The best businesses are good for people, communities, the environment and economy.

That's why the Sustainable Business Council (SBC) aims to mainstream sustainability within the New Zealand business community.

SBC believes the private sector has a leading role to play in addressing climate change, as well as New Zealand's top environmental and social issues.

Our members know that business can only be successful in the long-term, when people live well and within the limits of the planet.

SBC aims to make sustainability a norm, by creating a community of positive change, supporting members to go further and celebrating their leadership and success.

Member Commitments

When joining SBC, members make a commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and build sustainability into their purchasing decisions.

They are required to introduce annual reporting practices, which outline their progress on environmental, social, governance and economic issues.

Every two years SBC reviews each member and tells them where they could go further to meet their commitments.

We reserve the right to ask members who don't meet their commitments to leave SBC.

A unique positioning

SBC is the only New Zealand-based Global Network Partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in Geneva.

We have aligned our work to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

What we do

SBC aims to make sustainability easy and clear for members, and inspirational and aspirational to the wider business community.

The programmes we deliver are designed to upskill our members, so they have the tools and knowledge they need to reduce or offset emissions and operate in a more sustainable way.

SBC programmes are co-designed with our members and can result in: multi-sector collaborations, conferences and events, business tools and solutions, professional development courses, research projects and leadership forums.

Our six focus areas

Sustainable Leadership

SBC encourages business leaders to work together to make ambitious commitments, which take action on climate change and environmental and social issues.

Climate

SBC helps members to work together on collaborations, target setting, and freight and electric vehicle projects, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition New Zealand to a low emissions economy.

Social Impact 

Through SBC social impact projects, members are making employment decisions that contribute to national efforts to reduce youth unemployment.

Consumer Decision-Making

SBC is working with its members to help them get a better understanding of consumer behaviours, so they can interact with customers in a more informed and credible way.

Natural Resources

SBC works with businesses to help them understand their impacts and dependencies on natural capital, and how this can affect their business strategies and value creation.

Sustainable Development Goals

SBC encourages its members to include the UN Sustainable Development Goals in their sustainability planning and strategy.