Welcome.

In 2025, Rata will continue to focus on bringing people together to inspire individuals and organisations to think creatively about ethical and sustainable business practices, as well as the importance of fostering people-centered company cultures.

Our monthly newsletter will be published from February to November, aiming to provide our LinkedIn readers with valuable news and insights to promote positive outcomes in their organisational culture and business practices.

We hope your year is off to a fantastic start and that you're feeling excited and ready to tackle all the opportunities ahead!

In this month’s newsletter:

• Rata Receives UK Prestige Global Sustainability Award.
• Rata Receives Global Recognition Award.
• The Relaunch of 'Connect@Rata' (C@R): A Business Community for Ethical and Sustainable Knowledge – Plus Much More.
• Where does Rata see New Zealand heading in the next 5 to 10 years.
• Challenges Facing New Zealand Businesses Right Now.
• Business With Integrity: Why Building A Sustainable Business Starts With Trust.

Rata Global Sustainability Award Announcement

We are thrilled to announce that in late December 2024, Rata was globally recognised as the winner of the UK Prestige 2024 Sustainable Business Consultancy Award.

The judges expressed particular admiration for the Rata Ethical Business Alliance (REBA), which aims to elevate individuals and organisations above their competition.

The judges remarked, "REBA uniquely provides certification that independently evaluates businesses and professionals across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond based on a rigorous set of ethical criteria. Membership in REBA offers unparalleled benefits, including the development of a community of like-minded ethical leaders and the transformation of organisations into workplaces centred around ethics.? REBA-certified organisations gain a competitive advantage, attract and retain top talent, and forge partnerships with like-minded businesses."

The Prestige Awards have been administered by the Corporate Live Wire and LTG business platforms for the past 16 years, focusing on both national and international audiences.

Nominations are collected for various categories, and once the limit for each category is reached, all businesses within that category are reviewed by a panel of industry expert judges who select the winner.

Judges also consider publicly sourced information such as reviews, testimonials, core values and services, branding, and content from the company’s website and social media platforms.

After the awards are announced each year, a publication is distributed to over 100,000 subscribers of UK and Global Corporate Livewire, and it will also reach more than 30,000 readers across Oceania in both print and digital formats.

2025 Global Recognition Award for Rata

Rata has been awarded the 2025 Global Recognition Award for developing innovative sustainability consulting services across New Zealand and its surrounding regions.

Rata has distinguished itself by creating groundbreaking certification programs that transform how organisations approach sustainability, ethics, and employee well-being, all while upholding rigorous standards of authenticity and transparency.

Their new flagship 'Rata Ethical Business Alliance' Certification Programme (REBA) is unique among certification systems in New Zealand and Australia. It demonstrates leadership through comprehensive ethical evaluations and actionable business strategies.

Strategic Innovation and Market Leadership:

Rata's systematic approach goes beyond traditional sustainability metrics, achieving perfect scores in strategic implementation and ethical decision-making through their ground breaking new REBA certification programme.

REBA's innovative framework converts standard compliance into measurable organisational growth, supported by extensive client testimonials that emphasize its tangible business impact.

REBA's aim is to create significant improvements in supplier relationships, procurement processes, and overall market competitiveness.

Rata's unwavering commitment to practical, verifiable results enhances its position against greenwashing while promoting transparency in supply chain practices. Their comprehensive methodology prepares regional exporters for the increasingly stringent global reporting requirements, especially those related to the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. The resulting framework equips clients with robust tools to navigate complex international sustainability requirements while maintaining competitive market positions.

Research Excellence and Practical Implementation:

The sustainability certification methodology developed specifically for New Zealand and Australia businesses highlights Rata's deep understanding of local market dynamics balanced with global standards.

Rata's research achievements have received exceptional recognition for innovative approaches that combine theoretical frameworks with practical business applications, resulting in certification programmes that deliver measurable outcomes.

The market requires full analysis which enables organisations to connect theoretical sustainability objectives with tangible business results. The successful implementation of Full Product Transparency practices showcases Rata's expertise in translating complex requirements into actionable business strategies.

Their methodologies assist numerous organisations in navigating international compliance requirements while enhancing market advantages through verified sustainability claims. The practical application of research findings fosters lasting positive changes within client organisations, as evidenced by improved business performance metrics.

