Our Commitment on Ngā Mahi Āhuarangi/Climate Action
"Ki te kotahi te kākaho, ka whati; ki te kāpuia, e kore e whati."
If a reed stands alone, it can be broken; if bound together, it is unbreakable.
At Community Trust South, we recognise that climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing our communities, environment, and future generations. We also recognise that funders have an important role to play in supporting positive environmental outcomes and helping communities adapt and thrive.
We are proud members of the Funders Commitment to Climate Action Aotearoa, and are committed to embedding climate considerations into the way we invest, partner, and support our region. In 2026 the Trust achieved Carbon Conscious Certification through environmental consultancy Ekos.
This Carbon Conscious Certification builds on external annual reviews undertaken since 2022 and has measured and externally reviewed the Trust’s greenhouse gas emissions.
2026 Greenhouse gas emissions footprint: 23.44 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).
Funders Commitment on Climate Action Aotearoa
01 Reflecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supporting Māori aspirations regarding climate action
We commit to the spirit of partnership with Iwi, Hapū / Māori to address the causes and impacts of climate change. We will seek to enable Māori aspirations and recognise mātauranga Māori in climate action, respecting whakapapa, tino rangatiratanga, rite tahi (equity) and kaitiakitanga.
02 An equitable transition
We will take action on how we invest and fund, to enable greater equity in the transition to a low carbon society. We will support initiatives that foster equitable transition, and we will support vulnerable communities burdened by the impacts arising from the transition.
03 Enable leadership
We will support and grow the leadership in our communities, especially in tangata whenua, rangatahi and marginalised communities to accelerate an equitable transition. We will actively support community-led action and systems change to enable an equitable transition.
04 Commit and share resources
We will take opportunities to contribute to and support mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts. We will commit resources to accelerate work addressing the causes and impacts of climate change and identify opportunities to co-fund initiatives.
05 Learn and grow
We will create opportunities for our trustees, staff and communities to learn more about climate change causes, impacts and solutions, including through mātauranga Māori. We will share opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills needed to act.
06 Decarbonise our investments and operations
We will take action to minimise the carbon footprint of our own operations. We will proactively address the risks and opportunities of the transition to a low carbon society in our investment strategies.
07 Report on progress
We will report annually on our progress against the commitments listed above. We will continue to develop our practice, to learn from others, and to share our learning.
Annual Reports on Climate Action Commitment
As a signatory of the Funders Commitment on Climate Action we recognise the important role community funders play in building better outcomes for our environment and communities. The seven part commitment is guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Mātauranga Māori aspirations.
It focusses on a just transition, collaboration, and leadership, significantly, it includes reporting back to our communities and stakeholders the actions that Community Trust South takes.
Climate Action Commitment Annual Report 2026
Resources and information
Tika Transition resources
After launching the Funders Commitment, the first action of Climate Action Aotearoa was to create a shared online resource for funders. The resource provides guidance towards a just, equitable and tika transition that reflects our unique Aotearoa context.
We invite you to start your own Tika Transition journey by exploring our shared resource here:
The carbon calculator
This free online Climate Action Toolbox, developed by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) and business.govt.nz and others makes it easy for smaller businesses and organisations to measure and reduce their carbon footprint.
Climate Action Toolbox | Business.govt.nz Tools
Understanding Climate Change
A simple video to help us understand climate change.