Steve Ellingford is the Operations Manager for Bayfair Shopping Centre.  This iconic large centre boasts over 95 retail stores employing over 1000 people and attracting more than 5 million visitors per year.  Steve has responsibility, as part of his role, for Bayfair’s Sustainable focus. 

Due to Steve’s efforts Bayfair has been recognised as a leader in sustainability.  Drawing on his more than 10 years experience in the shopping centre industry Steve started Bayfair on their sustainable journey in 2003.  The results have seen Bayfair halve the waste they send to landfill through their recycling programme and significantly decrease their power and waste costs by half a million dollars.

We are proud to have Steve Ellingford as our Western Bay at Work Ambassador this year.  His work in driving sustainability both at Bayfair Shopping Centre and within the community at large makes him the perfect ambassador for our 2011 vision.

When Steve is asked what drives him, the answer is simple – its two things: numbers and people.  Steve loves getting the latest statistics and measurements and calculating the savings.  He also loves helping to encourage and inspire the centre’s many stakeholders to think sustainably in everything they do.  Bayfair has had a lot of favorable publicity and Steve has enjoyed sharing the success with those people who make the effort each and every day. Steve says ‘often sustainability isn’t glamorous, but it is so worthwhile – it’s the small things we do daily that make the biggest difference.’

In 2008 Bayfair won the Sustainable Business Network Large Business Corporate Trailblazer Award. In 2009 Bayfair won this award again, also taking out the Sustainable Business of the Year award and being named as finalists in the 2009 Sustainable 60 awards in the Environmental Category.  Steve continues to drive Bayfair’s sustainable focus and sit on the BOP Sustainable Business Network Advisory Board.  He was a judge for the 2010 awards.  Bayfair are a cornerstone sponsor for the Sustainable Business Network and a sponsor of the Paper for Trees programme.  They also funded the Arataki Kindergarten rainwater system in 2010.  Steve is often called upon to talk to groups and at events about the work he has been doing in the sustainable area and continues to drive sustainability throughout the business.

Steve is employed by AMP Capital Investors who have Joint venture ownership of Bayfair with Tower Property Nominees.  AMP Capital Investors own numerous shopping centre’s around NZ and Australia and one of their main strategic focuses is Corporate responsibility which incorporates sustainability. 

Steve grew up in the Port town of Lyttelton and left school in 6th form to take on a trade.  On reflection he says this was not his smartest decision but it is one reason he is so passionate about this ambassador role.  He knows how important qualifications are to help you find satisfying employment and says the choices available for young adults are amazing. “If you can think it you can study it. There is a world of opportunity out there. I want to help spread the word to young adults that the world is their oyster and that the Western Bay has such great opportunities – it has been fantastic for my career.”

On leaving school Steve worked in the construction industry – saving up money to then go off and travel.  In 1999 Steve decided he didn’t want to work in such a physical job and made what was for him a huge jump into the corporate world.  He still remembers feeling like a complete fraud turning up to work in a tie and sitting at his computer.  But the move proved very successful and Steve has thrived in the retail sector.

He lives with his partner Angela who also hails from the South Island.  They both feel incredibly lucky to live in the Western Bay and often feel that they have landed in paradise.  Both Angela and Steve are involved with Tauranga charity Homes of Hope and have been very involved with two foster children for the last five years.  Steve hasn’t given the trades away completely - for the last three years he has been renovating their home in the weekends.  It is almost finished.