Engineering firm, printer top green awards

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Ziptrek in the Media

Engineering firm, printer top green awards

Engineering consultancy Beca and carbon-neutral printer Soar Printing took out the top awards at an event tonight to recognise sustainable business.

Soar Printing was named New Zealand's most sustainable medium-sized company at the Sustainable 60 Awards, after slashing $160,000 worth of energy, landfill waste and carbon emissions from its operations over two years.

The large business category winner was Beca, the global engineering consultancy that decided to practice what it preached by converting Wellington's ailing Aorangi House into a top notch Five Green Star rated office space.

Special commendations went to Auckland environmental management consultancy Anguillid Consulting Engineers and Scientists, and Auckland Airport which was a finalist in all five categories - Strategy and Governance (which it won), Workplace, Marketplace, Community and Environment.

The awards were developed by Fairfax Media Business Group and PricewaterhouseCoopers to recognise best practice in business sustainability.

PwC partner and judge Julia Hoare said the calibre of the entries was outstanding.

''This year's finalists recognise that to be in business for the long haul, business as usual is not an option,'' she said.

Although Auckland-based businesses dominated the winners' table, the South Island had its moment of glory when a blend of hair-raising flying fox rides and sustainability education proved a winning combination for Queenstown's Ziptrek Ecotours.

The company, which operates guided 'zipline' tours through forests on Bob's Peak, took out the Marketplace category, which recognises companies that have used sustainable business practices to gain market advantage or strategically address an opportunity or risk.

Also representing the South Island was Meridian Energy, which won the Community award for its Waitaki Community Fund.

Established in 2006, the fund has allocated more than $1.5 million in grants through a panel of local community leaders and Meridian staff.

Other strategies employed by winning companies ranged from helping rebuild a Scout hall, providing staff with zumba classes and designing a bio solids drying facility.

Judges said Beca's model of employee ownership should be applauded as good a way to ensure long-term thinking and sustainability.

Soar Printing was a model of how to integrate sustainability into every part of a business, they said.

Rounding out the winners was the Bank of New Zealand, which took out the Workplace award for sustainable business practices that have provided workplace benefits.

There was no overall award in the small business category this year.

The 2011 Sustainable 60 Awards winners