Hong Kong: Agility, a leading global logistics provider who earlier this year became the first international freight forwarder in New Zealand to be awarded carboNZero certification, has achieved another first: moving the first ever carboNZero Certified freight shipment for their long-time customer Trilogy.

Trilogy, a Wellington based producer of skincare products and an export success story, have since their inception run their business with a commitment to environmental, cultural and ethical sustainability and in 2007 became the first New Zealand skincare company to achieve carbon neutral certification. While Trilogy is not certified under the carboNZero programme they are independently certified to the new ISO greenhouse gas standard.
”It was from discussions with customers like Trilogy that created the impetus to set out down the path to carbon neutrality” said Anthony Browne, Agility’s New Zealand CEO. “Trilogy not only has a strong philosophy of doing business sustainably, but is exporting to markets where consumers are increasingly making ethical decisions about what products they will buy”.

Sarah Gibbs, co-founder of Trilogy said “When we started Trilogy in 2002, we wanted to create products that were sourced from nature, and we firmly believe that as we rely on the quality of our natural environment for the quality of our products, we have a vested interest in operating in a way that minimises any impact on that same environment”.

Trilogy began talking with Agility earlier this year about the opportunity to include their export supply chain in a commitment to sustainability that already includes the use of organically produced rosehip oil in many of their products, the use of 100% recyclable packaging and being strongly against animal testing. 
Sarah Gibbs sees the role of a carbon neutral supply chain as not only good for the environment, but also good for business. “Overseas consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact on the environment of freight in getting New Zealand made products to international markets”.

Anthony Browne stated “We are incredibly pleased to be able to undertake this first carboNZero certified shipment with our long time customers Trilogy”.

Sarah Gibbs added “Agility have been with us from day one, and helped us establish our brand in overseas markets such as Australia, the US and Canada, the UK and Europe, and now throughout Asia. This is a great next step in the evolution of our partnership“.

For the record, the shipment was an ocean freight shipment of a 20’ container destined for Trilogy’s customers in Australia. The transportation of this shipment generated 118 grams of carbon emissions, which was offset with a carbon credit worth NZ$2.95, to be invested in alternative energy production projects.