Eco Choice Aotearoa is managed by The New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust, an independent, not-for-profit organisation.
Andy joined the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in 2020 as Director Auckland.
He has significant government experience and prior to his current role spent 15 years working for the Ministry for Primary Industries focused on policy development and natural resource management. Over that period Andy had secondments to the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and as Private Secretary to Hon Stuart Nash, the then Minister of Fisheries.
Environmental sustainability, and the science that supports it, have been a feature throughout Andy’s career and prior to joining government he spent 9 years in marine research at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research.
Andy holds a Master of Science degree in environmental and marine science from Auckland University, and a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Canterbury.
Sarah was appointed in 2018 to lead Colmar Brunton, New Zealand’s leading agency for market and social research after being invited to join the business in 2013 as Chief Client Officer.
Prior to that she spent 12 years in the United Kingdom as an international researcher and planner. She is skilled in using human understanding combined with data-based insights to identify growth opportunities for businesses and brands.
In the last five years Sarah has championed important projects for the business including the Colmar Brunton Corporate Reputation Index, published annually in the National Business Review. She has also fronted Colmar Brunton’s Better Futures Report, a longitudinal study that raises the profile of the need for sustainable practices in business. She is a member of Kantar’s Leadership Acceleration Programme and won Gold at the 2018 Research Association Effectiveness Awards NZ for her reputation building work with Fonterra.
Colmar Brunton is owned by Kantar, one of the world’s largest research, data and insights agencies and part of the WPP network.
Huia joined ecostore as research and development manager in 2007. Prior to joining ecostore, Huia was the research and development manager at Fletcher Building in their specialist Coil Coating operation and quality and research development chemist in dental and paint industries. Huia holds a BSc Chemistry from Auckland University.
For the past twelve years, Huia has been at the tiller of ecostore’s product development program. Taking the vision from ecostore’s founders Malcolm and Melanie Rands and realising it through elegant plant and mineral based products. Huia’s career in small and large entities at different stages of their sustainability journeys has brought valuable experience to ecostore. He deeply considers and balances both human and environmental factors, whilst delivering financial value. Huia understands the challenges facing businesses endeavouring to adopt sustainable practices. Huia’s focus on renewable technology helped materialise a global first in converting ecostore packaging from petrochemical plastic to plastic made from sugarcane. His holistic approach ensures adherence to the purpose and principles which underpins the number one most recognised sustainable brand for five years in a row (Colmar Brunton Better Futures Report, 2014-2018).
Andrew is Director of Movida NZ Ltd, a brand marketing consultancy. He has 25 years’ experience in strategic branding, marketing consulting and management leadership roles.
He has worked with local and international companies across a broad spectrum of industries, assisting them in rethinking their brands and developing their strategic and creative roadmaps.
Andrew has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University, has lived abroad for many years and is passionate about Aotearoa’s potential as a model for sustainable performance and as a catalyst for a global change for good.
Gael has significant governance and executive leadership experience in the local government, corporate and community sectors. Over a career spanning the past four decades, Gael has worked at the forefront of environmental stewardship, climate action and sustainability in New Zealand and overseas.
Gael has held a number of previous governance roles. Over the past few years, she has been an active member of the Auckland Carbon Action Plan Steering Group , Chair of the Natural Environment Steering Group and Auckland Council’s nominated trustee on the Te Motu a Hiaroa (Puketutu Island) Governance Trust working alongside mana whenua and iwi to develop the island. External to council, Gael has been either the Founder, Chair or a Board member for the Sustainable Business Network, Enviro-schools, Resource Management Law Association and the Tread Lightly Charitable Trust.
Gael has recently resigned as the General Manager Environmental Services at Auckland Council, following eight years in the role. During this time Gael led a department of 140 staff responsible for Auckland Council’s 10 -year $500 million capital and operating investment in community climate action, education for sustainability, biodiversity and biosecurity programmes. Prior to Auckland Council, Gael was a Senior Principal with AECOM (formerly URS) where she founded and led the company’s sustainability and climate change practices in New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. Through these leadership positions, Gael has amassed significant overseas experience carrying out environmental management projects in more than 30 countries.
As a Social Entrepreneur, Gael has been a driving force behind the Tread Lightly Caravan which has successfully educated thousands of New Zealand school children to consciously change their lifestyle for the betterment of the planet. She is currently in the process of launching a new business venture to highlight and celebrate New Zealand’s native flora and fauna.
