The company won the Small Business Trailblazer category at the southern regional finals in Christchurch last week, being hailed for its leadership in embracing sustainable practices and integrating economic growth, social equity and environmental management into their day-to-day business.
The judges said Nomad Safaris scored highly across the eight categories with great initiatives in reducing water usage, community education and minimising and mitigating their environmental effects.
It was the latest green gong for owner-operators Amanda and David Gatward-Ferguson, of Queenstown, whose visitor activity was Qualmark endorsed, a Green Globe winner, New Zealand Tourism Award winner in 2006 and double award winner at the NZ Tourism Awards in 2004.
Mr Gatward-Ferguson said the Sustainable Business Network award process was rather like being Green Globe benchmarked, in that it helped them measure their environmental performance year-on-year.
"It's significant, because it's not a tourism award and its focused on an issue that's on the forefront of everyone's mind.
"Even if you don't win, you still come out as a winner, because of the amount of time and effort the judges spend on your submission.
"They gave suggestions on how we could improve and we're already studying them."
The husband-and-wife team participated in the SBN's Get Sustainable Challenge, an in-depth questionnaire that quizzed them on eight areas of sustainable practice, including staff, resources and strategy planning.
The panel of four judges with academic, environmental and business backgrounds praised Nomad Safaris on its investment in wastewater diversion schemes and in the pursuit of alternative fuel.
The simple company policy of always stopping to collect rubbish on the way to and from excursions also impressed the panel.
Mr Gatward-Ferguson said simple things made a difference, such as good driving practice to reduce emissions, switching lights off when not needed, recycling, buying biodegradable items, instructing drivers to pick up refuse when they saw it and choosing suppliers who shared their green commitment.
The SBN finals is not the only event the couple are excited about.
Nomad Safaris will organise its latest volunteer day for Conservation Week and it will celebrate its 20th birthday next month.
The Gatward-Fergusons swapped recession-hit London for Queenstown in the early 1990s after spending their honeymoon touring New Zealand in a campervan.
Nomad Safaris was founded by North Islander Nick Duncan who translated his African touring experience to the Wakatipu.
The couple took a trip with Outback Tours to Skippers Canyon, loved the experience and discovered the company was for sale.
They operated Outback from 1994, then merged it with Nomad in 1997 and have not looked back.
The Gatward-Fergusons started with themselves as staff and one other driver, with three Toyotas and one trip, to Skippers Canyon.
Today, Nomad Safaris offers six brochure products, plus charters and specialist conference and incentive tours.
The family business employs 35 rostered staff, has a fleet of 16 Land Rover Defenders, three other vehicles, 12 quadbikes and could accommodate groups of up to 100 clients before hiring additional vehicles.
A fortnight ago, they hosted 20 European MPs who were on a fact-finding mission on sustainability in New Zealand's tourism.
Mr Gatward-Ferguson said "attention to detail, reliability, good branding, hard work and fabulous places" were the key ingredients in the success of Nomad Safaris.
"We're driven by trying to have as little impact on the environment, given what we do," Mrs Gatward-Ferguson said.
"We can't eliminate but we can mitigate and minimise."
