Sustainability

Sustainability lies at the heart of creating a new energy future. Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs is about striking the right balance between the environment, society and the economy.

Our approach to sustainability is to deliver innovative, long-term solutions for our shareholders, customers, partners and suppliers to build shared resilience, reduce our carbon footprint and enable New Zealand and global decarbonisation strategies.

Our Symphony strategy enables us to drive better environmental, social and economic business outcomes such as energy affordability, decarbonisation and a circular economy, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which remain our ultimate focus. 

	Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Disruption of the current energy model will result in increased renewable energy while creating opportunities for new models to lower costs for all.
	Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable  Holistic goal that aligns well to Auckland’s ambitions – resilience, energy efficiency and affordable housing.
	Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns Circular solutions reduce waste and carbon, create efficiencies and commercial opportunities, and organisations play a key role in investigating possible solutions. Procurement and supply chain risks & opportunities need to be monitored and managed.
	Take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impacts  The transition to a low carbon economy will require commitment from the energy sector. With an extensive network of assets the business is also exposed to the physical risks of climate change. Both of these require a business response.
Underpinned by:
	Revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development   Collaboration with other businesses, government and other organisations is a key foundation for achieving the goals. Vector will continue to develop partnerships within New Zealand and globally.

Vector key sustainability risks 

For our part, we have already identified a number of key risks and correlated opportunities that will drive the sustainability agenda for our business and stakeholders in the short to medium term. See our full Sustainability Policy here.

Vector’s schools programme

Teaching kids about energy use and keeping them safe.

Improving public safety and developing young minds is something we're both committed to and passionate about at Vector, which is why we work closely with primary and intermediate schools to teach kids how to stay safe around our networks and assets, and how to use energy efficiently.

Our award-winning 'Stay Safe around Electricity' and 'Be Sustainable with Energy' school programmes are offered free of charge to schools within our Auckland electricity network and links directly to the New Zealand Curriculum. The programmes runs in Years 3 to 8 , and since 2005 have educated more than 160,000 children.

Communicating safety and sustainability messages through schools allows us to engage with children in a way that enhances their awareness and encourages them to share their learning with family and friends. Our hope is that they will become active safety and sustainability ambassadors at school, home and out in the wider community.

Visit vectorschools.co.nz for more info or book in a session for your school here.


Looking Ahead
Vector has committed to being carbon neutral (net zero emissions) by 2030. We recognise the community's focus on the challenges of decarbonisation and climate, so will continually evolve our approach in order to ensure we invest in these areas. 

(Images Annual report 2020)