Our Commitment To Sustainability

At NewZeal, we believe true sustainability means honouring place, supporting people, and making thoughtful decisions that reflect our values, even when those choices are complex.

As a family-owned and operated business, we’ve made a deliberate decision not to pursue traditional carbon offsetting through non-native pine forest plantations or similar models. The environmental and ethical implications, especially the impact on productive farmland and biodiversity in Aotearoa, don’t sit well with us. We continue to search for a viable alternative that will allow us to carbon offset responsibly, and believe we will be able to start our offsetting journey this year.

Meanwhile, we’ve committed to a grounded, transparent, and locally impactful model- one that’s as real as the places we travel.

EVERY GUEST MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

For every guest experience, NewZeal has pledged to financially contribute to a partner conservation and restoration organisation that reflects the nature of the trip:

Wai Wānaka – for our water-based adventures
Southern Lakes Sanctuary – for our hiking and private guiding
Wakatipu Reforestation Trust – for our helicopter-accessed trips

This means our contributions are:

Directly supporting biodiversity, waterways, and conservation in the regions we operate
Tangible, visible, and accountable
Linked to the stories and places our guests connect with

It’s an honest, place-based way of giving back, and we’re proud to stand behind it.

WE'RE WORKING TO

BECOME B-CORP

CERTIFIED

We’re working toward becoming a Certified B Corporation, a globally recognised standard for businesses that meet rigorous environmental, social, and ethical criteria.

Application planned for late 2025
Certification expected early 2026

This will strengthen our accountability and give us a framework for continuous improvement.

WE BELIEVE IN

THE TIAKI PROMISE

We actively support the Tiaki Promise, which encourages visitors to care for Aotearoa’s people, places, and culture. We do this through educating our customers about the precious natural environments in which we operate, and making direct financial contributions to their protection and restoration.

Travelling with NewZeal means more than exploring—it means learning about and protecting what makes these places unique.

CONNECTION

TO PLACE

At NewZeal, we create space for awareness, reflection, and genuine connection with the natural world.

Whether standing at the edge of a glacial lake, listening to the quiet of an alpine valley, or navigating a remote river, something shifts when people experience these environments firsthand. Our guides are at the heart of this experience. They are carefully trained experts who know the landscapes we travel, the ecosystems we protect, and the subtle signs that make each environment unique. This knowledge allows them to share stories, insights, and practices that help guests understand the fragility and value of these places.

We are also deepening these connections through partnerships with local environmental and conservation organisations. By working with groups such as Wai Wānaka, Southern Lakes Sanctuary, and Wakatipu Reforestation Trust, we are able to bring guests closer to meaningful, place-based conservation work. From understanding how waterways are protected to seeing native trees being restored, clients can witness real-world efforts to care for the land.

Our guides model sustainable practices throughout every experience, from route choices to waste management, and they open thoughtful conversations where appropriate. This approach allows guests to see, feel, and understand the environments they explore, inspiring them to help us protect them.

When people feel a place fully, and understand their role in its stewardship, that is where real change begins. And that is the kind of experience we aim to create on every NewZeal journey.

REGENERATIVE

OPERATIONS

Our responsibility starts with how we operate:

Solar power runs our base
We restore and rewild our land, planting native trees and encouraging biodiversity
We prioritise local suppliers and minimise transport duplication

TRANSPARENT

REPORTING

By August 2026, we will have released a public sustainability and impact summary across NewZeal and NewZeal Teams. It will include:

Annual contributions to partner organisations
Milestones in our B-Corp journey
Updates on regeneration of our own land
Plans for the next stage of our sustainability evolution

IMPACT REPORT

What we have raised since July 2025 (last updated 26/08/25)

WAI
WĀNAKA

$675

SOUTHERN LAKES SANCTUARY

$650

WHAKATIPU REFORESTRY TRUST

$275

Connecting to the South Island Wilderness

Our wilderness experiences take place across the South Island of New Zealand, an environment as fragile as it is powerful. These landscapes invite us in, but they also remind us of our responsibility to tread carefully. Respect here is not optional; it is the foundation of every journey we lead.

The contrasts of this land are striking. At times it will push you to your limits, at others it will leave you humbled and still. In those moments, we discover not only resilience but also a deeper connection: to ourselves, to others, and to the natural world that sustains us.

For more than 20 years, we’ve been uncovering extraordinary places and designing experiences that protect and celebrate them. We work alongside local communities and conservation partners to ensure that what inspires today is safeguarded for tomorrow. Every step, every story, every shared challenge is part of a greater commitment: to leave this environment richer than we found it.

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