This week I’ll be attending the NBS Strong Community Symposium in Māpua, where one of the key themes is “Minimising Your Footprint” — building long-term resilience by reducing emissions and adapting to climate change.

It’s a vital conversation for our region. Climate events, supply chain disruptions, and resource constraints are already testing how resilient our communities and organisations truly are.

In my work with Lean and enterprise excellence, I’ve seen that the same principles that drive operational performance can also build environmental and social resilience.

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Lean as a Foundation for Sustainability

At its heart, Lean is about identifying and eliminating waste — not just in processes, but in how we use energy, time, materials, and human effort.

When applied with a sustainability lens, Lean becomes a practical tool for reducing emissions and resource use, while improving outcomes for people and communities.

Some examples include:

• Streamlining workflows to reduce travel and transport emissions
• Improving process flow to cut energy and material waste
• Engaging teams in continuous improvement that supports both performance and sustainability goals

Lean helps make sustainability systematic — measurable, repeatable, and embedded in everyday activity.

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From Efficiency to Resilience

Lean also strengthens an organisation’s ability to adapt to change.

Shorter lead times, clearer communication, and empowered problem-solving teams help organisations respond effectively to disruptions — whether it’s a supply issue, a flood, or a shift in community demand.

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back — it’s about building systems that bend, learn, and improve.

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A Lean and Green Future for Our Region

As communities and councils across the Nelson–Tasman region explore how to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, Lean offers a proven, people-centred pathway.

It’s not another layer of work — it’s a way to embed sustainable thinking into the work we already do.

I’m looking forward to connecting with others at the Symposium who see this potential — and exploring how Lean for Good and Lean for Green approaches can help our region thrive.

If you’re interested in exploring how Lean can support sustainability or community resilience in your organisation, I’d love to connect.

Helping organisations build capability, reduce waste, and achieve meaningful impact.