Exporters are not being asked for their sustainability commitments. They are being asked to prove them.

Across global markets, sustainability is becoming a condition of doing business. Not because it is the “right thing to do” (although it is), but because regulators, retailers and procurement teams are building sustainability into the rules of trade.

Eloise Joiner, Sustainability Lead at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), shared with thinkstep-anz team at our recent team days what NZTE is hearing directly from exporters and what this means for New Zealand businesses trying to grow internationally.

Her talk was a timely reminder that while the sustainability conversation may feel noisy, complex and sometimes uncertain at home, the international direction is clear.

Here are our takeaways

1. Regulation is moving fast and it is not just climate

Eloise highlighted that around 70% of New Zealand exports go to countries with mandatory climate disclosures either proposed or enforced.

But climate is only one part of the picture.

Exporters are also navigating requirements related to modern slavery, packaging, end-of-life responsibility and product design. For many companies, the challenge is not a single regulation. It is the growing number of overlapping requirements across multiple markets.

The result is a system that is often fragmented and hard to interpret, particularly for businesses exporting to more than one region. \

2. The EU is setting the pace and everyone else is watching

Eloise made it clear that Europe is setting the direction on sustainability requirements, and exporters will increasingly need to respond. Read more about the Europe’s sustainability demands on NZTE’s website.

The challenge is not just the volume of regulation. It is the complexity, fragmentation and ambiguity, especially for companies selling into multiple markets.

New Zealand’s domestic policy signals may not match what exporters face internationally. Despite any changes New Zealand may make to it climate commitments, overseas requirements are continuing to move forward.

A practical example of this is the EU’s packaging and packaging waste regulation. Eloise shared that exporters are already needing to rethink packaging decisions, and in some cases even product design, to meet emerging requirements.

The takeaway: EU regulation is not a future issue. It is already shaping what exporters can sell, how they package it and how they prove compliance.

3. Sustainability is now a procurement requirement

Eloise spoke about the growing influence of sustainability requirements from retailers and food service companies. In many sales meetings there is now a conversation on ESG requirements.

This includes the rapid expansion of science-based targets, not only in Europe but also in Asia.

A key point was urgency. Many retailer and food service commitments run to 2030. As we get closer, procurement processes are becoming more sophisticated, with sustainability increasingly influencing which suppliers are approved, which contracts are renewed and which businesses miss out.

4. “Food miles” is still a reputational challenge

NZTE’s research surveying buyers and ESG leads at UK grocery companies reinforced something many exporters already know: perceptions matter.

In the UK, sustainability leaders and buyers still flagged logistics and freight impacts as a barrier, even in business-to-business settings.

This is significant for exporters, because “food miles” is often treated as a shortcut for sustainability, even when lifecycle evidence may tell a more nuanced story.

The takeaway is not that exporters should ignore this. It is that exporters need to be ready to address it with credible data and clear messaging.

5. Exporters are being asked for proof, not promises

One of the most practical insights from Eloise’s talk was what international buyers want more of.

Across the UK research, buyers highlighted the importance of:

• traceability
• proof points
• credible sustainability communication
• data and verification

This aligns with what we see across our own work: sustainability is moving from narrative to evidence.

6. Resource constraints are the reality for most exporters

A theme that came through strongly was resourcing. Many exporters do not have dedicated sustainability staff. Eloise shared examples where sustainability requirements are being handled by sales managers simply because they are the ones accountable for that market.

NZTE also sees wide variation in maturity. Some companies are leading and shaping best practice, while others are looking for support to get started on communicating their sustainability credentials.

This reinforces the importance of practical support that meets businesses where they are, and capability building that is designed for small teams with limited time.

7. Digital product passports are coming, and exporters are unsure where to start

Eloise also noted increasing questions about digital product passports in the EU, and the uncertainty exporters feel about how to prepare.

This is a good example of where regulation has been signalled but implementation pathways are still unclear.

It also points to a broader need for sector-wide and national coordination, rather than leaving each business to solve the problem alone.

What this means for thinkstep-anz and the exporters we support

Eloise’s talk reinforced something we believe strongly at thinkstep-anz: Exporters need practical ways to prepare.

They need:

• credible data that can stand up to scrutiny
• clear understanding of international requirements
• supply chain visibility and traceability
• strategies that align sustainability with commercial success
• communications that are accurate, evidence-based and tailored to each market

This is where our work supports exporters.

thinkstep-anz works with organisations to build sustainability capability in a way that is science-based, practical and aligned with the realities of international trade.

*We are grateful to Eloise for sharing NZTE’s perspective, and for the work NZTE is doing to help exporters navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Because sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” in global markets. It is becoming the price of entry.

www.thinkstep-anz.com