A company that developed a low-cost carbon accredition programme  won the High Growth sector of the Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards. Since launching its carboNZero programme Landcare Research has contributed to the mitigation of around 91,115 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and increased revenue by over 200%.

The Landcare Research team with PM John Key and Sarah Trotman.

The Canterbury-based Landcare Research – carboNZero programme was launched at the Business Expo in 2008 to encourage SME’s to reduce global emissions through its certification programme. Up until then similar programmes cost between $11,000-$16,000 but the Landcare entry fee is just $500 and certification $1500.

CarboNZero now comprises a dedicated Strategic Business Unit of Landcare Research and with staff in Auckland, Wellington and Lincoln the unit has received high profile awards from both sustainability and business peers. Internationally, it has been successfully licensing into the UK with its partner Achilles Information whose client base of over 32,000 companies across 24 countries is increasing carbonNZero’s market reach.

The financial performance of the carboNZero programme has been spectacular since start up. Since introducing the programme the carboNZero increased its revenues by 229% despite this being during its international start-up phase. Domestically the business dominates the market with 96.3% market share.

Currently there are over 3000 individuals and organisations registered with the programme, 50 have achieved certified organisations/ events and hundreds of other parties progressing through the programme.

Landcare has also been proactive in reducing its own impact to the environment in the areas of waste, reducing the amount of waste per full time equivalent (FTE) by some 27% over the last 12 months.

One of the key missions of the carboNZero Programme is to provide a service that enables New Zealand export businesses to create market advantage for export goods and services through the certification of carbon footprints down the supply chain. The carboNZero programme has set itself the aspirational goal of reducing global emissions by New Zealand’s deficit of 45.5 million tonnes by 2012.

The New Zealand Wine Company was the first winery in the world to achieve ‘carbon-certified’ by the carboNZero programme. The New Zealand Wine Company’s Grove Mill wines gained preferential supplier status to UK supermarket giants as a consequence of the carboNZero certification. “We’ve been winning awards for our wines for years, but it’s carboNZero that has made people want to talk to us,” New Zealand Wine Company (NZWC) CEO, Rob White said.

Christchurch and Canterbury tourism as well as Adventure South have also committed to the environment by achieving carboNZero certification. “This achievement demonstrates our commitment to the environment and to providing leadership in this area,’’ Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism chief executive, Christine Prince, said. 

CarboNZero volunteers expert services to community groups and networks such as Lincoln Envirotown, the Sustainable Business Network, the Youth Hostel Association, and provides ‘free to air’ access to carbon calculators for individuals and schools so they can measure and proactively work on reducing their own carbon footprints.