About Pakihi Toitū o Kāpiti
Our aim is to provide leadership for innovation and growth in sustainable business practices for the social and economic good of Kāpiti.
Pakihi Toitū o Kāpiti - Sustainable Businesses
The start of 2022 saw the Economic Development Team at council host a group of businesses at a sustainability forum to discuss questions, opportunities, and challenges about sustainability and what it meant for doing business in Kāpiti. The meeting discussed key barriers Kāpiti Coast businesses face when it comes to operating in an environmentally sustainable way.
It was a collaborative workshop with a diverse range of business owners and one of the priorities identified was the need for an online resource with relevant information specifically to assist and guide local businesses. The other key priority established in this forum was waste minimisation. This could be realised through projects such as soft plastics recycling and composting food waste.
The group discussed the establishment of a network with the following purpose statement:
To provide leadership for innovation and growth in sustainable business practices for the social and economic good of Kāpiti
As Kiwi businesses continue to prioritise sustainability, Pakihi Toitū o Kāpiti - Sustainable Businesses, will provide a platform for this work to happen locally. The principles that were prioritised to guide this work are: Kaitiakitanga - environmental stewardship, Transparency, Mana enhancing, Action focused, Respect for each other and the environment.
With the establishment of Pakihi Toitū o Kāpiti, the first project that was identified was ‘an online resource’ and this has now been given a home. The resource will now live here as part of kapiticoastnz.com. It provides a simple and local place to access information to support businesses' journeys toward sustainability, in terms of lower ecological and emissions footprints. Explore the tools, read the case studies for local stories, access information about funding sources and join the network so you can connect with other like-minded businesses. The sustainable business network will help the business community to collectively work together.
The Pakihi Toitū o Kāpiti icon was created to match the purpose of sustainable business practices. The connection of the leaves on the icon represent sustainability and join to create a chain in the abstract shape of Kapiti Island. This all represents businesses being stronger when working together in the sustainability space. In the future businesses will be able to access the icon to shine a light on the work they are doing in best environmental business practice.