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An ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and performance has seen Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) achieve the globally recognised Enviro-Mark® Gold certification.

In the past year, ATEED has developed and implemented an organisation-wide Environmental Management System (EMS) and continued to commit to internal sustainability practises - ensuring that all activities lead to improved and beneficial environmental outcomes.

Welcoming the acknowledgement of its commitment to sustainability, ATEED Chief Executive Nick Hill stated “we are proud to have achieved Enviro-Mark® Gold  a highly respected independent measure of our commitment to sustainability, which is a bedrock principle at ATEED.

“Alongside our partners, we focus on economic growth that can be sustained in the long term and benefits both current and future generations. But we also must lead by example, ensuring we can demonstrate our own sustainability credentials as an organisation.”

Advising that ATEED is committed to building a sustainable framework with robust procedures in place to reduce its operational carbon footprint, Hill added “we are in a unique position of being able to play a leading role in driving sustainable outcomes for the region across many industries, and work programmes - from the support and delivery of major events aiming for zero waste, to connecting Auckland’s innovative enviro-tech business with international markets.”

Leading by example, the Destination AKL 2025 strategy released in May 2018 emphasises the importance of sustainable growth of the region’s visitor economy. The strategy’s vision is for Auckland to be sustainable - economically, socially, and environmentally - as a place to live and work, and as a place to visit.

Over the next year, ATEED will continue to support Auckland Council’s development of the Auckland Climate Action Plan as part of an integrated approach to climate change.

Additionally, ATEED signed the NZ Tourism Sustainability Commitment in mid-2018, and is aligning its tourism workstreams to the 14 business commitments outlined, in the four categories economic, visitor, host community and environment.

Other initiatives will include raising the awareness among private sector businesses of the benefits of operating in an environmentally sustainable way; supporting businesses which lead in this space; and providing preferential profile to organisations that embrace sustainability throughout their business.

Hill says ATEED will continue to work with local boards to support initiatives such as the Albert-Eden Sustainability Kick Start Programme, and the Otara-Papatoetoe Sustainability Awareness Programme.

He concluded “those impressive pilot initiatives are an example of the many levels where we can influence behaviour, and work with like-minded organisations to support Auckland’s overall drive towards sustainability.”

To achieve Enviro-Mark® Gold certification, recipients must establish environmental objectives and targets, implement and maintain programmes to address significant environmental risks and have processes in place to monitor and minimise these. Annual auditing ensures organisations maintain their status and continue to improve their environmental activity.

Images: Elemental AKL (top) and Nick Hill (below).

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