Wellington Zoo first zoo in the world to achieve carboNZeroCertTM Certification

Wellington Zoo is the first zoo in the world to achieve carboNZero Certification, making it a global leader in sustainability and care for the environment.

“We’re extremely proud to announce that we have achieved carboNZero certification” said Chief Executive, Karen Fifield. “It’s an incredible celebration of our commitment to creating a better environment for animals and for all of us.”

“Conservation is at the heart of everything we do at Wellington Zoo. We take our commitment to minimising the environmental impact of our organisation very seriously.”

“Our work in sustainability has been recognised over the years –  in 2009 we were awarded the Central/Southern Sustainable Business Network Sustainable Business of the Year Award and Not for Profit Award, as well as the NZI National Sustainable Business Network People's Choice Award, followed by the Wellington Green Gold Award and the Encore Business Environmental Leadership Award in 2010.”

“For the past 5 years, Wellington Zoo has worked towards being the first carboNZero certified zoo and achieving certification is a testament to the hard work and commitment to sustainability of all Zoo staff and Trustees”.

“As so many people from our community visit Wellington Zoo, we are in a unique position to showcase sustainability and inspire our community to take action to reduce their individual ecological footprint. As part of our certification, we have made a commitment to continually work to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”

“One of the great things about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is that environmental sustainability goes hand in hand with financial sustainability, which is very important to us as a charitable trust” said Wellington Zoo Trust Chair Ross Martin.

“Wellington Zoo is a conservation organisation supported by hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Even though we are proud of being the world’s first carboNZero certified zoo, conservation is bigger than any one organisation. We will always be the world’s first carboNZero certified zoo; we just hope we are not the only one.”

“We would like to acknowledge the generous financial support of ASB, our major partner in this achievement. Their support and belief in our goals are vital in helping us showcase a sustainable vision for all of our visitors. I also want to thank the Department of Internal Affairs and Beca for helping us to achieve our carbon neutrality feasibility study and laying the platform for this world first achievement.”

“ASB is delighted to support Wellington Zoo to become the first zoo in the world to achieve carboNZero certification, an achievement that recognises the Zoo’s steadfast commitment to the environment.  Our environmental aspirations at ASB are very much aligned with those of Wellington Zoo.  We have a strong focus on improving the sustainability of our own business, having reduced our carbon footprint by 30 percent over the past four years,” says Linley Wood, Executive General Manager for Culture and Community.

carboNZero Holdings CEO, Dr Ann Smith, praises Wellington Zoo's commitment to being part of a low carbon economy. “It is great to see an organisation like Wellington Zoo taking action to reduce their impacts. This achievement should be celebrated by everyone there. I would personally like to pass on my congratulations and I look forward to seeing how leadership evolves in their sector. These success stories inspire other organisations to stand up and demonstrate their commitment to a more sustainable future.”

About Wellington Zoo
Conservation is at the heart of everything we do at Wellington Zoo. We take every opportunity to connect our visitors with nature and encourage them to take their own positive action for the environment. 
Wellington Zoo is New Zealand's first Zoo, established in 1906, and is Wellington’s oldest conservation organisation. Home to over 500 native and exotic animals, Wellington Zoo became a charitable trust in 2003.
Wellington Zoo is an Accredited member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia.
About carboNZero Certification
carboNZero certified organisations have measured their organisations greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions so they understand what their impact is on the global climate. They then make a commitment to managing and reducing their GHG emissions by creating an emissions management and reduction plan. Any remaining emissions that the organisation cannot avoid are then offset by purchasing verified carbon credits. See the full list of organisations here: carbonzero.co.nz/members/cz_organisations_certified.asp.

ENDS

© Scoop Media