Focus on our 50th: Celebrations in Tāhuna | Queenstown

The Boffa Miskell whānau came together to celebrate a milestone anniversary with an event that acknowledged the past and looked to the future.

After months of smaller lead-up events, and detailed planning shrouded in secrecy, Boffa Miskell employees from across Aotearoa met in Queenstown to celebrate the company’s 50th Anniversary.

Current staff were joined by some notable former partners — and of course, company founders Frank Boffa and Don Miskell — for two days of outdoor activities, socialising, reminiscing and plenty of food!

Greeted by a brilliant blue-sky day, the group travelled to the Queenstown waterfront and boarded the TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a shared lunch. There, the Wakatipu High School Kapa Haka Rōpū, representing tangata whenua Kāti Māmoe and Ngāi Tahu, welcomed us as manuhiri (visitors) to Tāhuna / Queenstown, Te Waipounamu.

The location was a reminder of the company’s history in the region, as Boffa Miskell had prepared a reserve management plan and was involved in resource consenting for Walter Peak in the late 1980s. Similarly, the final accommodation destination had been a (somewhat) well-kept secret; and was another project from Boffa Miskell’s history: Millbrook Golf Resort.

Earlier in the year, each Boffa Miskell employee received a small wooden tile to decorate, but no further explanation was given. At check-in, a jigsaw puzzle mosaic of the company’s 50th logo was on display, as the fully-assembled artwork represented the important contribution of each unique individual that makes up the whole.

A selection of activities catered to all levels of thrill-seeking appetites and gave everyone an opportunity to enjoy what Queenstown has to offer — as well as supporting local tourism and hospitality.

In July, chief executive Kerry Gupwell put himself at the mercy of the crowd, with an internal election on which activity he should undertake. No one was surprised when the vote came back with an overwhelming victory for bungy-jumping; and true to his word, Kerry launched himself from the Kawarau Bridge.

Underneath all the planning was the intention to make the two days a fully CarbonZero event, certified and audited by Toitū. All decisions were made with our company ethos to being a CarbonZero business in mind.

Millbrook Resort has a commitment to sustainability – and that was another reason we elected to go there. They have long-standing protocols in place for giving back to the local community and reducing waste and emissions. Across the board, our meals were made with locally-sourced meat and produce, and zero food waste.

The same thinking went into the selection of necessary products and gift bags. Great care went into choosing durable, high-quality long-lasting items, sourced from companies with a good sustainability ethos – and, whenever possible, locally made.

Our Climate Change team has been auditing the event, and all the large and small activities that have happened throughout the year. All emissions that we can accurately account for, we will offset. This includes the emissions from everything: from delivery of the ‘puzzle pieces’ to each office, down to the production of the beer and wine we consumed (measured in litres), all air travel, and any waste to landfill.

How are we able to do this accurately? We’re using a comprehensive, gold-standard carbon calculator spreadsheet provided by Toitū, which has been updated daily – at a level of detail right down to individual dietary requirements. We continue to receive reports from the venue and the vendors we’ve used, and this allows us to accurately capture the total amount of food and beverages consumed, kilometres travelled, water used, and all the rest.

These final numbers will ultimately determine our carbon footprint, and what we’ll need to do to offset that.