The New Zealand Rainbow Excellence Awards event was held today in Auckland with NZ Rugby the big winner taking out the Partners Life Supreme Award along with the ASB Emerging Award and the Grant Thornton Innovation Award.

Awards Director and judging convenor, Martin King, says the NZ Rainbow Excellence Awards celebrate workplace leadership, innovation, best practice, and collaboration by organisations committed to rainbow diversity and inclusion.

“We’re the only rainbow focussed award programme of our kind in Aotearoa,” says King.

“Now in our fourth year, we’re pleased to see more businesses and organisations committing to safer, more diverse, and inclusive environments. This year’s finalists for the Partners Life Supreme Award have all demonstrated a commitment to implementing programmes, policies, and practices that are making a measurable impact across their organisations and wider communities. They’re all setting a new standard and are examples for others to follow. We couldn’t be happier to see NZ Rugby winning the supreme award this year.”

New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive, Mark Robinson, says he is delighted and humbled that his organisation has been honoured in this way.

“It is deeply important to us that we have safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments right across our game. We’re proud of the work that is happening at all levels to make rugby fun, accessible and open to as many New Zealanders as possible.”

Robinson believes that rugby can be a force for good and help to shift behavioural change across communities.

“We believe that rugby can play a vital role in leading change across all of our communities in Aotearoa. We’re at the start of this journey and can’t do it alone. I want to thank everyone who has a visible and active interest in the work that rugby is doing now and in the future.”

Out on the Fields*, the largest study conducted on homophobia in sport found that 78 percent of New Zealanders had witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport.

“It’s statistics like these that we believe rugby can change,” says Robinson.

Martin King says that all the finalists and winners at this year’s awards ceremony are making a difference.

“We’ve come a long way, but the journey is far from over. We’re still working hard every day to combat injustice, discrimination, and exclusion. Today was about celebrating those organisations who are committed to the same thing, and we say kia kaha and thank you to everyone involved.”

Complete list of all category winners

Winner Category

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