SUSTAINABILITY POLICY & COMMITMENT
Benefitz is committed to being a leader in sustainability
At Benefitz we do things thoughtfully, thinking ahead and looking at how our actions impact the environment. We are constantly looking at the products and services used in our business and thinking about their impact on the environment and how we can do things differently and better.
The object of this policy is to provide clear direction
about Benefitz efforts to commit to operate in a sustainable manner.
Benefitz 4 Pillars for Sustainability
Benefitz commitment to sustainability has Four Pillars that drive our business daily and to certain goals through to 2030 and beyond.
With these pillars to guide us, we are on a journey with clear aspirations set to achieve our sustainability goals.
Energy Efficiency
Carbon Neutrality
Waste Reduction
Ethics & Community
Pillar 1: Energy Efficiency
A commitment to Solar Energy
The installation and commissioning of a significant solar power system at the new premises of Benefitz during 2020 signalled a commitment to renewable energy by the business.
The Benefitz 130kW system was one of the biggest the supplier had done, consisting of 429 panels and capable of generating power for 243kWh of battery storage. The panels are 310W REC Twin Peak Solar Modules to be specific.
At the time of installation the battery system at Benefitz was the second largest they had installed in the country – consisting of a Fronius Symo inverter and an Alpha T100 energy storage system with 30 batteries.
The Benefitz system includes REC solar modules. The manufacturer of these modules has made a commitment to recycling. This means that these will be disposed of properly and their components recycled at the end of their working life. REC makes a concerted effort to ensure its panels are durable and fully recyclable. REC is a manufacturer focused on recycling end-of-life solar modules.
The aim is for Benefitz to be 100% powered by solar and other renewable energy sources.
Consolidated two high consumption grid powered sites into a single, Solar Power driven site with active solar management and monitoring.
Switched 100% of factory and office lighting to LED.
37% of all power is generated by solar (up to 100% in certain conditions). 87% of grid energy in New Zealand comes from renewable sources (source: MBIE 2023 Energy In New Zealand Report).
16% of our solar energy is fed back to the grid, further offsetting fossil fuel grid production.
Net fossil fuel consumption in 2022 by Benefitz was just 2% due to solar offsets.
In our old factories our fossil fuel usage was 18%, so we have reduced our Net reliance on fossil fuels by over 88% by 2023.
Due to the nature of our business we run a fleet of motor vehicles. Our goal is to ensure this fleet is as fuel efficient as possible. This will involve a managed conversion of vehicles over to both hybrid and electric vehicles.
Recently the company has replaced 6 vehicles with electric vehicles in addition to having two Hybrid vehicles. This currently represents one third of our vehicle fleet.
Increase our usage of Solar Power through power management and factory efficiencies to reduce fossil fuel dependence to 0% – SHORT/MEDIUM TERM
Become a carbon negative factory through power supply from grid becoming cleaner/greener – MEDIUM/LONG TERM
Vehicles: Our aim is to convert the entire fleet to vehicles using renewable energy. Electric etc. MEDIUM/LONG TERM
Our ENERGY EFFICIENCY goal: Reduce our production facility fossil fuel consumption every year until it is 0%. SHORT/MEDIUM/LONG TERM
Pillar 2: Carbon Neutrality
Our CARBON NEUTRALITY goal: Make our production facility carbon neutral by 2030
To achieve this goal we were certified as a Toitū carbonreduce organisation across our entire business in early 2023. This means we are actively measuring and reducing our carbon footprint in line with international best practice, in accordance with ISO 14064-1 and recognised greenhouse gas protocols.
Our aim is to achieve the Toitū Carbon Zero Certification based on our stated goals.
Pillar 3: Waste Reduction
Office rubbish & food waste
Plastic cups have been fully replaced by compostable cups.
Implemented separate waste bins in all office and break areas for:
Paper/card (taken for recycling Abilities Group).
Mixed Recycling (goes via Auckland Council recycling centres).
Food waste/composting (taken by Green Gorilla).
Landfill (taken by JJ Richardson).
Educate staff to dispose of all food waste correctly – SHORT TERM.
Remove general rubbish bins from all individual desks to encourage correct mixed bin use – SHORT TERM.
