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 society.
In October 2023, we launched our flagship report ‘Thriving People – Strengthening the ‘S’ in ESG’, which showed the New Zealand business community has an exciting role to play in progressing social impact and equity. From this report, our current priorities are:
- Human Rights in the Supply Chain – empowering businesses to take a leadership position on human rights.
- The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) – a global movement helping businesses build the skills and mindset needed to drive sustainable transformation.
Work programme
Setting ambition
Transforming mindsets through the introduction of the Inner Development Goals to Aotearoa New Zealand
Evidence and research
Working with Kantar on Better Futures Thrive, Aotearoa New Zealand’s only consumer insights report on social sustainability issues
Collective action
Partnering with Deloitte and Walk Free to co-host peer-to-peer network Collaborative Advantage
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.
Pages and resources

Making sense of mental wellbeing at work – thoughts from Robert Perry

2023 Insights on New Zealand Sustainability Professionals survey launches

Downer: Social Purpose and a Just Transition

Moving beyond diversity: Spotlight on youth employment

Annual Snapshot 2022

SBC welcomes six new business leaders to its Advisory Board

Thriving People Thriving Voices

Moving Beyond Diversity
