T&G Global is one of the largest growers of fresh produce in New Zealand.
Every year, the company gives its permanent employees the opportunity to volunteer for one day to support a charity or organisation that they’re passionate about (we love these guys already!).
For the past couple of years, the Nelson office has coordinated a group day so that staff work on a local project together. Organiser Tarnia Nixon says, “This is a great opportunity to give back to our local community and also have fun mixing with other work colleagues doing something that is not apples-related!”
Conservation seems to be a recurring theme with the Nelson team. In 2019, they cleaned fences, made traps and cleared drains for Brook Sanctuary. This year, they pitched in for a day in early December to support Battle for the Banded Rail—a project Tarnia admits few of the staff knew about previously.
The group spent a very productive day on Bronte Peninsula’s TDC Reserve, tidying up plantings carried out over the last two or three years. B4BR’s coordinators Kathryn and Tracey introduced everyone to the process of plant releasing and set them to work. (Plant releasing involves taking plant guards off plants or, if the plants are too small to have their guards removed, pulling out or cutting back any weeds inside the guards to free them up).
According to Tarnia, the T&G crew had a ball. “We all had a fun day with plenty of laughs, banter and even some productive work discussions!” she says. “We learnt so much about the Waimea Inlet, banded rail, and the amazing work that your group does planting, weeding and trapping.
“The results [are] clearly evident and amazing.”
Kathryn’s pretty stoked too. “It really was a great achievement and very valuable to the habitat restoration efforts going on,” she says.
Supporting local conservation efforts ticks all the right boxes for businesses. As Tarnia mentioned, it’s a great way to give back to the community but it’s also an opportunity for team building, learning, and getting out in the fresh air—great for morale, great for the planet and, with an energised team, great for business.
Want to get your own team involved? Contact us and we’ll swap ideas.
