Thriving People

There is an increasingly urgent need to embed social sustainability within Aotearoa New Zealand’s workplaces, communities and wider society – and business has an important role to play.

Our vision

The best businesses are good for people, the planet, and prosperity. This requires businesses to support the well-being of their employees and to positively impact their communities and broader society.

Systemic inequality, modern slavery, cost of living, mental wellbeing. We’re living through a time where the veil is being lifted on many of these longstanding societal issues. These challenges are compounded by our transition towards a zero-carbon economy and the impacts of climate change which will necessitate further change and adaptation.

We support members to understand the social and economic changes underway in society, particularly as they relate to decarbonising the economy and the impacts of climate change. We encourage members to prioritise a focus on a just transition to a zero-carbon and climate-resilient future.

We encourage members to prioritise a focus on a just transition to a zero-carbon and climate-resilient future.

We also provide members access to insight into the latest thinking with respect to social sustainability, and a platform for collaborative action, to enable them to positively contribute to a better New Zealand.

Our core activities

Capability building on social sustainability frameworks and a just transition
Direct member engagement on emerging issues, trends and frameworks (e.g. WBCSD’s action agenda on inequality, cost of living)
Thought leadership on emerging issues in social sustainability and a just transition
Collaborations and partnerships to drive collective action on relevant social sustainability issues.

Work programme



Future of Work

Building adaptive skills, workforces and ways of working to support Just Transitions to Net Zero. Learn about SBC’s Future Skills ecosystem here.



Strengthening the 'S' in ESG

SBC commissioned a report to look into why the ‘S’ in ESG is lagging and how it can be strengthened.



Thriving People, Thriving Voices

Bringing the focus to critical social sustainability issues and emerging trends. Learn more here.

Completed areas of work

Lifting the living standards of Aotearoa (3 part series)
Moving Beyond Diversity – Creating Workplaces of Belonging. SBC members are integrating ways of working that support greater diversity and inclusion within their businesses and reporting progress transparently
Social Impact – SBC members are collectively increasing and measuring their positive impact on the communities in which they work

Robert has over 20 years’ experience providing strategic leadership on critical sustainability issues and solutions in business, consultancy and public sector organisations in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

021477510
[email protected]

Robert Perry

Manager, Thriving People