Biosecurity governance guide for boards

Two new board and senior management tools designed to aid biosecurity discussions in New Zealand boardrooms have been launched.

The Biosecurity Business Pledge group has launched the ‘CEO Guide to Biosecurity’ and ‘Biosecurity Considerations for Boards’. Both documents were developed by Pledge signatory organisations in consultation with a cross-section of Pledge chief executives and governors.

The significance of biosecurity to New Zealand’s economy and business community was recently underscored by its top priority ranking for the 11th consecutive year in the KPMG agribusiness agenda. With the high degree of connectivity between New Zealand businesses, it is a risk that commands active governance and management at all board tables. 

Speaking at the launch, Peter McBride, chair of Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd and former chair of Zespri, highlighted the crucial role boards play in driving biosecurity excellence to ensure the long-term sustainability of their organisations, industries and the economy.

“Our role in ensuring biosecurity risk is managed and embedded into an organisation’s culture has never been more vital than now,” he said.  “If we are to protect our primary sectors and maintain a strong reputation for the quality of our food and fibre exports, then board leadership is essential.”

McBride said biosecurity should also be considered an equal part of good business risk management for corporate governors alongside their approach to health and safety at work, and food safety, with potentially similar levels of legal liability for companies and individual directors.

The Business Biosecurity Pledge is a network of almost 250 business sector organisations that have committed to playing an active part in protecting New Zealand’s biosecurity by integrating proactive practices into their operations and supply chains. The Pledge functions as a forum for members to engage and collaborate in ways that build collective biosecurity capability.

Biosecurity Business Pledge Executive Director Debbie Teale said the launch of the guidelines was a significant milestone for the initiative.  “The Pledge was established in recognition of the significant costs associated with unwanted pests and diseases, that biosecurity prevention will always be better than a cure and that we all benefit from working together to foster better outcomes.”

“Pledge members identified biosecurity guidance for senior executives and corporate directors as a gap in the toolkit of many businesses. We effectively pooled our expertise to develop and supply guidance for all businesses large and small.” 

Download the guides