A Shared Commitment, Not a Compliance Framework
The Biosecurity Business Pledge (BBP) is different from most biosecurity obligations. It is not a regulation. It is not a government requirement. It is a voluntary commitment made by New Zealand businesses who recognise that protecting the country's biosecurity is also good business practice.
When your organisation signs the Pledge, you are making a public, visible commitment to lead biosecurity risk management within your own operations — and to contribute to a collective standard across New Zealand's supply chains, primary industries, and import/export sectors.
You can find out more and sign the Pledge at bbpledge.nz.
The businesses that sign the Pledge are not doing so because a regulator told them to. They are doing so because their leadership teams understand that biosecurity risk is a business risk — and that leading it well is part of being a credible, responsible operator in New Zealand.
What the Pledge Represents
New Zealand's economy is uniquely dependent on a clean, pest-free environment. Our primary sector exports — worth more than $20 billion annually — depend on market access that can be threatened by a single significant incursion. Our tourism, our food safety reputation, and our environmental assets all rest on the same foundation.
Biosecurity New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries cannot protect that system alone. It requires business leadership. The Biosecurity Business Pledge is the mechanism through which businesses signal — publicly — that they are part of the solution.
What Signing the Pledge Means for Your Business
Signing the Pledge is a commitment to operate against a set of biosecurity leadership principles. These cover how your business identifies biosecurity risk, how it equips and trains its people, and how it contributes to the broader NZ biosecurity system.
The key commitments align with four leadership areas:
Set Expectations
Make biosecurity risk visible in your organisation. Ensure leaders understand the stakes and communicate clear expectations to their teams.
Enable the Work
Give your people the time, tools, and training they need to manage biosecurity risk effectively — including access to appropriate training pathways.
Monitor Outcomes
Treat biosecurity risk the same way you treat health and safety — with visible leadership, measurement, and ongoing review.
Contribute to the System
Support New Zealand's collective biosecurity effort — reporting incidents, engaging with MPI, and being a responsible partner in the supply chain.
You already manage health and safety risk at a leadership level. Biosecurity risk works the same way — it just needs the same structured attention. The Pledge formalises that commitment and gives your organisation a framework to build on.
Who Should Sign the Pledge?
The Biosecurity Business Pledge is designed for any New Zealand business that:
- Imports or exports goods
- Operates in the logistics, freight, or supply chain sector
- Works in primary industries — horticulture, agriculture, viticulture, seafood, or similar
- Handles international visitors, accommodation, or tourism
- Operates transitional facilities or approved premises
- Simply wants to be part of New Zealand's biosecurity solution
There is no minimum size requirement. The Pledge is as relevant for a small import business as it is for a large logistics company. What matters is the leadership intent behind it.
What Happens After You Sign?
Signing the Pledge is the start of a journey, not a one-time event. Businesses that sign are expected to:
- Build biosecurity risk management into their leadership framework
- Ensure relevant staff receive appropriate training — including Accredited Person training where required
- Review and improve their biosecurity practices over time
- Contribute to industry and community awareness of biosecurity risk
The BBP platform at bbpledge.nz provides resources, training pathways, and guidance to support your organisation in meeting these commitments.
The Biosecurity Business Pledge is how New Zealand's business community says: we take this seriously, we lead it well, and we are part of the system that protects this country. Signing it is a visible signal to your customers, your supply chain partners, and your team.
Training and the Pledge
Signing the Pledge includes a commitment to ensure your team has the knowledge and skills to manage biosecurity risk. New Zealand has a range of biosecurity training available — from free awareness courses through to MPI-approved Accredited Person training. See the Biosecurity Training page for what's available.
Join the Biosecurity Business Pledge
Visit bbpledge.nz to sign the Pledge and access resources to support your biosecurity leadership journey.
Visit bbpledge.nz