Camden Howitt
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year
2023
Genesis
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year
Te Toa Taiao o te Tau
The people working towards a sustainable and thriving future for Aotearoa. Making remarkable contributions to the wellbeing of our planet. They are actively engaged in initiatives that protect, restore, and regenerate the environment of Aotearoa, and beyond.
Nominees for this Award must:
- Demonstrate tangible actions, with proven impact, towards global sustainability goals focused on environment – including (but not limited to) climate change, air and water pollution, water scarcity, food insecurity, deforestation, rising sea levels, loss of species and habitat biodiversity, or loss of indigenous environmental knowledge and traditions.
- Show significant impact within the past year.
- Serve as role models fellow New Zealanders (and beyond) – inspiring a sustainable and thriving future for Aotearoa.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as the 2025 New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE
How does the planet benefit from the mahi, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: COMMITMENT
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, creativity/innovation, and create change? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive contribution, with proven impact, towards sustainability (particularly over the last 12 -months)? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT
If known, how does the nominee plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
Camden Howitt
Camden Howitt has spent the past 14 years devoted to ending ocean pollution and regenerating nature. As Co-Founder of national charity Sustainable Coastlines, new recruit on PwC′s Sustainability and Climate Change team, member of the Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance, and Edmund Hillary Fellow, Camden is an inspiring leader and a driving force for collaborative and scaleable solutions for te taiao. He has designed and delivered community environmental programmes around Aotearoa and the South Pacific; engaging 150,000 volunteers in protecting the places they love. Alongside his everyday mahi, Camden is also a regular contributor to national and global sustainability dialogue who consistently pushes for innovation and collaboration; twice addressing the United Nations in New York and presenting at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. Most importantly, his dedication is making an impact. To date, the charity team has removed a staggering 1.7 million litres of litter from our coastlines; planted 330,000 trees to restore waterways; provided education for ocean action for 250,000 school students and businesses, and contributed data to inform several of Aotearoa′s single-use plastic product bans.
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Championing
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year
Malcolm Johns
Chief Executive, Genesis
Genesis proudly supports the New Zealander of the Year category – Sustainability Leader of the Year 2025, underscoring our dedication to supporting New Zealand to reach its target of net zero 2050. We’re investing in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, while seeking to protect and restore the environments in which we operate. In sponsoring this Award Genesis wishes to celebrate those leading the way in sustainability, showing what’s possible and inspiring others.
