MEDIA RELEASE 18 November 2014 Yealands Family Wines take the top prize at the 2014 NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards Yealands Family Wines (YFW) have been named the overall winner of the NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards held at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront on 18 November. The NZI Sustainable Business Network (SBN) Awards are New Zealand’s longest-standing and pre-eminent sustainability awards. The awards are now in their 12th year and are designed to recognise businesses that are making a real difference by innovating New Zealand’s business landscape. “SBN focuses on four strengths that encapsulate the future direction of our economy. These are areas New Zealand has a natural advantage in and include renewables, massive resource efficiency, community and restorative,” says Rachel Brown, Sustainable Business Network Chief Executive. “The Awards recognise the impact and innovation organisations are making in each of these transformation areas, in addition to awards for Communicating Sustainability and a Sustainability Champion.” Yealands Family Wines won the Restorative Impact Award as well as the ‘Greatest Contribution to a Sustainable New Zealand’ (supreme award) through their continued vision to lead the world in sustainable wine production. YFW believe that sustainability has no end point and the company is committed to dynamic innovation to reduce its environmental footprint, with initiatives directly targeting underlying energy efficiency and regeneration, diesel emissions, sustained vine nutrition and recyclable packaging. Rachel says “Yealands Family Wines stood out to the judges because it innovates well across the entire business. It drives best practice, has consistent sustainability performance across all its operations and represents New Zealand well internationally”. The judges said that the strength of Yealands’ commitment throughout everything they do puts them as a standout. “We know that they will continue to push the envelope on what is possible in sustainable wine making and we encourage them to continue their journey.” The full results of winners for the 2014 National Sustainable Business Network Awards are: Sustainability Champion Award Sponsored by Element Magazine Joint winners: Julia Milne, the Common Unity Project Aotearoa Malcolm Rands, ecostore Company Ltd Communicating Sustainability Award Sponsored by Convergence Communications Winner – Generation Zero Community Innovation Award Winner – Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre Community Impact Award Sponsored by University of Waikato Management School Winner – AgriSea NZ Seaweed Ltd Commendation - Headlands Mega efficiency Innovation Award Sponsored by Ricoh New Zealand Winner – ecostore Company Ltd Mega efficiency Impact Award Sponsored by Auckland Council Winner – Econergy Limited Commendation - Wellington Drive Technologies Ltd Renewables Innovation Award Winner – Wellington City Council Renewables Impact Award Winner – Sunergise International Restorative Innovation Award No winner awarded Commendation - Nancy Glen II Restorative Impact Award Winner – Yealands Family Wines Energy Management Award Sponsored by EECA Business Winner – Lion Commendation - Foodstuffs NZ NZI Greatest Contribution to a Sustainable New Zealand (Supreme Award) Winner – Yealands Family Wines -ENDSContact: Fiona Stephenson National Communications Manager – Sustainable Business Network 021 233 1053, [email protected] About the Sustainable Business Network The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) provides advice and support to help business succeed through becoming more sustainable. As the largest organisation of businesses dedicated to sustainability in New Zealand, the SBN actively helps our network of progressive companies to: collaborate with other innovators and learn; profile stories and connect; and access practical support. www.sustainable.org.nz For the latest news on sustainable business follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.