When Eco Choice Aotearoa rebranded (from Environmental Choice NZ) it wasn’t just about aesthetics. We wanted to communicate our mission, who we are and what we stood for. As part of that, for the first time in the ecolabel’s history, we wrote a public facing values statement.
Eco Choice Aotearoa is dedicated to being the country’s most trusted indicator of environmentally and socially-responsible products and services.
As we’ve done for more 30 years, we will continue to work with businesses to raise standards; ensuring a motu where the environment, people and economy thrive.
These standards extend not only to how we treat the environment, but how we treat each other.
We are committed to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and acknowledge Ngāti Whātua as the mana whenua of Tāmaki Makaurau, where our head office is based.
At Eco Choice Aotearoa, we believe diversity and inclusion makes us stronger, and more effective.
We aim to honour this country’s origins in tikanga Māori and draw inspiration from the concept of kaitiakitanga.
I’m often asked about kaitiakitanga by international counterparts. What is it, what does it mean? What is the correlation with ecolabelling and what value does it bring?
I do my best as a tauiwi (I’m Australian-born and partly raised) to explain.
- The concept of guardianship and protection, the responsibility of caring for our natural world, and future generations.
- A holistic approach and long-term view of environmental stewardship
- Centuries of indigenous knowledge which can inform sustainable practices and predict the consequences of disrupting our ecosystems
- Further to that, respecting and learning from the past, applying that knowledge for the benefit of present and future generations (represented by the three circles in our logo)
- Community engagement in decision-making. The ecolabel’s standards are publicly available and before they’re finalized, subject to 60 day consultation period (sign-up to our newsletter or keep an eye on our socials if you’d like to be notified of the opportunity to participate in this process)
After I’ve articulated the above, there’s usually a spark of recognition in people’s eyes. Recognition that what we call sustainability isn’t some new-fangled idea, but something indigenous communities have been practicing it for generations. Sadly, maintaining these practices has become increasingly challenging as many have had their rights chipped away at or completely removed over time.
In her latest article, our Head of Standards, Dr. Andrea Edwards, highlights the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on marginalised communities, often due to historical, economic, and social inequalities. It’s a powerful reminder that true sustainability means also honouring the wisdom and rights of the communities who have long been its stewards.
Eco Choice Aotearoa is far from perfect, and we still have much to learn. But our values statement is a commitment to keep striving, learning, and doing better.
