Cogo (short for Connecting Good) promotes action on social and environmental issues through businesses with sustainable practice.
The app is breaking into the Canterbury region with the first businesses signed up in past months.
After a rigorous verification process businesses are awarded badges showing what they do, such as being cruelty-free or carbon conscious. Consumers using the app choose their top values and find businesses which align.
"Businesses can't afford not to engage in sustainability," Anna Gieserman New Zealand Marketing Manager says.
Businesses in Christchurch such as the Belgian Beer Cafe Torenhof, Z petrol and Mexicali Fresh have signed up to the app and are earning their badges.
The next steps for Cogo are developing a map which users can search for businesses based on their location.
"All consumers want to be more conscious [of their spending habits]," Geiserman says.
