need to influence to get your business case over the line? What are they interested in? What are they concerned about? Who else has their ear? […]