Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has struck gold, achieving Toitū enviromark gold certification ahead of its December opening. The Toitū enviromark program has been tailored for New Zealand businesses so they can establish, implement and maintain an effective environmental management system.
General Manager Ross Steele said to receive Toitū enviromark gold was a huge achievement for the team. Steele says, “From the outset the Te Pae Christchurch team has been committed to sustainable operations and taking positive environmental action. We are exceptionally proud to reach this milestone in our pre-opening phase, particularly given how challenging the past few months have been.”
Enviromark Programme Advisor Chris Bailey said at gold level, certified organizations have implemented controls for both regulatory obligations and significant opportunities to improve their performance. Impacts are measured so they can be properly managed on an ongoing basis.
“Te Pae Christchurch chose to proactively implement managing their environmental risks and opportunities,” says Bailey.
“Well before the opening of the centre, the team at Te Pae Christchurch mapped out their business activities and identified any significant impacts arising from those business partners they might influence. By implementing control systems well in advance of opening, Te Pae Christchurch is managing their risks and opportunities from the start.”
Te Pae Christchurch has been working with Toitū since early 2020. Venue Presentation Manager Jason Stewart has led the program internally.
“The process to certification has had many benefits. It’s helped us nail down the goals we want to achieve as a business and the improvements needed to be more sustainable and environmentally conscious,” Mr Stewart said. “And by getting every department thinking about what they do and the impact it has, it has solidified our environmental mindset.”
Stewart said with New Zealand’s reputation as a clean green destination, and venue sustainability becoming more important to clients during the decision making process, it was important Te Pae Christchurch aligned with New Zealand’s strongest environmental program. “Toitū fits that bill with a wealth of experience providing a strong level of mentoring and guidance to support not only our team but also our clients.”
