Have you noticed sustainability questions appearing more and more on tender documents? If you're bidding for government work or contracts with large corporations, you probably have.

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Sustainability requirements that used to be optional 'nice-to-haves' are now mandatory sections that can make or break your proposal. SMEs across New Zealand are finding themselves locked out of lucrative contracts simply because they can't demonstrate the actions they're taking towards sustainability.

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Traditional sustainability consultants charge $5,000+ just for an initial carbon assessment, and that's before you even start offsetting. For most SMEs, that's simply not possible.

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The procurement reality check

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Government agencies and large corporations are under intense pressure to meet their own net-Zero commitments. This means they're pushing sustainability requirements down the supply chain faster than ever before. What started as voluntary corporate social responsibility has become mandatory procurement criteria.

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The challenge for small businesses? These tender requirements often ask for:

• Formal carbon footprint measurements
• Evidence of ongoing offsetting activities
• Detailed sustainability reporting
• Third-party verification of environmental claims

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Missing any of these elements means your tender goes straight into the rejection pile, regardless of how competitive your pricing or service quality might be.

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"[...] some of our big clients are demanding that their suppliers reduce emissions as part of their contracts." - Blair Hesp

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Documentation that wins tenders: Positive Business Certificate

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Here's where smart SMEs are getting ahead. Instead of scrambling to meet sustainability requirements at tender time, they're building ongoing carbon management into their business operations.

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The Positive Business Certificate is a simple, but effective document generated automatically with the most recent number on the carbon footprint and native trees. Most SMEs don't need an extensive report full of graphs and fancy terms, they just need evidence on:

• Ongoing offsetting evidence: measurement & planting native trees
• Professional credentials: CarbonInvoice as a trusted third-party provider
• Measurement approach details: description of the measurement method and how it happens in the background

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"Our recruitment firm needed something simple for government tenders." - Guy Day at Potentia

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How do you get your business' certificate? Start by measuring with us

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CarbonInvoice provides the Positive Business Certificate once you've measured your carbon footprint and started funding native trees.

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This is how you can start:

• Sign up: Go to the CarbonInvoice App and create an account
• Connect accounting data: Use the Xero or MYOB integrations to connect your existing accounting system to the CarbonInvoice App for an accurate measurement
• Get your results: Get your results in dollars and native trees
• Pay for your native trees: Start funding them on a monthly basis for ongoing impact

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Say goodbye to complex spreadsheets or consultant fees required. Within minutes, you have professional-grade carbon measurement that meets tender requirements.

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The competitive edge

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While your competitors scramble to meet sustainability requirements at tender deadline, you're already demonstrating ongoing and legitimate carbon action. Having proper carbon management in place doesn't just help you win contracts - it helps you keeping them as sustainability requirements continue to tighten year by year.

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Last thoughts from us: in an increasingly competitive tender environment, professional carbon action is no longer optional. It's essential for businesses that serious about winning big contracts.