ESR held its first ever all staff conference in Wellington 11 – 12 April at Te Papa.

Over 350 people from Auckland, Christchurch and the two Wellington locations of Kenepuru and Wallaceville, attended the two days.

As one of New Zealand’s leading science and research institutions, it is important to share the latest changes, innovations and future science trends and predictions at a local and global level. Over the two days, our people heard from expert guest speakers and our own world-class scientists, sharing their latest successes and plans for future-focused business outcomes.

The objectives of the conference were to inspire and motivate our people and look at what a future ESR might look like. To engage with each other in how we work together across the whole organisation – and not only the science of what we do, is the goal.

Feedback from our people told us getting together with each other was the single most important benefit of attending. It enabled them to share and discuss their work with their colleagues, and collaborate across different business areas.

There are many things that need to come together to make a conference successful, and it is through the generous support and donations of ESR’s sponsors and business partners, that we were able to deliver such a well-run and professional event.

One highlight was the Thursday evening dinner function, where people came together in an informal way, to get to know each other better and celebrate the successes of the previous year.

Even the smallest detail can make the difference. The little flashing coloured lightbulbs from our partner Softlink Information Centres were used in our table decorations. This added a sense of fun and elevated the overall look of the room considerably. They even became fashion accessories for a few!

As we focus on the future of our business, it is through partnerships with our suppliers, that we will be able to achieve our objectives of growing ESR as a world-leading science organisation.

Beryl Anderson, FLINAZA, RLIANZA
Information Services Manager
Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited (ESR)