Sustainability

Takoto Noa

One of Toitoi's core values is Takoto Noa. This value is derived from the centuries-old, local Ngāti Kahungunu whakataukī (proverb):

Ko Heretaunga Haukunui, Ararau, Hāro te Kāhu, Takoto Noa.

Heretaunga - of the life-giving dew, of the hundred pathways, the vision of the far-sighted hawk, left to us, the humble servants. 

Hāro te kāhu, takoto noa, as a concept, takes a bird’s eye, future-focused view of our environment – it recognises that we are all kaitiaki/guardians of our taiao (environment). The whenua (land) and its resources have existed long before us and will continue to exist far beyond each of our individual lives. We believe that each of us must take on a role as kaitiaki of this taonga, honouring its past, part of its present and responsible for its future.

At Toitoi, we are held accountable for our decisions and take pride in looking after ourselves, our people, our buildings and the environment. Our team is committed to the protection and preservation of our taiao. We work with the Hastings District Council Waste Minimisation group to ensure our operations and practices are strongly focused on protecting our environment, while also reducing waste and the consumption of power and water. 

We are proud to be a Qualmark Gold-accredited venue, in recognition of our ongoing commitment to sustainable business practices.

Toitoi is also part of the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment and Tiaki – Care for New Zealand, a collaborative kaupapa (platform) for tourism operators. We are committed to educating our community about how to care for te taiao through an indigenous lens, following the Tiaki promise - and we encourage you to do the same.

How you can help

You might have noticed we have recycling bins around our venues. When you visit, we'd love it if you could take the time to ensure you put any rubbish in the correct bin.

We also don't have any single-use plastic in our bar range, so if you need some water while you're here, help yourself to a glass from the water jugs by the bar or ask one of our team. They'll happily sort you out.

We stock local products as much as possible, to reduce the carbon footprint of our supply chain. So come prepared to sample Hawke's Bay's best wines, beers and non-alcoholic options, while you're here. 

We also encourage you to avoid printing your tickets if possible - our team can check and scan them on your phone.

We take great care to turn off taps and lights when not in use, to preserve our precious resources. We'd love it if you did the same.

We also prioritise digital and recyclable marketing, to reduce our waste. So if you want to know more about what's going on at Toitoi, you can follow us on Facebook or Instagram - @toitoivenues - or sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page.

Got an idea?

We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint. If you see or think of something we could be doing better, please let one of our team know, or get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

We encourage you to join us on the journey as we collectively work to honour our land and people through sustainable business practices, both while you're visiting us at Toitoi and in your own lives.

To read our Responsible Tourism & Environmental Statement, click here.