The Judges Final Words:

Perfect scores in market impact combined with innovative approaches to global challenges reflect Rata's future substantial influence on modern business practices. The company's evolution from achieving New Zealand's first Enviro-Mark Diamond certification to driving positive change across the Asia-Pacific region demonstrates its expanding influence on sustainable business development. Their comprehensive understanding of emerging market requirements positions them perfectly for continued growth and impact.

Rata's innovative certification programs will continue to set new ethical business practice standards while focusing on verifiable sustainability claims. Their sophisticated approach to preparing organisations for upcoming global reporting requirements strengthens their position as essential partners in ethical sustainable business development. The lasting positive impact on local and international business communities showcases their successful integration of ethical principles with practical business solutions.

Relaunch of 'Connect@Rata' (C@R): A Business Community for Ethical and Sustainable Knowledge – Plus Much More

Rata is delighted to announce that we have decided to bring back the C@R membership network due to numerous requests from people.

This membership is for individuals and organisations wanting to be part of a natural movement to create more innovative, ethical, sustainable business practices, supply chains, and people-centric company cultures. The launch date is Monday, 24 March 2025.

Wouldn’t it feel satisfying to have ‘peace of mind’ from being part of a network that not only helps but also moves away from outdated conventional thinking and helps to leverage competitive advantage in the marketplace?

If you are the Business Development, Marketing, Sales or Sustainability Manager within your organisation please contact us to learn more. Feel free to reach out to Sandra Pringle with any questions at +64 274 572 825 or email: [email protected].

Where does Rata see New Zealand Organisations heading in the next 5 to 10 years

New Zealand organisations will have to prepare for increasingly stringent ethical sustainability global reporting requirements from as early as 2025.?

Therefore, New Zealand exporters and 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers will have to understand:

• The impact of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the upcoming European Union (EU) directives focused on stamping out greenwashing.
• The EU’s newly mandated Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and how this could impact New Zealand organisations through the supply chains they are involved with.
• The impact of Full Product Transparency (FPT) on their organisation.

New Zealand must protect its global reputation to support export growth and Kiwi jobs.

If you are seeking help, feel free to contact Sandra Pringle via DM or email: [email protected]

Challenges Facing New Zealand Businesses Right Now

Doing business in 2025 will continue to be challenging for organisations in New Zealand as the economy tries to recover.

Therefore, we need to focus on eliminating these key problem areas:

• Fancy marketing that, sadly, don’t stack up upon investigation.
• The absence of supply chain transparency.
• The amount of toxic work environments that cause harm to employees' and suppliers' overall health and well-being.
• Think of carbon credits that allow a business to offset its emissions financially, which are taxes rather than investments in the business and its people.
• Greenwashing tactics, which, if called out, cause irreversible damage to a company’s brand and reputation, creating significant challenges for domestic and global customers.

If you are seeking help in these key areas, feel free to contact Sandra Pringle via DM or email: [email protected]

Business With Integrity: Why Building A Sustainable Business Starts With Trust

By Pernille Lind Olsen, Forbes Councils Member

Originally published by Forbes

Pernille Lind Olsen is the President of Henkel North America.

Business is done between people, and between people, trust is the ultimate currency-a fundamental psychological element that underpins successful interactions. Trust is the key to deeper conversations about the ever-changing trends, needs and values that drive our customers' and consumers' purchasing behaviors and desire to collaborate. Therefore, trust is essential to unlocking opportunities. In fact, according to findings from a 2024 PwC study, "93% of business executives agree that building and maintaining trust improves the bottom line."

Earning trust in business is central to building sustainable relationships, and while it can take years to earn trust, it takes only seconds to lose it. Building trustful relationships requires courageous leadership, bold collaboration and ambitious, consistent action-it requires that we listen, follow up and follow through.

Click this link to read more – https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2025/01/16/business-with-integrity-why-building-a-sustainable-business-starts-with-trust/

Finally, we hope you enjoy our first newsletter for 2025. If you believe others in your network or supply chains would be interested in subscribing, please share the link.

If you require help with the following:

• Developing Ethical Sustainable Organisations.
• Supply Chain Evaluations and Audits.
• Certification.
• Employee Training.
• Keynote Speaking.

Feel free to contact Sandra Pringle via DM or email: [email protected].