3R

About Us

Sustainability is not just what we do. It’s who we are.

3R was founded on the belief that combining sustainability with leadership and innovation provides the formula for future business prosperity.

Since our inception in 2004, we have grown to become a team of highly skilled and like-minded individuals. While our people come from many and diverse backgrounds, we all share the same passion for sustainability.

Together with the businesses we support, we are proud to have co-designed and delivered leading product stewardship schemes. We continue to use our experience and expertise to provide essential sustainability services for companies across Aotearoa.

Find out how we put sustainability into practice in our own business.

3R

E wana ake

Twenty years of 3R Group

3R Group has its roots in a Hawke’s Bay shed, when 20 years ago two guys, Graeme Norton and Bruce Emerson, took on a single problem – how to reduce waste from paint and its packaging.

From this grew an ambitious dream, to eliminate waste and be part of moving Aotearoa New Zealand to a circular economy.

Looking back, we’ve made great strides toward that goal over the years, including launching the country’s first regulated product stewardship scheme this year (over a decade in the making!). We’ve taken the time to build common understanding of key concepts within the industries and organisations we work with.

Looking forward, the shoots from this foundational work will continue to flourish in the coming years. Its far-reaching effects burst with potential. At 3R Group, we see a future where we can all thrive as part of the circular economy.

E wana ake – strong roots, flourishing shoots

Our lead reimagineers

Adele Rose

Chief reimagineer

Adele has supported many of our clients through their product stewardship journeys and built a team that is passionate about doing the same. She is committed to mentorship and knowledge sharing to progress Aotearoa New Zealand's circular economy.

Trevor Tutt

GM - innovation

Trevor brings a wealth of technical knowledge and expertise to the co-design and implementation of product stewardship schemes and the ongoing innovation that helps them grow and thrive.

Dominic Salmon

Business development

Dominic is skilled at working with businesses to get to the heart of their sustainability and circular economy aspirations. He provides solid support for them to plan a pathway to achieve them.

Jason Richards

ChemCollect & MyHazWaste

As well as managing the operations of ChemCollect and MyHazWaste, Jason contributes experience and expertise to projects and the co-design of product stewardship schemes.

Kiri Speirs

Marketing and communications

Kiri is focused on making sure all of our stakeholders are up to date and informed on all things sustainability and how to partner with us to achieve sustainability goals.

Connect with our team today

From our partners

The research and analysis conducted by 3R was robust and supported a good discussion in Villa Maria about the future of packaging. It also helped us in a collaborative workstream with our customer and suppliers and has really prompted an innovative, forward thinking mindset.

Karen Titulaer
Head of Legal, Risk and Sustainability, Villa Maria Estate Ltd
View full case Study

3R have been instrumental in streamlining our strategy, governance, and grant funding process. Their understanding of product stewardship and ability to bring stakeholders together has been of critical importance in this changing regulatory environment.

Karen Titulaer
Glass Packaging Forum Steering Committee Chair
(Head of Legal, Risk and Sustainability, Villa Maria Estate Ltd)
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3R are experts in managing conflicts of interest and drawing companies together to find solutions we can all work with. Companies also gain confidence from knowing their industry scheme has been designed to best practice, particularly in terms of governance and transparency.

John Bowen
Chair & Director, Refrigerant Recovery NZ
(Synthetic Refrigerant Stewardship Project)
View the project

3R make it possible for Dulux to recycle much of our post consumer product, which enables us to take greater responsibility for the full life cycle of our products. They are proactive and manage things smoothly while suggesting ways to improve.

Murray C Gray
Dulux National Trade Stores Manager
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The consultation before and after was really helpful for us to set a benchmark going forward. The team from 3R Group was brilliant to deal with, nothing was too difficult for Jason and his team.

Gregor Inger
Brebner Print Estimating/Purchasing Manager
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Without 3R’s professionalism, expertise, dedication and innovation these rural recycling programmes wouldn’t be as successful as they are.

Lew Metcalfe
Agricultural Policy & Sustainability Advisor and former Agrecovery Chairman
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3R (MyHazWaste) has been our hazardous household waste drop-off event contractor for the past 3 years - providing an effective solution in registering and organising a drop off day for residents for the proper treatment and disposal of household chemicals.

Kian Lee
Infrastructure Sustainability Co-ordinator,
Palmerston North City Council
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Having 3R as project manager was critical to ensure that we were designing a scheme that was fit for purpose but also future proofed. 3R’s knowledge of the regulatory environment gave me confidence that the proposed scheme would not only be operationally sound but meet best-practice guidelines for regulated product stewardship.

Bob Foothead
Total Oil NZ Ltd
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Sustainability journeys we have supported