Business Central September 2021

| 71 Standing the test of time in Blundstone footwear John Bull is a footwear brand most Kiwis are familiar with—and is most often found on the feet of tradies, farmers and warehouse workers all over New Zealand. The parent company behind the popular brand is Blundstone, who have a long and rich history stretching back over 150 years. From supplying boots to soldiers in bothWorld Wars to scaling the heights of Mount Everest, Blundstone has stood the test of time to become an iconic boot brand loved the world over, with styles for work and play (and everything in between). Decades of innovative design and productionmean Blundstone oversees a global supply chain that brings together the best ideas, components, and designs to complement their wide range of products—from iconic elastic-sided boots loved worldwide to gumboots and safety for men and women and heavy industrial footwear. “Our ongoing commitment to research and development means we’re continually seeking to improve on comfort, protection, performance and aesthetics tomatch the renown it and value of our products”, explains Blundstone Joint CEO AdamBlake. In 2021 Blundstone remains committed tomaking the best boots for everyday work and play. To ensure the standard of manufacturingmeets its stringent quality standards, Blundstone is a Quality Endorsed Company to ISO9001. Local suppliers are a vital part of the brands’ success in New Zealand, includingWanganui based Tasman Tanning Company, which produces a selection of the ine leathers used in Blundstone and John Bull footwear. Built on a tradition of craftsmanship, rigorous quality control and innovation, Tasman Tanning Company’s philosophy is a goodmatch for Blundstone, which has forged its reputation on quality and workmanship. Corporate social responsibility is paramount to the ongoing success of Blundstone, with responsible and ethical business practices an important driving force. Their boots are designed to last—maximisingmaterials to ensure minimal waste with maximumquality. The brand is also unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that the people making its product are employed ethically and are free from exploitation. At a local level, this means that employment standards within its suppliers exceed the minimum government-prescribed standards in the country of operation. They also strive tominimise their environmental impact by only working with suppliers that they believe are su iciently active inminimising their environmental impact and improving their practices. Blundstone encourages all suppliers to examine and set strategies around waste management, energy consumption, water usage and handling, and emissions. From its beginnings in Tasmania, Australia, Blundstone is now a global leader in footwear, with its boots available in over 70 countries worldwide, across six continents. “For over 150 years, our commitment and responsibility to our community has remained unchanged,” says Adam. “The di erence is that our community now reaches the furthest points of the globe. We are grateful to our value chain partners, such as Tasman Tanning Company, who work alongside us to produce our quality products.”