New sustainable procurement targets set by Eke Panuku
Eke Panuku has adopted a range of sustainable procurement targets to increase supplier diversity and reduce waste in its work across Tāmaki Makaurau.
The urban regeneration agency has set specific targets to actively promote opportunities across the city through its development work in priority locations for Māori and Pasifika businesses and social enterprises. This includes higher targets to encourage greater impact in West and South Auckland. Development partners will be encouraged to establish relationships and work with Māori and Pasifika businesses or social enterprises.
Barrowcliffe Bridge, which connects Wiri and central Manukau, was upgraded to create a new walking, cycling, and vehicular route as part of Eke Panuku strategy to improve connectivity and public spaces in the south Auckland area. Nearly 40% of the subcontract spend was was with Māori and Pasifika owned businesses.
The agency’s also committing to new zero-waste principles. Development partners will be required to take a soft-strip and deconstruction methodology approach to reduce construction and demolition waste. This will also be standard across all Eke Panuku-led projects, as will zero waste principles for all placemaking and sponsored events.
“Sustainable procurement is ingrained in the place-based approach Eke Panuku take when managing property and regenerating urban neighbourhoods,” says board chair Paul Majurey. “As a custodian of land and public space for Auckland Council, sustainable procurement targets keep us accountable to the Auckland Plan to advance Māori wellbeing, protect and care for the natural environment and ultimately create a prosperous city that delivers a better standard of living for everyone.”
Majurey says working more directly with suppliers who are Māori and Pasifika owned as well as social enterprises providing economic, environmental, societal and wellbeing outcomes is just the start.
Wiri Stream Reserve Playground was another project which has benefited from the new policy, with eco-preneurial social enterprise, Te Whangai Trust awarded the planting and maintenance contract. Suzanne Lange, principal landscape architect at Eke Panuku, says: “the trees planted are going to help advance our Ngahere (Forest) Strategy goals (right tree in the right place), and will help make a more resilient community in the fight against climate change. Te Whangai are doing incredible work in addressing social and environmental issues, and we look for to working with them on the next project.”
“Eke Panuku will also actively work with more suppliers who work with and support Māori and Pasifika businesses and social enterprises across their own supply chains. In South and West Auckland, we have set more ambitious targets for supplier diversity to reflect existing work and the relationships we have built with Māori and Pasifika owned businesses and social enterprises in these neighbourhoods.”
This approach is even more important to help local businesses thrive as they battle the aftereffects of COVID-19, he says.
The targets specify:
7.5% of direct spend and 15% of indirect spend with Māori owned businesses, Pasifika owned business and social enterprise
10% of direct spend and 25% of indirect spend with Māori owned businesses, Pasifika owned business and social enterprises in South and West Auckland.
Zero waste by 2040 including all projects and development agreements to use soft-strip and deconstruction methodologies.
All events and sponsored events to be zero waste and follow zero waste principles.
Direct spend is achieved when Eke Panuku contracts directly with a Māori owned businesses, Pasifika owned business, or social enterprise. An indirect spend is achieved when contractors for Eke Panuku subcontract to diverse suppliers.
Eke Panuku Head of Corporate Responsibility Kristen Webster says the adoption of zero waste principles as part of Eke Panuku’s sustainable procurement approach is an important step in furthering the organisation’s climate change response and supporting work undertaken across the city.