Leadership in Sustainability

Supporting members to be ambitious on sustainability and encouraging other businesses to go further.

Pushing the ceiling

SBC inspires businesses to push the ceiling of sustainability in Aotearoa New Zealand by creating a community of positive change, supporting members to go further, and celebrating their leadership and success. We are a catalyst for change, supporting members to align strategy with shared value creation for society. Our members lift the level of ambition for sustainable business practice in New Zealand and inspire more businesses to take action.

As New Zealand’s partner to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), we showcase member leadership on sustainability on the international stage, as well as highlight global trends and best practice for our members to learn from.

Raising the floor

In an effort to raise the floor of sustainability in Aotearoa New Zealand, SBC empowers members to embed sustainability fundamentals within their organisations and accelerate their sustainability journey and maturity. Part of this is ensuring we support members to meet our member requirements through guides, resources, training, peer-to-peer learning and more.

By connecting with members at various stages on their sustainability journey, SBC has the fortunate position of being able to see the evolution of progress from sustainability strategy and materiality through to implementation and reporting. In partnership with members who are further along on their sustainability journey, we offer members who are earlier on in their journey the fundamentals of sustainability in place and accelerate their journey by learning from the insights of others.

Upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi is an integral part of being a New Zealand business. We recognise we have much to learn from Māori knowledge, mātauranga, and a holistic approach to the guardianship of people and nature. We also have the opportunity to work in partnership with Māori and iwi business.

Work programme

Training and development

Raising the floor of sustainability through training, development, and knowledge sharing opportunities

Communities of practice

Bringing members together to tackle shared challenges, such as sustainability during a recession

Research and insights

Working with members to deliver key pieces of annual sustainability research and insights

Insights from the top

Uncovering learnings from member CEOs around a number of complex sustainability challenges. 

Member performance

Setting member commitments and monitoring member sustainability performance and reporting.

CLC Mentoring Programme

Peer-to-peer mentoring programme to help CLC signatories advance their climate action.

Sustainability Toolkit

SBC supports members in meeting our requirements through case studies, templates, guides and more – this includes resources we’ve created, as well as resources created by other members that they’re willing to share. Do you have templates and tools that could support other members? Share them with [email protected].

Just Transitions – Policy Quarterly, Victoria University

Just Transitions – Policy Quarterly, Victoria University

Policy Quarterly (PQ) is targeted at readers in the public sector, including politicians and their staff, public ...
Accelerating action for a just transition

Accelerating action for a just transition

A just transition ensures that environmentally sustainable economies are promoted in a way that is as fair and ...
Just Transition: A Business Guide

Just Transition: A Business Guide

The shift toward a net-zero world will bring economy-wide transformation on a scale we’ve never seen. This ...
SBC Guide: Adapting to climate change (including disclosures)

SBC Guide: Adapting to climate change (including disclosures)

Climate change poses operational and financial risks. For example, extreme weather events like floods may disrupt ...
Future-Fit Business Benchmark

Future-Fit Business Benchmark

Systems science tells us how our economy must be transformed if we are to meet everyone's needs and live in ...
SBC Guide: Sustainability strategy and plans

SBC Guide: Sustainability strategy and plans

Businesses need a strategy to be successful – and the same goes for sustainability efforts. Having a ...

Our partners

SBC works in partnership with a number of likeminded organisations to shift the dial on sustainability.

Jay Crangle champions businesses to be at the forefront of environmental and social sustainability by bringing them together to deliver results that no single company could achieve alone.

[email protected]

Jay Crangle

Head of ESG

Pages and resources

2024 Better Futures: 3 opportunities for business to harness 

2024 Better Futures: 3 opportunities for business to harness 

Jay Crangle, Head of ESG  On 22 March, Kantar and SBC launched the 15th edition of the Better Futures ...
Better Futures 2024 Report

Better Futures 2024 Report

The Better Futures 2024 report – now in its 15th year – which surveyed 1,000 New Zealanders, found perceived ...
Sustainability Leadership Programme: Thoughts from Nicole Schlichting

Sustainability Leadership Programme: Thoughts from Nicole Schlichting

Nicole Schlichting, Senior Communications Advisor at SBC, participated in the 2023 Sustainability Leadership ...
SBC partners with MoT to deliver feasibility study focused on decarbonising heavy freight  

SBC partners with MoT to deliver feasibility study focused on decarbonising heavy freight  

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) has partnered with Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport (MoT) to deliver a ...
Lack of capability training remains a significant barrier for sustainability professionals

Lack of capability training remains a significant barrier for sustainability professionals

New research into New Zealand’s sustainability profession has found most sustainability professionals are ...
Better Futures 2023 Report

Better Futures 2023 Report

Kantar’s 2023 Better Futures Report, produced in conjunction with the Sustainable Business Council, surveyed 1,000 ...
Cost of living #1 concern for Kiwis – concern about climate remains stable but commitment to living sustainably drops

Cost of living #1 concern for Kiwis – concern about climate remains stable but commitment to living sustainably drops

New research confirms the rising cost of living is putting increasing pressure on New Zealanders, with commitment ...
2023 Insights on New Zealand Sustainability Professionals survey launches

2023 Insights on New Zealand Sustainability Professionals survey launches

Oxygen Consulting, in partnership with Auckland University of Technology (AUT), the Sustainable Business Council ...
Sustainability Leadership Programme Taster

Sustainability Leadership Programme Taster

Are you passionate about sustainability, but don’t yet feel like you have the knowledge or toolkit to push the ...
2022 CFO Sustainability Snapshot Survey

2022 CFO Sustainability Snapshot Survey

Deloitte, the Sustainable Business Council and Toitū Tahua: Centre for Sustainable Finance have today released the ...