We are delighted to announce that entries to the 2025 NZ Rainbow Excellence Awards open 9 June.
If your organisation has been doing great work in the Rainbow D&I space, we want to know about it.
Entries close on 26 July 2025.
Join us for New Zealand Rainbow Excellence Awards at SkyCity Theatre to celebrate:
Our annual awards programme brings together all organisations that aspire to improve workplaces for "rainbow" people to showcase best practice and celebrate outstanding progress as we continue to strive towards a more inclusive community of workplaces in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Awards are open to all organisations and companies in New Zealand.
The awards are designed to recognise organisations that understand, value and welcome sexual and gender diversity.
The awards seek to celebrate:
The Pride Pledge Supreme Award recognises organisations that have demonstrated wide-ranging programs, policy, and practices across the organisation, both top down and bottom up that are making a measurable impact across the organisation and set a new standard and example for others to follow with rainbow inclusion. Organisations at this level are actively sharing with and leading other organisations.
Finalists and winners in each category are considered for the Pride Pledge Supreme Award.
The Pride Pledge Certified Progress Award recognises previous finalists and winners of a Rainbow Excellence Award who have continued to demonstrate progress, innovation, and/or ongoing commitment to Rainbow Inclusion inside and outside their organisations sustained over time.
The Pride Pledge Certified Executive Leadership Award recognises genuine ownership, accountability, and drive from the top level(s) within the organisation.
The SkyCity Community and Advocacy Award recognises Rainbow organisations and their supporters (sponsors/partners) that are truly making a measurable impact for our rainbow communities through programmes, campaigns, events or initiatives that target specific issues or opportunities. This award can be a direct entry from a rainbow organisation or a nomination by one of their key partners or sponsors. This category is awarded to the rainbow organisation.
The Chorus Ambassadorship Award recognises internal heroes and role models in formal or informal leadership roles who are actively driving improvements with rainbow inclusion
The Impact Award (Program, Policy, Practice), supported by the Gender affirmation Registerm, recognises an organisation or initiative that has tackled a particular issue or opportunity and can demonstrate measurable improvement in rainbow inclusion and wellbeing on a sustained basis
The New Zealand Rugby Innovation Award recognises a program, policy, or practice that shows the willingness to try something new and bold, adapted to the unique organisational context, with measures for monitoring progress.
ASB Emerging Award recognises organisations who are early in their diversity and inclusion journey, but have taken steps to clearly signal their commitment to rainbow inclusion in one or more facets of their organisation
The Pride Pledge Non-Commercial Sector Award recognises and celebrates organisations within the non-commercial sector who demonstrate leadership and innovation in the area of rainbow diversity and inclusion within and / or across their sector.
Non-commercial may include state sector, not-for profit, social enterprises, NGOs, public sector, and profit for social purpose organisations.
The Les Mills Representation in Marketing Award recognises organisations which have purposefully and clearly shown rainbow inclusion in mainstream external marketing and branding campaigns in an authentic and integrated way.
The Pride Pledge SME Rainbow Inclusivity Award recognises small to medium organisations on their journey towards improving Rainbow Inclusion, evidenced through one or more areas of program, policy, or practice that sets an example for others to follow
The Pride Pledge Pride Network of the Year Award celebrates and recognises employee-led networks who demonstrate high levels of engagement, reach and make an impact with Rainbow DEI initiatives across their organisation. These networks will be an inspiration for other employee networks to follow.
