Foreword

At MBIE Hīkina Whakatutuki we want our people to bring their unique selves, be celebrated for it, and harness our differences to grow Aotearoa New Zealand for all. We have made progress in this kaupapa, and we have further to go. This year has provided the opportunity to combine our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with our Pay Gap Action Plan recognising the shared outcomes and strong connections between them.

As sponsor, I am proud to present the MBIE Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan 2024-25 that puts our goals into action over the next 12 months and allows us to unleash the potential of our diverse workforce, which will help improve the outcomes for the people we serve. Ruia te kanorau kia puāwai a hīkina whakatutuki expresses the concept of Nō Konei Belong, our Inclusion and Diversity strategy. This translates to the concept of 'weaving threads together to create a diverse MBIE'. Our Inclusion and Diversity strategy is driven by our values, with a bicultural foundation and the voices of our communities throughout.

We continuously listen to and have open and honest kōrero with our people. This connection helps us grow and learn from each other as we navigate an ever-changing environment. What remains the same is our commitment to building an organisation where our people feel seen, heard and valued. Belonging is the clear and collective direction our DEI plan moves us closer towards, ensuring we enable growth for our people and reflect, embrace and nurture the communities we serve.

Ngā mihi maioha 
Suzanne Stew
Deputy Secretary, Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan sponsor

Introduction and purpose

At the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) we are focused on Growing New Zealand for all. This is highlighted in our Māori name of Hīkina Whakatutuki.  Hīkina meaning uplift and Whakatutuki meaning to move forward, to make successful.

We strive to be a place where people want to work. To be a place where our people feel safe, valued, and that they truly belong.  We seek to maintain a culture that provides equity of opportunities for our people to grow personally and professionally and supports our aim to attract and retain diversity at MBIE.  We recognise that by having a diverse workforce strengthens our ability to grow Aotearoa New Zealand for all. We are committed to being an organisation, at all levels, that reflects the communities we serve.

MBIE has a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2018, MBIE’s first pay gap action plan was produced. The following year the refresh of our Inclusion and Belonging Strategy strengthened our focus on inclusion.

Each year progress is monitored and reviewed against the commitments to Papa Pounamu (the Public Service diversity and inclusion work programme) and Kia Toipoto (the Public Service pay gap action plan for equity). Over this time, MBIE has listened to our people to understand their experiences, the challenges they face and the areas of opportunity. The information and insights shared through these engagements have informed this plan.

For 2024-2025, MBIE has created an integrated diversity, equity and inclusion plan, uniting our commitment in one place. This plan stands alongside other MBIE strategies and public sector commitments that contribute to an inclusive culture. These include:

• Te Ara Amiorangi  - Our Path, Our Direction - our organisational strategy
• Te Tāpuhipuhi – our partner with Māori strategy
• Nō Konei Belong – our Inclusion and Diversity strategy
• Whāinga Amorangi – our Māori-Crown relations capability plan, led by Te Arawhiti
• Our Wellbeing, Health and Safety strategy
• Our Employee led Networks

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