Building the Capability of New Zealand Firms
49. The place to start with helping firms respond to emerging market opportunities, therefore, is with existing business capability programmes which have the potential to be enhanced.
50. The "Get Sustainable Challenge" programme, run by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), is a successful programme that could double its membership with additional support in the short term. This would provide more firms, particularly SME's, with hands-on support and help to lift the profile of sustainable businesses in New Zealand. The SBN model complements the sustainable households' approach of encouraging and supporting regional and local communities and is attracting considerable interest in government and business circles overseas.
51. NZTE's "Better by Design" programme could also be enhanced. Up to 70 per cent of a product's environmental impact can be determined during the design stage. MfE and Better by Design have recently agreed to work in partnership to explore opportunities to design sustainable products and services for export. This programme will be started immediately.
52. NZTE also has an important role in assisting businesses to consider sustainability as a global opportunity. Opportunities exist to integrate sustainability more effectively into a range of NZTE programmes and activities aimed at improving firm capability and awareness. These may include additional modules as part of the Exporter Education business assistance training, sustainability as a theme at a New Thinking breakfast, articles in NZTE's "Bright" magazine and information on NZTE's web portals.
53. Sustainability requires an integrated response from government. NZTE has a key role to play in working with other government agencies and environmental organisations to understand the market application of sustainability initiatives provided by other agencies, e.g. Landcare's carboNZero programme, what in-market promotion is required to educate key influencers (this is already occurring in the United Kingdom around food miles) and how to best to leverage the competitive advantage from such schemes.
54. In addition, there are opportunities to integrate sustainability into specific initiatives such as those in relation to food and beverage and manufacturing. Sustainability is a core value in the government's response to the food and beverage taskforce and in the development of initiatives to realise the sector's full commercial potential. Options for the food and beverage sector could be included in the review report that will be provided to the Minister of Industry and Regional Development later in the year.
55. Officials recommend that a comprehensive review of sustainable capability programmes be undertaken in conjunction with service providers and private sector representatives. This would include, but not be limited to, developing options for integrating sustainability into existing business capability programmes and further development and co-ordination of existing sustainable business programmes.
Back to Top