Zespri, the world’s leading marketer of kiwifruit, has been selected as an official partner for UNESCO World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (WED) 2025, which was launched at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 4 March 2025.
An international day proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference and open to everyone, WED is jointly operated by UNESCO and the World Federation for Engineering Organisations (WFEO), which spans some 100 countries and represents more than 30 million engineers.
The launch in March marks the start of a year-long campaign of events, films, articles, and news highlighting the achievements of engineers and engineering around the world, and promoting engineering as a career.
Produced by the SJH Group – the official media partner and broadcaster for WED – all campaign content, including a multimedia hub dedicated to Zespri, is hosted on the WED website at www.worldengineeringday.net
As an official partner, Zespri’s insights and expertise will form an integral part of the 12-month campaign, which provides a springboard for governments, UN-associated organisations, policymakers, educators, and leaders in the public and private sectors to raise awareness of the importance of engineering.
The WED campaign has an estimated global reach of more than 100 million individuals, and this year’s theme, “Shaping Our Sustainable Future Through Engineering,” focuses on the essential role engineering plays in achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Jiunn Shih, Chief Marketing, Innovation and Sustainability Officer, says: “As a global leader in kiwifruit, Zespri is honoured to be an official partner of UNESCO’s World Engineering Day 2025. This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation and sustainability, contributing to global efforts to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In line with our commitment to health and well-being, since 2006, Zespri has supported the nutrition education of 1.4 million children through fun and inspirational programmes that promote healthy eating habits.”
Addressing the significance of WED, Mustafa Shehu, President of the WFEO, says: “World Engineering Day 2025 is all about putting engineering in the global spotlight, showing how engineers are leading the way in the effort to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal targets, and inspiring the next generation to find out more about what a career in engineering has to offer.”
Jacques de Mereuil, Executive Director of the WFEO, adds: “We’re thrilled to be involved in launching this important international celebration and campaign at UNESCO’s global headquarters in Paris, and delighted to have Zespri involved as an authority in the kiwifruit industry.”
To view Zespri’s WED content, visit: https://worldengineeringday.net/partner-stories/zespri/
Zespri-funded programmes were delivered within schools in various markets, including China, Taiwan, Japan, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, between 2006 and 2024.
The WED 2025 launch, campaign, and related content went live on 4 March 2025 at www.worldengineeringday.net
Zespri International Limited is the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit, selling in over 50 countries. Zespri is 100 percent owned by current and former kiwifruit growers and has a global team of 850 based in Mount Maunganui and throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with its Centre of Sales and Marketing Excellence in Singapore.
Our purpose is to help people, communities, and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit. We work with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with fresh, healthy, and great-tasting Zespri Green, Zespri SunGold™, Zespri RubyRed™, and Zespri Organic Kiwifruit.
