Dane Ambler

For Dane Ambler, sustainability is anchored in responsibility and time. Toitū te whenua, whatungarongaro te tangata — the land remains while people come and go. His guiding belief is clear: our responsibility is to leave things better than we found them. That principle sits at the heart of his work as CEO of Buy NZ Made, shaping how he thinks about impact, procurement, and leadership in Aotearoa.

Dane’s sustainability journey began unexpectedly while studying in Otago, when he wandered into an Environmental Studies lecture and immediately enrolled in the course as a minor. That curiosity took him to Shanghai, where he worked in a sustainable food start-up producing large-scale aquaponics. While the business ultimately failed, the experience left a lasting imprint. It showed him that technology can be ahead of its time — and that shared vision among staff and investors is critical when you’re building something future-focused.

Today, one of the biggest challenges Dane faces is mindset. He often encounters the belief that New Zealand is simply too small to make a difference. His response is firm: “Yes, we are small, but that doesn’t mean we should just forgo sustainable values and initiatives. We should lead the way.” For Dane, buying NZ made is a practical expression of that leadership — particularly when import emissions make up around half of the country’s total footprint.

At Buy NZ Made, sustainability is not optional or abstract. Rather than letting debate stall progress, the organisation focuses on action: measuring its footprint, achieving Toitū certification, and lifting expectations across its network of more than 1,400 licence holders. For the past two years, businesses joining the programme have been required to outline what they are doing to reduce their footprint, aligned with the UN Global Goals. Local procurement and reducing import emissions sit at the centre of this work.

Beyond Buy NZ Made, Dane has also been exploring sustainability through building Airbnbs near Aoraki Mount Cook. The experience reinforced how easy it is to trade off sustainable choices for lower upfront costs - and how important long-term thinking is when it comes to materials, health, and the experience created for guests. As eco-tourism grows, those choices are becoming increasingly valued.

Dane remains optimistic about Aotearoa’s future. He sees the country’s entrepreneurial spirit as its greatest strength, pointing to Kiwi start-ups proving that world-class sustainable innovation can emerge from a small nation.

If Dane could plant one seed of change, it would be this: “We need to design systems and experiences that make the sustainable option the natural one, so people don’t have to choose between dollar signs and doing good.” And for today, his advice is refreshingly simple: “Take a decent break from social media and breathe. This will encourage you to consume less and enjoy the moments more. We certainly don’t need more things to be happy.” Read Blooming Sustainability to hear more of Dane’s wisdom.

BLOOMING  Sustainability Questionnaire

Name: Dane Ambler

Company & Title: Buy NZ Made CEO

Website & LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dane-ambler/

* Guiding Values | Kaupapa

A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:

Toitū te whenua, whatungarongaro te tangata - the land remains while people come and go. Our responsibility is to leave things better than we found them.

* Leading Change | Arataki

A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:

I happened upon an Environmental Studies lecture when I was studying in Otago – I decided to immediately enroll in the course and do it as a minor degree. I then went to Shanghai and worked in a sustainable food start-up which was an amazing experience. The business was a large-scale aquaponics producer that ultimately failed, but the learnings were plentiful. The big takeaway for me was that some technology can be too early to market, it’s important to have staff and investors that share the vision when you know something is ahead of its time. We were probably 6-12 months from being profitable, but ultimately the funds ran dry.

What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?

The notion that NZ is too small to make a difference. Yes, we are small, but that doesn’t mean we should just forgo sustainable values and initiatives. We should lead the way.

Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:

We just push forward with sustainable initiatives because if you open it to the floor the most negative voice often becomes the loudest. At Buy NZ Made we have pushed to accurately measure our footprint, be Toitu certified, and mandate sustainable practices among the 1400 licence holders. For the past two years one of the requirements for signing on is for the businesses to tell us what they are doing to reduce their footprint, aligned to the UN’s global goals. We are all about reducing import emissions (which comprise about half of NZ’s totally emissions by the way) and local procurement.

What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?

I’m very optimistic about our future due to our entrepreneurial spirit. There are so many Kiwi start-ups making waves in this space – Lanzatech, Opo Bio and Halter to name a few. Rather than thinking we are too small and too far away from big markets to do these things, we need to see NZ as a great testing pot for game-changing sustainable technology.

* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki

Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:

Yvon Chouinard’s Let My People Go Surfing. Unfortunately, I think Patagonia lost its way a bit since the book was published. I think the business you work or start for must reflect your values.

If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?

We need to design systems and experiences that make the sustainable option the natural one, so people don’t have to choose between dollar signs and doing good. Over the past two years I have built some Airbnbs near Mount Cook. During this process I realised you can skip out on so many sustainable choices to reduce building costs. This really requires a long-term vision about the materials and components to ensure guests have a healthy and enjoyable experience that is as kind to the environment as possible – something that is becoming more valued as the eco-tourism space grows.

The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:

Scott Smith (OKU) Manu Caddie, Tane & Claire Bradley (Agrisea)

* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:

Take a decent break from social media and breathe. This will encourage you to consume less and enjoy the moments more. We certainly don’t need more things to be happy.

More Blooming Sustainability