accreditations

Organizations & Awards

At Kuaka New Zealand we pride ourselves on our sustainable business practices & our proud reputation of exceeding our customers’ expectations. We are a responsible business working to enhance the environments & communities through conservation initiatives & education. We work to leave New Zealand better than we found it.

To that end we are working with the following organisations:

Qualmark (Tourism Standards Authority) Sustainable Tourism Business Silver Award We are nationally recognized for continuously improving our economic, social & environmental performance. Alongside a government health & safety system audit. Ensuring we deliver a genuine, constantly improving sustainable experience. — **Qualmark**
(Tourism Standards Authority)
**Sustainable Tourism Business Silver Award**
We are nationally recognized for continuously improving our economic, social & environmental performance. Alongside a government health & safety system audit. Ensuring we deliver a genuine, constantly improving sustainable experience.

Department of Conservation Approved As an approved Department of Conservation operator we are recognized as having exceeded all environmental & safety requirements to work in, & to lead groups through New Zealand's protected environmental areas. — **Department of Conservation Approved**
As an approved Department of Conservation operator we are recognized as having exceeded all environmental & safety requirements to work in, & to lead groups through New Zealand's protected environmental areas.

Sustainable Business Network We have been a proud member of the Sustainable Business Network for over 20 years, an organisation dedicated to helping businesses generate profit that benefits communities, employees & our natural environment. — **Sustainable Business Network**
We have been a proud member of the Sustainable Business Network for over 20 years, an organisation dedicated to helping businesses generate profit that benefits communities, employees & our natural environment.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council We have a strong working relationship & manage several reforestation sites under Biodiversity Management Plan agreements with our local regional government. — **Bay of Plenty Regional Council**
We have a strong working relationship & manage several reforestation sites under Biodiversity Management Plan agreements with our local regional government.

Project Tauranga Partner We are an authorized partner of local goverment, working with them on environmental restoration projects in public spaces. — **Project Tauranga Partner**
We are an authorized partner of local goverment, working with them on environmental restoration projects in public spaces.

German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce As a member of GNZCC we have fostered closer ties to European markets, to help European travelers offset the environmental impacts of their travel. — **German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce**
As a member of GNZCC we have fostered closer ties to European markets, to help European travelers offset the environmental impacts of their travel.

Previous Awards

Green Globe Certified 2006 - 2008 We were the first tour company in New Zealand to achieve Green Globe Certification. This process focused us on triple-bottom-line reporting & sustainable supply chain management, which we continue to this day. — **Green Globe Certified**
2006 - 2008
We were the first tour company in New Zealand to achieve Green Globe Certification.
This process focused us on triple-bottom-line reporting & sustainable supply chain management, which we continue to this day.

Qualmark (Tourism Standards Authority) Enviro Gold Award 2013 - 2017 We achieved the highest possible Qualmark enviro-standard. Nationally recognizing us for exceeding the highest levels of environmental & social responsibility in all aspects of our operation. — **Qualmark**
(Tourism Standards Authority)
**Enviro Gold Award**
2013 - 2017
We achieved the highest possible Qualmark enviro-standard.
Nationally recognizing us for exceeding the highest levels of environmental & social responsibility in all aspects of our operation.

Excellence in the Enviroment Award 2013 Tourism Awards “For showing commitment to providing a high value tourism product that is focused on a unique environmental visitor experience in the Bay of Plenty Region.” — **Excellence in the Enviroment Award**
2013 Tourism Awards
“For showing commitment to providing a high value tourism product that is focused on a unique environmental visitor experience in the Bay of Plenty Region.”

Innovation Award Environment Bay of Plenty Sustainable Business Challenge — **Innovation Award**
Environment Bay of Plenty Sustainable Business Challenge

Environmental & Social Responsibility

OUR AIM IS TO DO MORE THAN MINIMIZE IMPACTS - KUAKA NEW ZEALAND IS A POSITIVE INFLUENCE.
WE ENHANCE - & HELP YOU ENHANCE - NEW ZEALAND AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH IT.

New Zealand is our product. As such New Zealand's social & environmental welfare is fundamentally important to us.
When we say we want to "enhance New Zealand through educational travel" we're talking about conducting our business in a completely sustainable manner. This means improving both the social & natural environments through the actions of our business.

We've been actively involved in native habitat restoration for 20+ years. And with the help of thousands of students we have been able to make a real & significant difference.

Learn More

310,000
rainforest trees planted

188,000
conservation volunteer hours

88,000
new rainforest seedlings grown

20,000
metres of walking tracks constructed

ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

Kuaka New Zealand is a business that operates to enhance the environments & communities with which it interacts.
International visitors' experiences are designed to benefit New Zealand by engagement in positive actions to support our environment & communities.
In so doing, we also provide visitors with a real & worthwhile tourism experience.

OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

Kuaka New Zealand is committed to business practices that support strong local communities & healthy environments.
We also believe that well resourced, interactive & informed communities will naturally look after their own environment.

Tiaki Promise

Tiaki means ‘to care & protect’ in Te Reo Māori.

The Tiaki Promise is a New Zealand initiative encouraging ‘Kiwis’ & visitors alike to experience New Zealand in a way that keeps everyone safe, protects our environment, respects our culture & protects the country for future generations.

We share the values of Tiaki & wholeheartedly endorse the Tiaki Promise.
Everyone of our programs will adhere to it’s principals & encourage all our visitors to act as guardians of Aotearoa New Zealand.

CARE FOR LAND, SEA & NATURE, treading lightly & leaving no trace — **CARE FOR LAND, SEA & NATURE,** treading lightly & leaving no trace

TRAVEL SAFELY, showing care & consideration for all — **TRAVEL SAFELY,**
showing care & consideration for all

RESPECT CULTURE, travelling with an open heart & mind — **RESPECT CULTURE,**
travelling with an open heart & mind

THE MICRO GEOPOLITICS OF (ECO)TOURISM
Competing Discourses & Collaboration in New Zealand and Brazil

We are in an unique position of having a strong academic model that directly relates to the actual programs that we are running. We now base some of the readings for our Sustainability & Service Learning programs on abstracts & chapters from this academic work.

Organizations & Awards

Environmental & Social Responsibility

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