Ethics at Scale: How Purpose Shapes Market Opportunities

Richard Harrison
1 day ago
3 min read

Guest Article | Richard Harrison

In August 2025, RX Group hosted Competing with Giants in Auckland, in partnership with NORA. It was a half-day session built for retail leaders navigating shifting models, global competition, tighter margins and rising customer expectations.

Among the standout voices in the room was Richard Harrison, Head of Sales & Marketing at HealthPost. Richard shared how a purpose-led approach has powered HealthPost’s growth and resilience in a crowded, competitive market.

We’re thrilled to welcome him to the X-Files, where he dives deeper into why embedding ethics into strategy isn’t just good practice - it’s a genuine competitive advantage.

In retail today, competition is no longer just about price, speed, or even range. Increasingly, customers are asking bigger questions: What does this brand stand for? Does it align with my values?

For HealthPost, these aren’t just marketing talking points — they’re the foundation of our business. We’ve seen first-hand how ethics and purpose, when embedded deeply into strategy, don’t just inspire teams or win awards; they unlock real market opportunities and long-term resilience.

The Shift from “Nice to Have” to “Non-Negotiable”

Over the past decade, consumer expectations have shifted dramatically. Sustainability, ethical sourcing, and transparency were once niche concerns. Now, they are table stakes.

Trust as a differentiator: In an era of marketplaces where anyone can list and sell, trust has become a currency. Customers want to know that the products they buy are safe, authentic, and aligned with their personal ethics.
Demand for accountability: From climate change to labour rights, shoppers are more informed and vocal than ever. A misstep can spread globally in hours, but so too can positive action.

This shift has created an environment where purpose-led businesses aren’t just surviving; they’re thriving.

HealthPost’s Journey: Building Ethics Into the Business Model

At HealthPost, our purpose is clear: to make people and planet healthier. But purpose only matters when it informs daily decisions.

Product curation: We’ve developed strict standards for what makes it onto our shelves. If a product doesn’t meet our natural health, sustainability, and transparency criteria, it doesn’t get listed — no matter how profitable it might be.
Supply chain commitments: We invest in building relationships with suppliers who share our values. This often means choosing slower growth over shortcuts, but it builds long-term credibility.
Community and environment: Through initiatives like our HealthPost Nature Trust, we’re not only offsetting impact but actively restoring biodiversity in New Zealand.

By aligning ethics with scale, we’ve found that customers aren’t just buying products; they’re buying trust, reassurance, and alignment with their own values.

The Market Opportunities in Purpose

There’s sometimes a perception that ethics and purpose are constraints — that

they limit speed, margins, or innovation. Our experience has been the opposite.

Customer Loyalty
Ethical leadership fosters a deeper emotional connection with customers. Loyalty built on values is more resilient than loyalty built on discounts.
Premium Positioning
Products that meet higher ethical standards often command a premium. This isn’t about opportunism; it’s about customers recognising added value.
Attracting Talent
Purpose is also a magnet for talent. Today’s employees want more than a pay cheque; they want to contribute to something meaningful.
Resilience Against Disruption
Businesses anchored in strong ethics can pivot more confidently when disruption comes. Whether it’s supply chain shocks or new regulatory standards, being ahead on sustainability or governance reduces risk.

Scaling Without Losing Purpose

The hardest part of this journey is scale. It’s relatively easy to act ethically when you’re small and nimble. The challenge comes when growth accelerates:

Can you maintain strict product standards while expanding range?
Can you scale supply chains without compromising values?
Can you measure impact meaningfully at every level of the business?

Our answer has been to design systems that hardwire ethics into growth. That means codifying standards, embedding them into technology platforms, and ensuring governance processes keep us accountable. Purpose has to be operationalised — not left as a set of posters on the wall.

A Call to the Wider Retail Community

Purpose-led business is not a HealthPost story alone. It’s a growing movement across retail, here in New Zealand and globally. When retailers share and learn together, we accelerate progress.

Events like Competing with Giants remind us that New Zealand retailers don’t have to win on scale alone. We can win on authenticity, agility, and values. In fact, that may be our greatest competitive advantage in a globalised marketplace.

By embedding ethics at scale, we don’t just shape stronger brands — we shape stronger markets, communities, and futures.

Closing Thought

The question for retailers today is not whether purpose matters. It’s how courageously we’re willing to act on it, and how consistently we can scale it.

If we get that right, the opportunities are not just commercial — they’re transformational.