Sustainability focus for firms in resort

Eight Queenstown companies are taking their sustainable practices to new levels. They are taking part in a programme run through the Centre for Sustainable Practice at the Otago Polytechnic.

The programme runs throughout the year and is built around five group workshops, complemented by one-on-one advisory sessions and a tailor-made workshop for each company.

Centre for Sustainable Practice head of school Steve Henry said the programme was designed specifically for Queenstown businesses, and would address the needs of each participating company.

One participant is the Queenstown design and marketing form Fluid Visual Communications, which also followed the centre's introductory programme last year.

"All of our staff here at Fluid are interested in the concept of sustainability, so it is natural for us to take the opportunity to learn what we can about the issue," director Tim Buckley said.

"As a design company, we might not be a major `producer' in the traditional sense of having a large environmental impact.

"But since we're in the business of advising our clients, we need to be aware of the issues of sustainability, so we can include it in our advice."

Lakes Property Services is also in the programme.

"At the first workshop we learned that sustainability is not all about environmental aspects - it's also about people, about empowering staff and being ethical," managing director Joanne Conroy said.

"This was not what I had expected to hear, but it has broadened my perspective."

Ms Conroy said Lakes Property Services had been doing a lot of strategic thinking after the February seminar, and she was looking forward to the one-on-one session with the adviser to get tips on how to implement the strategies.

"Once we have implemented the sustainability practices, we will later aim to pass these practices on to our many contractors," Ms Conroy said.

The centre starts new groups in its introductory programme for Queenstown businesses three times a year.