New Zealand Post and Ākina Foundation have been working together since 2012 to grow the next generation of social enterprise in New Zealand.
Social enterprises work to solve complex social and environmental challenges. Partnering with these businesses in our supply chain makes use of our procurement spend to deliver broader outcomes - creating jobs and opportunities where it matters most.
Social procurement happens when we buy from businesses who deliver social and environmental impact. We are harnessing the money we’re already spending to promote inclusive growth, reduce our environmental footprint, help deliver what people care about and build resilience in our communities.
“At NZ Post, we are committed to buying from Kiwi businesses whose purpose is to create a positive impact – these businesses are also known as social enterprises. Social enterprises operate to tackle social problems, improve communities, provide people access to employment or to help the environment.” David Walsh CEO NZ Post
Here’s how we’re putting social procurement into action
- Working with suppliers that are committed to making a positive difference in their communities through meaningful employment, building social connection or improving the environment.
- Opening doors for social enterprises by partnering with Ākina and large buying organisations, so we can keep growing social procurement in New Zealand.
- We’re a member of Fwd, the Ākina social procurement platform, which we founded together back in 2018.
We engage with a number of social enterprises for a range of needs across our business – from sourcing some of our uniform items and recycling our waste to providing some of our cleaning products and services.
To learn more about some of our social enterprise suppliers, check out the stories below.
WILL&ABLE
For WILL&ABLE, their mission is simple - to create jobs for people with disabilities. CEO and founder, Martin Wylie’s vison was to provide an opportunity for Kiwis with disabilities (particularly intellectual) and to bring them purpose, independence and inclusion. Martin himself has a son with Autism so he understands the barriers that people with disabilities face. Studies have shown that people with disabilities are three times less likely to be employed and WILL&ABLE is changing that narrative.
WILL&ABLE is striving to create a sustainable business model in which they can employ an expanding number of people with disabilities on the minimum wage without any support from the government. By using profits from product sales to grow the business, they are growing a model that can be expanded throughout the country. They have since begun dispatching to the South Island from a facility in Christchurch as well as shipping to the North Island from their Auckland facility.
WILL&ABLE are also deeply committed to using environmentally sustainable products and business practices. WILL&ABLE is the only eco range of cleaning products in New Zealand using 100% recycled milk bottles, proudly filled, labelled and packed by people with disabilities. In their commitment to environmental responsibility their RETURN TO SENDER programme is a circular scheme which enables their customers to return empty bottles which they then make into more useful materials.
What’s more, WILL&ABLE’s profits go directly to creating more jobs for people with disabilities. For WILL&ABLE’s customers, they know that their money is going to a cause that not only has social impact but focuses on ecological sustainability and ethics.
Little Yellow Bird
“A Natural Fit - Little Yellow Bird and NZ Post”
One of the ways that we’re using our buying power to reduce waste and increase the well-being of communities is by sourcing some of our uniform items from Little Yellow Bird.
Little Yellow Bird makes 100% organic cotton uniforms, corporate wear and basics. They are dedicated to making clothes that are good for people and the planet. Little Yellow Bird supplies the organic black polo shirts that are worn by our box lobby staff, customer facing staff at Courier Post and Operational Managers, as well as some of the teams in corporate.
“We needed a 100% cotton polo that met our aspirations for an ethical and sustainably sourced product. Little Yellow Bird was able to deliver in a way that exceeded our expectations.” says Karen Mikaera, NZ Post’s Supply Chain Specialist. “Little Yellow Bird uses traceable, rain-fed, organic cotton, supports small farmers and have sustainable production practices that tread lightly on the planet - it’s an ethical supply chain from cotton seed through to shipping.” “When we heard about Little Yellow Bird, it was a ‘natural fit’”, says Karen. “We worked with our main uniform supplier to work out a way that Little Yellow Bird could supply a portion of our overall uniform needs. We basically unbundled our uniform catalogue to enable Little Yellow Bird, who align with our values, to access this larger contract in bite-size chunks. This also influences our large suppliers, by making it really clear that we’re focussed on sustainability and delivering positive impact.”
Learn more about Little Yellow Bird
All Heart
All Heart has a unique approach to waste and is also a supplier to NZ Post. Waste is a growing problem in New Zealand - particularly corporate and building industry waste which makes up a whopping 88% of New Zealand’s total waste to landfill. All Heart NZ is a social enterprise working to change that by partnering with corporates to redirect, repurpose and reduce their redundant and unwanted items in a practical way, supporting communities in the process.
Ultimately, All Heart NZ finds an environmentally and socially positive solution for unwanted corporate items including building waste, furniture and end of life products. This means less waste goes to landfill and gives items another life to be of use to communities throughout Aotearoa “We want to see more unwanted corporate items redirected to where they are needed. Not only does it help community groups, it makes a real impact in reducing waste here in Aotearoa.” says Joe Yousef, All Heart’s National Director.