Carolyn Bennett
Sustainability & Cruise Manager
Time in role
Since Oct 2018. In current role since February 2020.
Previous position
National Events and Marketing Manager for New Zealand Young Farmers, overseeing the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest.
What does your role involve?
My cruise role involves leading an amazing team of people who ensure our cruise passengers experience the best of Dunedin. Cruise tourism makes a significant contribution to region and I love the vibrancy it brings to Port Chalmers and the wider city.
As project lead for sustainability, I’m focussed on decarbonising our business, adaptation planning and educating our kaimahi on everything sustainability.
What does "sustainability" actually mean for a port company?
It's a lot more than the environment. There are essentially three key aspects: people, planet and prosperity. Each requires the other, if the business is to be sustainable. Basically, the port must balance meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
What is Port Otago doing with regard to sustainability?
We have spent time reviewing and understanding our emissions, and started embedding sustainable thinking into the organisation. Like health and safety, this will take time but, soon, looking at things from a people, plant and prosperity viewpoint will be our new norm.
We are currently using our learnings around emissions to create a emissions reduction roadmap to ensure we meet New Zealand's net carbon zero by 2050. We are setting science based targets, creating climate scenarios and undertaking risk mitigation.
What are ports doing about sustainability?
Ports around the world are working on this, so it's important we share ideas and learn from one another. New Zealand ports have an environmental and sustainability group that meets annually and shares learnings throughout the year.
As you might expect, questions about sustainability generally come from our shipping partners and customers who export to overseas' markets.
What do you most enjoy about your job?
The people at Port Otago. There's such a broad range of people doing different jobs, yet we can come together for a common purpose. I feel very fortunate to lead two key areas of the business.