Opportunities driving sustainability in New Zealand businesses: survey

New Zealand businesses are gradually getting greener, while taking tentative steps towards sustainability, according to a University of Auckland survey out Wednesday.

The survey found 53 percent of the 33 respondents - chosen because they were already making moves to improving sustainability - aimed to become sustainability leaders in their sectors in the next three to five years, and a fifth aimed to disrupt their markets.

Businesses said they were targeting projects that delivered clear payback, such as improved energy efficiency and reduced waste, but they expected to embrace more ambitious goals, such as reducing environmental impacts and carbon emissions in the next three years.

"The emphasis can be expected to shift to product and services demand and development, employee engagement and diversity, reporting (probably non-financial) and environmental and carbon footprint product," Professor Greg Whittred said in a statement.

"Businesses are realizing they can innovate, differentiate and build relationships with their customers through being sustainable. Sustainability is becoming a competitive frontier. It also helps them compete for quality staff."

The primary driver for sustainability was the future market opportunities it offered, and efforts to seize those opportunities were being led from the top - the executive suite and boardroom.

Customer and client demand was significant, too, in some areas, while investor pressure ranked lowest of the drivers listed. Endit