Entry numbers double in unique business awards

Entries in the Environment Bay of Plenty Sustainable Business Challenge have more than doubled following a radical revamp of the awards structure.

The awards, which benchmark and assess business performance in economic, environmental and social terms, have attracted over 40 entries this year.

“It’s great to see the growth in entries and the enthusiastic response from the business community at a time when business awards are often seen as overdone” says Calum Revfem, manager of the Bay of Plenty Sustainable Business Network (SBN).

The awards benchmark and compare sustainable business performance based on the stage a business is at, rather than having categories based on the size of the business. A key feature of the awards is the focus on ongoing improvements with each entrant receiving a sustainability report and a recommendation on areas to work on in the following 12 months.

SBN made several changes to the awards including having no entry fee and a free independent assessor to carry out an on-site interview and prepare a business’ entry form. “We had to make it simple for businesses to enter and worth their investment in time and effort.”

Ten Bay of Plenty business cluster groups have entered the sustainable economic development category and there are five entries in the sustainability innovation category.

Even the judging is sustainable according to SBN with a paperless process and the use of fuel efficient hybrid vehicles to undertake site visits. The judging panel comprises eight of New Zealand’s leading sustainable business practitioners and experts including Export New Zealand Chairman Murray Davies and Phoenix Organics founder Chris Morrison.

The awards will be presented at a black tie gala dinner on May 27 at Kiwi 360. Well known business commentator Rod Oram is the key note speaker.

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