Climate Change Data

New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2015, 2022-2023)

Reporting Period: 2015

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

  • Economic development
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Social outcomes
  • Māori engagement
  • Worker safety

Environmental Achievements

  • Improved forest productivity through research and development of new tools and technologies
  • Developed a new moisture barrier coating for paperboard to reduce product loss in the chilled goods supply chain
  • Developed a strategy (Urban Equilibrium) to address climate change by using timber-based building materials
  • Research on minimizing the environmental impacts of forest herbicides supported continued use of terbuthylazine and hexazinone under environmental derogation on FSC-certified land

Social Achievements

  • Improved worker safety in steep slope harvesting through the development of new technologies
  • Increased Māori investment in forestry programmes
  • Partnerships with iwi to support economic development and address environmental challenges
  • Outreach programs to engage with schools and communities

Governance Achievements

  • Refined and reviewed Scion’s values
  • Retained Scion’s ACC tertiary Workplace Safety Management Practices accreditation

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Grow forest and wood product exports to $12 billion by 2022
  • Over 70% of logs processed onshore by 2026
  • Māori investment in forestry will have at least doubled to $4 billion by 2026
Medium-term Goals:
  • By 2019, tools, novel forest management approaches and new plant material will be embedded into New Zealand’s forests and forestry practices to support the industry’s target to increase radiata pine Mean Annual Increment from an average of 20 m³ ha-¹ yr-¹ to 35 m³ ha-¹ yr-¹ and in a way that enhances the sustainability of forest growing in New Zealand.
Short-term Goals:
  • By 2016, at least one business case for expansion of new forests onto un-developed land will have been developed by Scion with a regional authority and/or an iwi.
  • By 2016, Ministry for Primary Industries will have adopted a new tool or method developed by Scion and Scion’s research partners to enable early detection and/or eradication of a pest to New Zealand’s forests.
  • By 2016, Scion will have identified radiata pine germplasm with improved resistance to at least one foliar disease.

Environmental Challenges

  • Delayed and reduced public sector funding
  • Concerns over the security of log supply from the late 2020s
  • Regulatory routes to release biotechnologies are not yet available
  • Heightened concerns about biosecurity risks
Mitigation Strategies
  • Sought to grow income from the private sector
  • Added new talents to enhance capabilities in various areas
  • Engaged with regulatory authorities, Crown entities and other stakeholders to define clear pathways for safe and environmentally responsible deployment of biotechnologies
  • Science programmes strive to double forest productivity, reduce forest biosecurity, wind and fire risk

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather
  • Biosecurity incursions
  • Fire
  • Wind damage
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory changes
  • Market shifts
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products
  • Increased demand for renewable materials

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Woodforce technology for thermo-plastic wood composites
  • New moisture barrier coating for paperboard
  • Bio-based products from agricultural waste

Awards & Recognition

  • NZFOA Award for Sector Communication and Engagement (2014)
  • Gold award at the 2014 New Zealand Plastics Industry Design Awards (Adept Plastics)

Reporting Period: 2022-2023

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:To be reported separately after independent verification
Waste Generated:37.86 tonnes/year

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate change
  • Circular bioeconomy
  • Māori partnership
  • Regional economic development

Environmental Achievements

  • Completed a detailed assessment of boiler needs to phase out natural gas by 2030.
  • Started installation of new chillers to increase efficiency and use lower GWP refrigerant.
  • Reduced waste sent to landfill by 4.8 tonnes compared to 2021-22.
  • Diverted 2.2 tonnes of organic waste and 5.8 tonnes of scrap metal from landfill.
  • Installed electrical sub-meters to improve electrical efficiency.

Social Achievements

  • Signed a Kawenata with Ngāti Hurungaterangi, Ngāti Taeotu, and Ngāti Te Kahu.
  • Welcomed a Future Director to the Scion Board to represent Ngā Hapū e Toru.
  • Hosted Indigenous Plant Fibres Symposium.
  • Hosted Ngā Kōrero Rangatira mō Ngā Hua Ngahere 2023 national summit.
  • Launched Te Rātā Whakamaru – Myrtle Rust Jobs for Resistance programme.
  • Indigenous knowledge exchange with Canada and Hawaii.
  • Reduced staff turnover from 18% to 13.9%.
  • Increased staff receiving performance feedback (up 15%)
  • Improved senior leader demonstration of employee importance (up 8%)
  • 84% of departing staff recommended Scion as an employer (increase of 6%).
  • Reduced gender pay gap to 6.3% from 11.6%.

Governance Achievements

  • All Board members are independent.
  • Board oversees Scion’s strategy, financial reporting, risk management, and executive performance.
  • Three standing committees: Audit and Risk, People and Culture, and Master Plan.
  • Executive remuneration policy ensures fair, competitive, and appropriate pay.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • 10-fold increase in GDP from forests and manufacturing
  • Zero carbon emissions
  • All erodible land planted in permanent forests
  • Zero water quality issues from land use
  • Sustainable communities and economies in all regions
  • High OECD household net wealth ranking
  • Much improved living standards
Medium-term Goals:
  • Phasing out natural gas at Rotorua site by 2030.

Environmental Challenges

  • Funding system not aligned with purpose.
  • Barriers to success due to funding limitations.
  • Challenges in recruiting staff due to immigration settings.
  • Need for scale-up infrastructure to de-risk and scale production of innovations.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Ongoing involvement in shaping policies.
  • Working on government and commercial partnerships to secure resources.
  • Working to grow domestic talent pool and draw from international market.
  • Seeking collaboration to secure funding for Bio Innovation Pilot Centre.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier Code of Conduct

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather events (cyclones)
Opportunities
  • Development of energy-efficient products and processes
  • Biobased materials replacing fossil fuels

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Biodegradable plant pots
  • Textile-reinforced roading material
  • Biopolymers from biomass or CO2 and methane

Awards & Recognition

  • Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon Prize for Education 2022
  • New Zealand Plant Protection Society’s medal
  • Peter Molan trophy for Exceptional Contribution to Apiculture
  • Primary Industries Award at the Kudos Awards
  • Australasian Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA) Awards
  • Science New Zealand annual awards