Hon Jo Goodhew
Minister of Women’s Affairs

7 March 2013 Media Statement
Minister presents international diversity award to BNZ

Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew has today presented the inaugural UN Women’s Empowerment Principles Benchmarking for Change Award to Andrew Thorburn and the Bank of New Zealand.

The Benchmarking for Change award recognizes a company for embedding accountability to achieve gender equality through meaningful metrics, indicators, and reporting to track and monitor the inclusion of women at all levels of the company's operations.

“BNZ and its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Thorburn, have been recognized for their comprehensive approach towards tackling what they identified as their biggest challenge – to increase women’s representation at middle to senior leadership and management,” said Mrs Goodhew.

“Setting transparent targets for the Executive Team’s own performance proved to be a key strategy to break barriers so that women reach senior management and are significantly represented in professional pipeline.

“BNZ established an effective and far-reaching Diversity Council to set strategic priorities, oversee performance and create clearly understood career pathways. This resulted in women making up 42 per cent of an identified talent cohort from which senior management will emerge, along with women’s representation at senior levels reaching nearly 50 per cent.

“Getting more women into leadership positions across New Zealand is one of my priorities as Minister of Women’s Affairs. I congratulate Andrew and the BNZ team on their receipt of this award and I look forward to working with them to share their experience with other New Zealand companies.”

Annie Brown, BNZ’s Head of Engagement, was in New York to accept the award on behalf of Andrew Thorburn and BNZ.

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