Helping Southland businesses decarbonise and become more sustainable has scored Great South a sustainability category win at the Grand Business South Awards in Dunedin on Friday night (17 Nov).

The award also recognised the Southland regional development agency's own newly won status as a certified carbon conscious organisation.

Great South administers the Decarbonisation Workshop Series for business, Murihiku Sustainable Tourism Programme and the Government Waihōpai Invercargill Decarbonisation Contestable Fund it established in partnership with the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority.

Great South General Manager Strategic Projects Stephen Canny said it was very gratifying to have the agency's work recognised externally and added to the mana and credibility of the programme.

More than 70 Murihiku Southland businesses have currently taken part in the decarbonisation series, with a further 18 completing the sustainable tourism programme.

Also 98 of Murihiku Southland’s 186 boilers have now been converted to renewable energy, with 60 more to be converted by 2026. 

“This will significantly reduce Murihiku Southland’s overall emissions."

"Already, regional emissions have dropped by 14.8% from 2018 to 2022.” 

“Reducing emissions is something every business will have to address at some stage, and its pleasing to see so many Southland businesses already doing their bit,” Canny said.