Bay of Plenty Business News Year Book 2023

BUILDING A
BETTER FUTURE
through sustainable business practices
FOR MANY
GENERATIONS,
BUSINESSES HAVE
focused purely on
economic performance,
on producing goods
and services for their
clients with a view to making profit
for the shareholders. We have seen
huge increases in productivity with the
help from technology, with little or no
regard for the social and environmental
impacts. Thankfully we are starting to
see a lot more businesses considering
these impacts in their planning and new
businesses starting up with sustainability
as a core value.
Delivering fully on the promise of a more
sustainable and prosperous future for all
requires the right policies and incentives,
effective tools and, most importantly
a collaborative effort to enable the
transformation of business practices
towards sustainability, achieving
economic success while supporting the
environment and the local community.
The Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce
supports member businesses through
training, advocacy, and networking
opportunities where members can
create connections to help them in their
journey towards a more sustainable
business model. General Manager
Andrew Watson says that “Chambers
facilitate the exchange of knowledge
and best practices among member
ANDREW WATSON, GENERAL
MANAGER, EASTERN BAY
OF PLENTY CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE
businesses. They organise networking
events, forums, and conferences where
sustainable businesses can share their
experiences, success stories, and
challenges. By connecting sustainable
businesses, chambers foster a
community that encourages learning and
collaboration.”
Watson goes on to say “It’s often
been said that one person’s trash is
another’s treasure. There are so many
opportunities to work with other
businesses, to create an environment
where everyone can benefit through
better management of resources. I’ve
heard of businesses paying to dispose
of production waste, then another
business down the road paying to buy it
back as an input to their manufacturing
processes. Wouldn’t it be great if they
could come to an arrangement that
benefitted both?”
Social is the third aspect of sustainability
that we need to address. Resourcing
locally helps the whole community. It
supports other small businesses in the
community and by employing locally,
provides an income for a local family.
Businesses should assess their impact on
the communities in which they operate
and seek to contribute positively to
society. This includes treating employees
fairly, providing safe and healthy
working conditions, supporting diversity
and inclusion, respecting human rights,
and engaging in philanthropic activities
that address social issues.
To find out more about how the Eastern
Bay Chamber of Commerce can support
your business in planning for a more
sustainable future, and contribute to
the economic, social and environmental
welfare of our community, give us
a call on 07 219 3827, email info@
ebopchamber.co.nz, or visit our website
www.ebopchamber.co.nz.
07 219 3827
WWW.EBOPCHAMBER.CO.NZ
42 | YEAR BOOK 2023