It’s been an energising few weeks for the Diversity Agenda whānau, and for the whole movement shaping the future of our industry.
Last month, we launched our new 2026–2030 Strategy, bringing together signatories, partners, supporters and leaders from across engineering, architecture and the wider infrastructure sector.
What stood out most was the clarity. We know where we’ve made progress, and we know where the gaps still are — in representation, retention, cultural confidence and in how our sector grows and nurtures its people. As our Chair, Josie, shared at the launch, this new strategy is about closing those gaps for good.
We’re not starting from scratch. It takes everything we’ve learned over the past seven years and pushes us further, with five bold objectives that work together to drive real, industry-wide impact.
In this article, we’re diving into each objective, sharing what’s ahead and how you can use this strategy to strengthen and align your organisations DEI strategy. We’ll keep rolling out tools, resources and opportunities to support you, no matter your size, focus or starting point.
Let’s get into it.
OBJECTIVE TAHI
BUILD AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH IWI
Our industry’s future needs to be grounded in te ao Māori, and many organisations have told us they want to engage well with iwi but aren’t always sure where to start. This objective is about changing that. Over the next four years, we’ll work alongside Māori leaders and iwi representatives to co-design an industry-wide approach to engagement, one that’s led by Māori perspectives and grounded in the Treaty principles of Partnership, Protection, Participation and Power.
We’ll create space for Māori leadership to grow throguh our brand and across our professions to help strengthen cultural confidence within our member firms. We’ll draw on the relationships already present across our movement, from the firms who are leading the way, the iwi partnerships that already exist, and the learnings our members are willing to share, so the collective can move forward together.
By shaping a shared standard across the movement, we’ll support firms to engage with iwi in ways that are consistent, respectful and strengthened by collective learning.
OBJECTIVE RUA
ESTABLISH A THRIVING PATHWAY PROGRAMME
People enter our professions in all sorts of ways, but access to support and opportunities isn’t always equal. This objective is about making sure everyone, no matter their background, role or organisation size, has a clear pathway to grow and stay in our industry.
Over the next four years, we’ll strengthen the mentorship and sponsorship opportunities already working well in larger organisations, and share those successes across the movement. At the same time, we’ll create cross-organisation opportunities that give smaller firms access to development pathways they may not be able to offer alone — ensuring their people aren’t isolated from the networks and support that help careers progress and people stay in our industry.
Working alongside experts and member firms, we’ll also help identify diverse communities and under-represented groups across the motu, lifting visibility and connection to opportunities that already exist.
By using the strength of our collective and the willingness of members to share what they know, we’ll build an industry where career development is supported through collaboration, not limited by the size or structure of any one organisation.
OBJECTIVE TORU
SET AND EMBED THE DIVERSITY AGENDA COMPETENCY INDEX
The industry has been asking for clarity. A way to understand what “good” looks like and how to measure progress in a meaningful, consistent way. Objective Three is our response. Over the next four years, we’ll launch and embed the Diversity Agenda Competency Index: a simple, evolving framework that helps firms understand where they’re currently sitting and what actions will shift the dial.
It builds on the data we already collect through our annual Insights Report and individual reporting, but takes it a step further moving from information to clear expectations and practical action. The Index lays out the core areas of DEI capability, so firms of every size can see their strengths, spot gaps, and prioritise what matters most.
And we won’t stop at measurement. By drawing on the expertise within our movement, through our DEI Collective, member firms and industry leaders, we’ll build a suite of practical tools, examples and templates aligned to each area of the Index. These resources will showcase what’s already working across the movement, and make it easier for firms to take action no matter where they’re starting from.
By using a shared framework and shared resources, we’ll lift consistency across the industry, strengthen peer accountability and turn good intentions into real, measurable progress.
OBJECTIVE WHĀ
THE DIVERSITY AGENDA CONTENT IS PROMOTED AS CPD
DEI learning has often sat on the sidelines, and is something people do when they have time, rather than something recognised as core to professional practice. Objective Four changes that. Over the next four years, we’ll make inclusion learning visible, valued, properly recognised and promoted across our industry.
Our DEI content will be developed to sit alongside technical training as part of professional growth, promoted by associations, partners and businesses across the motu. This means learning about bias, equitable leadership, cultural confidence, accessibility, gender inclusion and more will be recognised as essential skills — not optional extras.
We’ll work with associations and member firms to lift awareness and uptake of DEI learning, and ensure the content we create through Objective Three is accessible, practical and consistent across the sector. Whether someone is deep in their DEI journey or taking their first step, the learning will be relevant and easy to integrate into day-to-day practice.
By building a shared standard of capability and weaving DEI learning into professional development, we’ll help create an industry where inclusion isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s simply how we lead and operate.
OBJECTIVE RIMA
GROW AND STRENGTHEN THE MOVEMENT
Our impact grows when our movement grows. Over the next four years, we’ll increase our signatories and partners by 20% each year and are excited to announce that we will expand across the wider infrastructure sector, bringing in organisations from construction, surveying, planning, landscape architecture and others that shape Aotearoa’s built environment.
This objective is about strengthening the collective voice behind this kaupapa. More members means more influence with Government, clients, communites and industry leaders, and more opportunities to share what’s working so firms don’t need to tackle the same challenges in isolation.
We’ll raise the visibility of the movement through storytelling, industry events, speaking opportunities and strategic partnerships, and make it easier for organisations to see the value and impact of our movement.
The goal is simple: a stronger, broader coalition pushing in the same direction, creating industry-wide impact that no single organisation could achieve alone.
So when you see these objectives side by side, they’re not five separate projects — they’re five parts of one ecosystem.
- Objective tahi ensures our work is grounded in te ao Māori and authentic partnership.
- Objective rua builds the talent pipeline and ensures diverse people stay and grow.
- Objective toru gives us the data and accountability to see where we’re winning and where we need to focus.
- Objective whā embeds learning into professional practice so inclusion becomes standard.
- Objective rima expands our reach and impact across the entire sector.
If you’re a member — thank you for being part of this journey and leading the movement.
And if you’re not — now’s the time to join us.
This is our next horizon — and it’s ours to shape.
