How We Choose Who We Work With

At Fairground, we take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously—and we believe our suppliers should too. As a certified B Corporation in Aotearoa, our commitment to making a positive impact doesn’t stop at our office doors. It extends to the people and businesses we partner with.

That’s why we ask our suppliers to complete a short survey as part of our procurement process. This isn’t about box-ticking—it’s about fostering transparency and working together to create a fairer and more sustainable future.

What we’re looking for
Our survey helps us understand where our suppliers stand on key social and environmental issues. From diversity and inclusion to reducing emissions and waste, the information we gather:

• Ensures we align with suppliers who share our values.
• Helps us identify areas where we can support suppliers in improving their practices.
• Strengthens our accountability as a   business committed to making a difference.

Specifically Fairground’s Procurement Values are

• Environment / Te Taiao 

Responsible suppliers can show that they are actively managing their environmental footprint. Examples: making their products more circular by reusing raw materials or designing products that are easy to repair; reducing their greenhouse gas emissions; reducing their waste, and engaging in nature regeneration practices. Fairground will favour products and services produced with locally sourced materials in Aotearoa before sourcing internationally based solutions. Specifically located to either anchor point of our two offices in Ōtautahi or Whanganui-a-Tara by scoring them highly in our procurement matrix. 

• Social / Hapori 

Responsible suppliers can show that they are caring for their employees and local communities. An example might be creating an diverse and inclusive workplace; paying the living wage; buying local; helping employees stay safe and well and screening their supply chains for child or slave labour practices. 

• Te Ao Māori 

Fairground acknowledges te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa, and understands it must underpin our actions.

As part of our commitment te Tiriti o Waitangi, Fairground acknowledges that our team and suppliers respect and develop Te Ao Māori cultural competency and knowledge within the workforce, such as te reo (language), mātauranga (knowledge), tikanga (procedure, protocol, practice) and kawa (customs).  Fairground embraces te ao Māori and encourages and inspires our suppliers to do the same. 

We give preference to suppliers with ownership from underrepresented populations and provide support to suppliers with diverse ownership by;

• • Scoring them highly in our procurement matrix

  • Asking questions in our supplier survey to determine ownership

  • Being open to new ways of supporting their business and doing business

  • Being a social enterprise that supports impact organisations (ie. we could support them by doing their accounts) 

• Economic / Ohaoha

Is it economically viable for Fairground to engage with suppliers.

• Governance / Tino Rangatiratanga

Responsible suppliers can show that they are complying with relevant laws and regulations in every country they operate in. Their company policies go beyond compliance and they report openly on any issues or breaches.  An example might be paying a fair amount of tax; complying with modern slavery legislation; disclosing climate-related risks or reviewing their supply chain for governance issues.

Why it matters
By collecting this data, we’re not just holding others accountable—we’re holding ourselves accountable, too. Most importantly, it allows us to work alongside like-minded businesses to drive meaningful change.

What’s in it for our suppliers?
We’re here to help, not to judge. This survey is an opportunity for us to collaborate and share resources, tools, and best practices. Think of it as a starting point for mutual growth and impact.

Our process
If you’re one of our valued suppliers, you’ll be asked to fill out a simple survey covering topics like environmental policies, workforce wellbeing, and community engagement. Completing it is quick, and the insights we gain are invaluable.

Data Protection

Fairground confirms any organisational information that is shared with us via the procurement survey will only be used in our procurement process. No data will be shared or published and it is strictly confidential. We do not intend to collect any personal information.

Together, we can make purpose driven business business as usual.

Start the survey here.