The Sustainability Society

What The Sustainability Society does

The Sustainability Society is a non-profit professional membership organisation and Technical Interest Group within Engineering New Zealand, founded in 2003 (originally as NZSSES, the NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science). It operates as a national network connecting sustainability practitioners across engineering, science, architecture, planning, design, and innovation disciplines working on the built environment in Aotearoa New Zealand. The society takes a complex systems approach, emphasising the interconnection of human and natural systems, and serves professionals in government, business, NGOs, Crown Research Institutes, and academia.

Its core offerings are event-based programmes rather than technology products. These include Green Thinks (a nationwide forum series held simultaneously across Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga, and Christchurch with online access), Green Drinks (quarterly informal networking in Auckland and Wellington), Sustainaganza (an annual one-day forum launched in 2023), Friday Forums, a webinar series covering topics such as Māori Urbanism, passenger rail, climate adaptation, and circular economy, and Waterwalks (community-oriented walks reconnecting practitioners with urban waterways). The society previously hosted a biennial International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science (2004, 2007, 2008, 2010) with peer-reviewed proceedings.

The business model is membership-funded. Individual memberships are priced at NZ$60 + GST per year, with discounted rates for retirees, part-time students, and graduates (NZ$40), and free membership for full-time students. Organisational memberships are priced at NZ$750 + GST per year, including three full individual seats, website profile, and webinar access for all employees. Event registration is free for members; non-members pay standard rates for selected short courses, workshops, and conferences. The society is volunteer-governed by an 8-member executive committee, with a paid Manager (Sarah Skillen), and receives secretariat support from Engineering New Zealand.

Name

The Sustainability Society

Legal name

The Sustainability Society

Website

https://thesustainabilitysociety.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sustainability Society is a non-profit membership organisation and Technical Interest Group of Engineering New Zealand that connects sustainability practitioners across engineering, science, architecture, planning, and design disciplines through events, forums, and webinars focused on Aotearoa's built environment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Sustainability Community Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environment, Climate & Sustainability Congresses (THAHAJAH), Community Environmental & Sustainability Events (Earth Day, Clean-Up Festivals) (MPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Sustainability professional network
• Built environment events
• Membership organisation
• Sustainability webinars
• Community forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Fees: Full membership at NZ$60 + GST per year; retirees, part-time students and graduates (first 5 years of career) at NZ$40 + GST; full-time students free. Membership runs October to September.
2. Organisational Membership Fees: Organisational membership at NZ$750 + GST per year, with discounted rate of $40 + GST for additional individuals from member organisations. Includes three full individual memberships for nominated representatives.
3. Event Registration Fees: Members receive free registration to forums and webinars. Discounted rates apply to fee-paying short courses, workshops, seminars and conferences. Non-members attend at standard rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Sustainability Society operates as a national membership network fostering sustainability across New Zealand's built environment. It delivers a portfolio of paid and free programs including the Green Thinks forum series, Green Drinks networking events, the annual Sustainaganza forum, the Friday Forums series, Waterwalks, a webinar series, and Individual and Organisational membership subscriptions. Activities are designed to connect sustainability practitioners, researchers, government agencies, NGOs and students through events, knowledge sharing, and policy engagement.

Product overview

The Sustainability Society is a professional membership organization (Technical Interest Group of Engineering New Zealand) that offers a suite of programs and services rather than a unified commercial product. Its core offerings include event-based programs (Green Thinks forums, Green Drinks networking, Sustainaganza annual conference, Friday Forums, and Webinar Series) and membership services (Individual and Organisational memberships). The Society also runs community programs like Waterwalks and has historically hosted the International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science. These services are provided to sustainability practitioners across New Zealand's built environment sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual membership for individuals providing free registration to forums and webinars, discounted rates for fee-paying events, regular newsletter updates, negotiated discounts for affiliate events, and opportunities to contribute to policy submissions and showcase research. Full membership at NZ$60 + GST per year; retirees, part-time students and graduates (first five years of career) at NZ$40 + GST; full-time students free.
• Organisational Membership Corporate membership at NZ$750 + GST per year including three full individual memberships for nominated representatives, profile on website, access to all webinar series for all employees, opportunities to showcase sustainability practice, and collaboration on strategic projects with the Society. Additional individuals from member organisations at NZ$40 + GST each.
• Green Thinks Events Nationwide forum series held simultaneously in Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch with an online option, featuring presentations by thought leaders on sustainability topics including site design, regenerative thinking, and climate adaptation. Open to members (free) and non-members (paid).
• Green Drinks Events Informal quarterly networking gatherings held in Auckland and Wellington for sustainability practitioners to connect and share ideas, hosted by Organisational Members such as Awa Environmental.
• Sustainaganza Forum Annual one-day forum bringing together innovators and change-makers working across urban development disciplines to explore complex sustainability challenges in Aotearoa, including a Community Showcase Public Event.
• Webinar Series Online webinar programming covering topics including Māori Urbanism, passenger rail, Te Mana o te Wai, urban ecology, circularity, and doughnut economics application in the built environment, with Q&A sessions and published recordings.
• Waterwalks Walking events held in Auckland, Wellington and Nelson that reconnect community members and built environment practitioners with local waterways, providing historical and future-oriented perspectives on urban waterways across Aotearoa. Online recordings are also available.
• Friday Forums Regular forum sessions covering sustainability topics including transport, water management, green infrastructure, buildings, and energy futures.
• International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science Biennial international academic conference series covering sustainability engineering and science topics, with published peer-reviewed proceedings. Held in Auckland in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 250 attendees across learning events in 2009/2010 financial year with twelve learning events offered
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Aotearoa Climate Adaptation NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on the Green Thinks Wellington Winter Edition event organised in conjunction with the Aotearoa Climate Adaptation Network Annual Hui in Wellington, focusing on intertwining regenerative thinking with climate adaptation.
• Engineering New Zealand (Green Thinks events)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint hosting of Green Thinks events across New Zealand. Green Thinks is an event series held simultaneously in Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga, and Christchurch with online options, collaboratively organised with Engineering New Zealand.
• Engineering New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003The Sustainability Society is a Technical Interest Group within Engineering New Zealand, operating under the rules of Engineering New Zealand. The society was formed in 2003 (as NZSSES) and maintains this formal relationship for governance and administrative support. The society's secretariat is c/o Engineering NZ in Wellington.
• Tonkin + TaylorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding organisational member of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council in NZ. Provides sustainability and resilience strategy services. Contact Denise Richter and Erica Olesson (current TSS Chair). Contributes case studies and hosts events.
• Morphum EnvironmentalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisational member providing environmental consultancy services including civil engineering, stormwater management, and water sensitive design. Contact: Caleb Clarke and Stu Farrant. Supports Waterwalks events and hosts Green Drinks.
• Mott MacDonaldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisational member and Advisory Sector Lead for New Zealand. Specialises in integrated environmental sustainability for the built environment. Contact: Warner Brunton.
• Awa EnvironmentalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganisational member, a New Zealand employee-owned business providing water infrastructure, urban spaces, catchment planning, environmental, and technology services. Hosts Green Drinks Auckland events. Contact: Karen Creagh.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New Zealand Green Building Council:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/showcase/9502850
• Xx.com/SustSociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/thesustainabilitysociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sustainability-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sustainability Society