EP9 - Steve Bonnici shares how Urgent Couriers is Delivering on Sustainability
Sustainably Ever AfterShow Notes
In this bonus season-ending episode, Lilah McDonald interviews Steve Bonnici, the visionary behind Urgent Couriers, New Zealand's first carbon-neutral courier company. They dive into Steve's journey from being a courier in the 1980s to building an innovative business committed to environmental responsibility. Key Takeaways: Steve shares his backstory, growing up on the West Coast and starting Urgent Couriers at 25. His early work as a courier inspired him to create a company focused on exceptional service. Steve speaks to the challenges of transitioning from being part of a team to leading one, and how he initially trained his drivers to sell services door-to-door. How Steve's MBA project in the late 1990s catalysed Urgent Couriers' commitment to sustainability. The steps to becoming carbon-neutral, including measuring emissions, creating reduction plans, and working with Toitū Envirocare. Initiatives such as replacing cars with e-bikes for central city deliveries and driver training for fuel efficiency. The limitations of current electric vehicle technology for courier needs, and the efforts to swap to lower-emission vehicles as viable options emerge. Why Urgent Couriers' sustainability efforts attract eco-conscious customers. Steve's advice to businesses wanting to reduce their carbon footprint: "It's not as hard as you think and often makes good business sense." - If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to rate the podcast on Spotify or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. That way more people can find us and learn about Sustainability! A special thanks to sponsors of this podcast, OfficeMax, whose vision it is to empower sustainable and successful workplaces. Learn more about how they can help your business at www.officemax.co.nz Get in touch: Website - nzbusiness.co.nz/podcasts Instagram - @sustainablyeverafterpodcast Find out more about Urgent Couriers: Website - urgent.co.nz Facebook - @urgentcouriers Instagram - @urgentcouriers LinkedIn - Urgent Couriers Limited
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