40 | Helping to shape the circular economy CEO Adele Rose: “We see a future where we can all thrive as part of the circular economy.” Hawke’s Bay: 3R Group T T Karen Phelps “The organisation has consistently brought together diverse stakeholders, from competing businesses to government bodies, to develop sustainable waste management strategies.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Over the last two decades, 3R Group has helped to transform the landscape of New Zealand’s waste management and product stewardship. “Twenty years ago the founders of the business, with an innovative mindset, began a journey that would reshape how New Zealand thinks about waste,” explains company CEO Adele Rose. 3R emerged at a time when environmental consciousness in New Zealand was markedly different. Climate change was barely a consideration, kerbside recycling covered only three-quarters of the country, and the concept of a circular economy remained an obscure academic term, Adele says. The company’s initial focus saw it partner with Resene to create the Paintwise paint and packaging product stewardship scheme, simultaneously tackling agrichemical waste by developing the Agrecovery programme. Adele says these early initiatives set the foundation for it becoming a leader in sustainable waste solutions. “From the start, building strong relationships for a common good has been integral to 3R’s DNA,” says Adele. “The organisation has consistently brought together diverse stakeholders, from competing businesses to government bodies, to develop sustainable waste management strategies.” Its achievements over the years have been significant. In 2008 3R won the Hawke’s Bay Today Supreme Business of the Year Award. The Resene Paintwise scheme received the Ministry for the Environment’’s Green Ribbon Award, while the company itself won the Sustainable Business Network Innovation Award for mobile processing technology. Importantly, Adele says, 3R participated in the development of the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, contributing to four of six case studies in the regulatory impact statement. This legislation became a cornerstone of New Zealand’s waste reduction strategy. Today, 3R has grown from two individuals to a team of over 30 passionate sustainability professionals. It has developed or managed product stewardship schemes, and developed other circular economy solutions and practices across multiple industries, including construction, automotive, glass packaging and hazardous waste management. The company’s services are comprehensive. It offers product stewardship support, circular economy solutions, waste assessments, sustainability project management and hazardous waste management. Its team, which it calls ‘Reimagineers’, bring diverse backgrounds united by a commitment to environmental sustainability. Adele says a significant recent achievement was launching New Zealand’s first regulated product stewardship scheme, the result of over a decade of dedicated work. The organisation is also a member of the Sustainable Business Council and publishes annual sustainability reports. She says 3R remains committed to its original vision. Its goals are ambitious: 3R aims to continue bridging gaps between research, business interests, community groups and regulatory bodies. It wants to expand its product stewardship schemes, develop more innovative waste management solutions and accelerate New Zealand’s transition to a truly circular economy. Adele says the organisation tracks its sustainability commitments through independent ISO certifications and maintains a holistic approach that considers environmental, social, and financial guardianship. “We see a future where we can all thrive as part of the circular economy,” says Adele. “The company’s theme for its 20th anniversary milestone, ‘E wana ake – strong roots, flourishing shoots’, encapsulates our approach of building on foundational work to create widespread environmental change.”
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