MEDIA RELEASE
19 August 2015
International experts to share secrets to building sustainable brands
International branding experts will show New Zealand businesses how to build brand loyalty by
telling compelling sustainability stories that resonate with their audiences at the Project NZ:
Telling Good Stories conference in Auckland on 3 September.
Leaders in their field from the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand will take centre stage at
New Zealand’s premier sustainable brands conference.
Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network, which is organising the conference,
says brands that are effectively telling their sustainability story are becoming more powerful.
“In a world that is increasingly flooded with ideas and changes, effectively telling the story of
your brand and standing out from the crowd is more important than ever,” she says.
Speakers include:
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Matthew Yeomans, CEO Sustainly (UK), a media and social media consultancy advising
brands communicating sustainability, including FTSE and Fortune 500 companies
John Heckman, Managing Director, thinkstep (North America), a global consultancy
providing software and data for sustainability performance management
Alicia Darvall, Executive Director, B Corps (Australia)
Nicky Bell, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi
Angela Buglass, CEO, Trilogy International
Mike Pollok, Managing Director, Ricoh
Nevil Gibson, Editor, National Business Review
Nikki Mandow, Editor, Idealog
James Russell, Editor, Element magazine (NZ Herald)
“There are a growing number of New Zealand organisations that have made good progress in a
host of clever purpose-led initiatives in recent years. Yet market research shows there is a gap
in public awareness and, when asked, Kiwis find it very hard to name one company doing good
work in this area,” says Rachel.
“We are not great story tellers, particularly when the stories are complex. Most businesses
prefer to keep their good works under the radar because they don’t know how to talk about
them,” she says.
Colmar Brunton’s latest research shows that while 90 per cent of consumers say their
purchasing behaviour is influenced by social, environmental or health related issues, two in
three people can’t name a leader in sustainability.
Rachel says she wants the Project NZ: Telling Good Stories conference to turn that figure
around.
“We want to help organisations learn tools from leading experts so they can grow the
commercial success of their business through building the right messages for their market and
connecting with their stakeholders. Sustainable brands in New Zealand need to tell their good
stories,” she says.
She says it’s important to get internal teams onside too. Colmar Brunton’s research shows that
70 per cent of New Zealanders want to work for a sustainable company, so it’s important
everyone in the office hears and understands the stories of sustainable success.
Project NZ: Telling Good Stories will explore the best in sustainable brands globally and in New
Zealand. Topics will include how the world’s biggest brands communicate sustainability; the
future of sustainable brands; masterclasses in internal and external communications, such as
marketing and integrated reporting; and a panel discussion on the future of New Zealand media.
Further information about Project NZ: Telling Good Stories available on the Sustainable
Business Network website: sustainable.org.nz.
-endsContact:
Fiona Stephenson
National Communications Manager – Sustainable Business Network
021 233 1053, fiona@sustainable.org.nz
About the Sustainable Business Network
The Sustainable Business Network (SBN) provides advice and support to help business
succeed through becoming more sustainable. The largest organisation of businesses dedicated
to sustainability in New Zealand, the SBN actively helps our network of progressive companies
to: progress their sustainability journey; promote their business; and join coalitions and
campaigns.
www.sustainable.org.nz
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