David Pearce from Grove Mill vineyard in Malborough talks about the benefits of being carbon neutral.

We depend on the environment and the magnificent natural resources of our country. It’s not surprising, therefore, that concern for our environment has always been fundamental to our approach. We have had a sustainability policy in place since 2001 which requires us to take into account the social, financial and environmental impacts on our communities, our country and our planet when making decisions. The policy was recently updated with more detail and specific responsibilities and actions for each area of the business.

Putting that policy into practice requires actions, not words. During the year we became New Zealand’s first and only certified supplier of carbon neutral electricity, offering a real choice to New Zealanders wanting to do something about climate change. As part of this, we continued to seek ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our day to day business activities.

We are working with our suppliers to help and encourage them to introduce sustainable practices into their own business. We are demonstrating our commitment to sustainability by incorporating leading edge energy efficiency features in our new Wellington office building.