Chloe Van Dyke is the founder and director of Chia Sisters; an innovative, sustainable, and health-focused beverage business, and co-founder of Businesses For Climate Action; an organisation that brings industries together in Te Tau Ihu to collectively work on their environmental impact. Both are recognised for their significant contribution to environmental leadership in Aotearoa.
She has strong international connections in social and environmental entrepreneurship as an Edmund Hillary fellow, Asia Pacific Obama leader, SheEO venture, and Asia New Zealand Foundation member. She was a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the year and the winner of the Deloitte fast 50 regional rising star award.
Chloe holds a Bachelor of Science and Post Graduate Diploma in Neuroscience. Along with Neuroscience she has a particular interest in business ethics, sustainable systems, collaborative models, and intergenerational thinking.
Born in Tonga, Saia Latu grew up in South Auckland and left school in the fourth form starting work at 14. Today, Saia has overcome obstacles to become a leading Pacific business entrepreneur as the Founder, CEO, and General Manager of TROW Group. With more than two decades of experience in deconstruction, civil infrastructure, and maintenance, Saia’s focus is to create a circular economy where businesses can benefit and help Maori and Pasifika communities, while also providing them with the support and the opportunities that they wouldn’t typically have.
Some of the awards Saia and TROW Group have received - the 2022 Westpac “Community Contribution Award”, the 2021 runner-up Kiwi bank “innovation of the year”, the 2021 Zero waste awards “Excellence in Innovation”, the 2020 Business Trust Pacific “Entrepreneur of the Year Award”, the 2019 Sustainable Business Network “Partnering for Good Award”, the 2018 Sunpix “Pacific Enterprise Award”, the 2017 NZ Tonga Bussiness Council “Corporate Executive Award”.
As Saia continues to find more sustainable ways to benefit our Pasifika people, he is also the driving force of Trow Group's leadership in the industry - Encouraging others to discover more sustainable solutions by following in the footprints of our vision, Building the Future, Restoring the Past.
Kate has c. 15 years’ legal and banking and finance experience, and is a Director in the ESG Advisory team at Westpac. Prior to joining the banking sector in 2017, Kate worked in private practice as a banking and finance lawyer in London and Aotearoa.
Kate has closely followed sustainability in banking since the inception of the Sustainable Finance market in New Zealand, and is passionate about supporting New Zealand businesses to thrive in the transition to a low emissions, nature-positive, and more sustainable economy.
In a changing world, it is critical for New Zealand businesses to retain their competitive advantage by being able to evidence their commitment to sustainability, and Eco Choice’s ecolabelling service does just that.
As part of the Institute of Director’s Future Director’s programme, Kate is thrilled to have the opportunity to begin her contribution to ‘Good Green Governance’ at Eco Choice.
Laura Gemmell, joined Eco Choice from World Vision International. Laura was part of the World Vision team for more than a decade, holding a range of roles in public engagement, reputation management and communications. Laura has a journalism and communications background and has recently completed a post-graduate course in Business Sustainability Management through the University of Cambridge.
Keeli joined Eco Choice as the Administration Manager in October 2018. Keeli will be the first port-of-call when making contact with our office, using her sound background in management and accounting to support our everyday operations. As a mother of two, Keeli is passionate about ensuring a sustainable future for our planet and future generations. She’s proud and excited to be a part of Eco Choice and we’re pleased to have her onboard.
Stella Jeon, a proponent of meaningful partnerships, joined Eco Choice as the Business Development Manager in July 2022. Stella has worked for clients and stakeholders at both extremes of the world's wealth in her diverse career across international development, sales and marketing. As a life-long learner, she has a postgraduate social psychology background from the University of Auckland and recently completed a postgraduate certificate in the Human Potential in the Digital Economy at Tech Futures Lab. People and their behaviour always fascinated her. This passion only deepened with academic and professional experience that revealed the intersections of social justice, sustainability & businesses, and how mutually dependent they are on one another. She is excited to join Eco Choice to work with industry-leading businesses and leaders that are on a sustainability journey.
Eco Choice is pleased to welcome our new Business Development Manager Marie Guerreiro.
Before discovering the magic of New Zealand and working for Sustainability Trust in Wellington, Marie worked in France, England, Mexico and the Netherlands where she got her experience in Intercultural Management & Marketing Development.
Marie holds a trilingual master’s degree in International Business. She is a traveller with an entrepreneurial spirit, who loves pro-bono actions, inspiring stories, and who is deeply driven by social and environmental justice.