New Zealand was ranked first of 30 economies in the Sustainable Trade Index by Hinrich Foundation and the International Institute for Management and Development. The United Kingdom followed in Second place, Hong Kong in third and Japan and Singapore in fourth and fifth, respectively. The economies are judged in economic, societal and environmental pillars.
“We have placed trade at the centre of our economic recovery, successfully securing four FTAs in the past five years. Our standard of living depends on our ability to trade and that in turn depends on adapting to changing markets. This ranking is a strong validation of our approach and goes to the heart of our global brand. New Zealand being ranked first in the Sustainable Trade Index is an excellent endorsement of our Trade for All agenda and our successes in economic growth, environmental protection, and societal development,” said Damien O’Connor, Minister for Trade and Export Growth.
“New Zealanders can be especially proud to have been placed first in the first year we have been included in the Index, and compared to other leading developed economies. We ranked first in the Index’s environmental protection and societal development pillars. Within these, we scored particularly highly on labour standards, political stability, air pollution and environmental standards in trade.
“New Zealand is out in front thanks to our commitment to rules-based and liberal international trade, high-quality environmental regulation and high levels of social cohesion. As Kiwis, we can be proud of this ranking, but we should always be working to lift our brand and maintain our position.
“Both the trade environment and consumer demands are changing in a world that’s challenged by food security and climate change. Our investments in producing food and fibre with low emissions and high sustainability, for instance, keep us on the right trajectory.”
