The construction industry has outperformed all other sectors in the 2025 Sustainable Business Awards, with 22 of the 119 finalists drawn from the Built Environment.
The finalists, known collectively as the Next List 2025, showcase New Zealand’s most forward-thinking sustainable enterprises. The list, compiled annually by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), has grown from 95 in 2024 to 119 this year, reflecting what SBN founder and chief executive Rachel Brown ONZM calls “momentum for a new economy.”
“I’m really thrilled to see such an uplift in the built environment space, especially in a sector that’s been under real pressure,” Brown said. “It shows that when conditions are tough, innovation doesn’t slow down – it gets going!”
Food & Beverage (14 entries) and Waste to Value (11) also feature prominently. Entries have come from across the country, with strong representation from smaller towns and regions.
Brown said the growing diversity of entries shows “these people and ventures aren’t dreaming about a better future, they’re building it in real time.”
The Sustainable Business Awards focus on two categories — Disruptive Innovation and Transformational Leadership — rewarding scalable business solutions that embed circular and low-emissions practices.
Commenting on the trend, Brown said: “It’s evidence of a mission-led shift in how we design a brighter economy — one that backs ingenuity, regenerates our natural systems and creates a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand for everyone.”
The awards ceremony will take place at MOTAT in Auckland on 20 November, supported by NZI, Auckland Council, Ecotricity, Exhibit Group, and Southbase Construction.