Three Bay of Plenty businesses have scored commendations in this year's Sustainable Business Network (SBN) Awards, announced on Thursday night in Auckland.
Good Neighbour Aotearoa Trust of Tauranga, Rotorua-based Scion, and Fulton Hogan / Tauranga Airport Authority, were all commended for their commitment to sustainable practices.
Air New Zealand was named the overall winner. SBN chief executive Rachel Brown said there had been a significant upswing in the number of businesses taking a systematically sustainable approach.
Good Neighbour Aotearoa Trust was commended in the Community Impact category. Good Neighbour provides practical opportunities for people to support one another so that lives and neighbourhoods are transformed.
At least 200 volunteers have contributed an estimated 7500 hours to their community over the last year. Three hundred cubic metres of firewood and thousands of bags of recycled kindling have been distributed to families in need. Some 90-plus neighbourhood projects have been completed, and 180 tonnes of food diverted from landfill, with an estimated value of $1.26 million. A core philosophy behind Good Neighbour is a desire to facilitate a community to help itself.
Trust manager Campbell Hill said the organisation was very proud to have received recognition through the award.
"It's largely due to such a good, hardworking bunch of our staff and volunteers. We're all energetic and passionate and we love to do what we can for the community to make Tauranga a better place."