Reduce office/lunchroom landfill waste to 0% by promoting less packaging and using recyclable office products – SHORT/MEDIUM TERM.
Pillar 4: Ethics & Community
A commitment to Solar Energy
The installation and commissioning of a significant solar power system at the new premises of Benefitz during 2020 signalled a commitment to renewable energy by the business.
The Benefitz 130kW system was one of the biggest the supplier had done, consisting of 429 panels and capable of generating power for 243kWh of battery storage. The panels are 310W REC Twin Peak Solar Modules to be specific.
At the time of installation the battery system at Benefitz was the second largest they had installed in the country – consisting of a Fronius Symo inverter and an Alpha T100 energy storage system with 30 batteries.
The Benefitz system includes REC solar modules. The manufacturer of these modules has made a commitment to recycling. This means that these will be disposed of properly and their components recycled at the end of their working life. REC makes a concerted effort to ensure its panels are durable and fully recyclable. REC is a manufacturer focused on recycling end-of-life solar modules.
The aim is for Benefitz to be 100% powered by solar and other renewable energy sources.
For 34 years Benefitz has been run with very high ethical standards which is recognised and respected by our staff, in our industry and by those we do business with – customers, suppliers. Combined with strong governance this will continue to be a strong focus of the business going forward.
Our commitment to strong ethics and following sound business principles and being involved in the community comes from the top of the business. These have been founding principles that have stayed with the business for 34 years and will continue as leadership evolves and changes.
At Benefitz, we have a diverse workforce, encompassing gender diversity, unique cultural backgrounds and a range of different abilities and perspectives. We are committed to fostering a work environment where these differences are supported, valued and respected, and where all our employees feel safe and included at work.
Since 1988 Benefitz has been a responsible employer that is focused on doing the best by our employees. This includes engagement, growing personal and professional skillsets and ensuring that our people are looked after and remunerated well.
We continue to refine and improve our human resources capability.
The owners of Benefitz are very proud of our reputation for customer satisfaction, with customers voting with their feet over more than three decades. We have customers that have been with us over that time and many that have been with us for 10-25 years.
Ensuring our customers are 100% satisfied is a culmination of us providing a very sound all round business proposition – we cover all aspects of business pretty well.
While this clearly remains a very important measure of our business, it is not a focus that consumes us. We are not driven financially and understand that business can’t just be about the money.
It is proven over decades that we know how to run a successful and profitable business. To do this we have our own skills – those of the directors and key senior staff – combined with the skills and professional services of external providers (accounting, software/IT, Health & Safety etc.) to ensure our financial management, reporting and compliance is consistent and accurate.
We pride ourselves on being very good payers of our valued suppliers and meeting our taxation and compliance requirements on time, every time.
This is an area where Benefitz is well ahead of the pack. From day one we have had a strong sense of social responsibility. This has been rewarded with Civic Awards from our local council and our Managing Director Aidan Bennett receiving a Queen Service Medal (QSM) for services to the community.
Benefitz sponsors a wide range of organisations, these currently include:- North Harbour Club Charitable Trust (AIMES Awards); Sustainable Coastlines; North Harbour Rugby; Auckland Cricket; Netball New Zealand; Mystics Netball; Northern Stars Netball; YES Disability Resource Centre; Halberg Foundation & Awards; Takapuna Beach Business Assn; Milford Business Assn; Business North Harbour (Business Assn); Pupuke Golf Club; North Shore Golf Club; Waitemata Golf Club; St Patricks Day Golf Trust & Tournament; Harbour Hospice; KidsCan; Abilities; Big Buddy; Shore Junction Youth Hub; Devonport Business Association; Heart Kids; Murrays Bay Sailing Club; AUT Millennium; NZ Sculpture On Shore; The Pumphouse; Tadpole Theatre Productions; Tim Bray Theatre Productions; Shoreside Theatre; Storylines; Westlake Boys High School; NZ Gymnastics; North Shore United Football Club; East Coast Bays Softball; Campbells Bay Tennis Club; Milford Bowling Club; North Harbour Softball; North Shore City Baseball; Belmont Bowling Club; Bowls North Harbour; Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust; Rangitoto College; Tread Lightly; Kenzies Gift.
