ACE’s engagement principles in action – the Kāinga Ora co-lab model
Kāinga Ora, the government agency providing social housing for New Zealanders in need, has significantly transformed its housing delivery model, moving to a highly collaborative, efficient, cost-effective, and scalable system. The Housing Delivery System (HDS) showcases the ACE New Zealand Engagement Principles for Consultants and Clients from a client’s perspective within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment. […]
Putting the engagement principles into practice – with Dean Kimpton at AT
ACE New Zealand’s engagement principles are designed to help consultants and clients work better together. They focus on strengthening relationships and setting clear expectations around how we collaborate, manage risk and make decisions – from governance and vision through to scope and delivery. At their core, the principles are about building trust, respect, and shared […]
It all comes down to culture – with Lee Turner and Kim Dovey at Skillpod
Business resilience was top of mind at our recent SME Summit in Auckland. How do we build it? What does it look like in real workplaces? One standout answer was that it starts with culture.
Skillpod’s Lee Turner and Kim Dovey gave us a practical, people-first look at what culture really means, and why it matters more than ever when things get tough, at their standing-room only session, It all comes down to culture.
Adventures at sea: remote working, parenting, and sailing across the world
Do you have a dream? Are you living your best life or waiting to action your wish list until you reach that next career rung or even retire? Well, Charlotte Philpott didn’t wait. The BMC chartered structural engineer believes life is meant to be lived.
It was this mindset, following Covid interruptions to the original travel itinerary of Charlotte and her husband, Daniel, that led to their family trip of a lifetime with a twist. Remote working while sailing for 2 ½ years from Croatia to Tahiti with a baby on board anyone?
And, while many might shudder at the prospect, Charlotte, who along with Daniel, grew up on the water sailing small one-person boats, says prior experience isn’t always a prerequisite.
“We prepped for our first ocean crossing next to some people who had no sailing experience. We were worried about all of these things and prepping for many different situations because we knew what could happen, whereas they were so relaxed because they probably didn’t know. In some ways the naivety is good – provided you make it.”
We asked Charlotte how she made flexible working and an ocean-crossing adventure a successful reality, and if she had any tips for others wanting to jump on board the remote-working dream.
Navigating climate risk with AECOM
As the effects of our changing climate become ever more present, the demand for AECOM’s services in climate risk work is increasing.
The infrastructure consulting company’s global experience in climate risk includes technical thinking, establishing methodology, and understanding the issues, and applying this to various projects. Knowledge gained from each project is fed back into the chain of understanding to foster a continual two-way feed of learning.
AECOM recently localised this international experience when working with the Lyttelton Port Company (LPC). We spoke with AECOM Associate Director – Practice Lead Sustainability and Resilience in New Zealand Anthony Hume about how LPC tackled its own climate change risk assessment during this project.
Bringing te ao Māori to client projects
In 2006, when Wharehuia Dixon (Ngāti Awa) joined Beca as a graduate civil engineer, the company didn’t have a strong connection to te ao Māori. He was one of a handful of Māori within one of Asia Pacific’s largest independent advisory, design and engineering consultancies. Wharehuia says the industry can be a lonely place for Māori and Pacific engineers, and notes that many young Māori and Pacific children grow up having no idea what engineering means.
Fast forward to 2024 and the environment is changing. Beca’s New Zealand cultural origins have become much clearer within the last seven years, following a challenge to the company to better reflect its roots as a business founded in Aotearoa by Wharehuia, Genevieve Doube (Ngāi Tahu) and John Blyth (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi). This challenge led to the inception of Te Ahi Tūtata in 2022 (Beca’s Māori business team) and a role within the company for Wharehuia that is grounded in te ao Māori.
Setting expectations with the FIDIC climate change charter – with Tracey Ryan
From a young age, Aurecon’s Managing Director Tracey Ryan has been deeply passionate about the natural world. “As a four-year-old growing up in Ireland I would take any opportunity to go to work with my father, a surveyor. I always wanted a career that took me outside.”
Pulling focus – Morrison Hershfield’s response to the climate crisis
The earth’s climate is changing, and so are the roles of engineers. As unpredictable and extreme weather patterns put pressure on the built environment, engineers and consultants are increasingly required to consider climate change in all aspects of our design practice. We spoke to Don McCallum, from Canada-based engineering and environmental consultancy Morrison Hershfield, about the opportunities the company has taken to contribute to carbon reduction and help ensure resilience to climate change across a broad range of projects.
How AECOM embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG)
On 4 April, AECOM and their client Waka Kotahi are holding a free webinar for ACE members on ESG (environmental, social, and governance). We spoke with AECOM Associate Director – Practice Lead Sustainability and Resilience, Anthony Hume, about how AECOM embedded ESG into the business to deliver meaningful and impactful solutions.
A metaphysical shake up – with B Corp Consultant Tim Jones
Tim Jones used to be a medical device salesman before taking the reins at a property consultancy company in Christchurch. However, following the Canterbury earthquakes and the birth of his daughter, a few “internal conversations were sparked – a physical shake up that led to a metaphysical shake up”, and he realised he needed work that was focused on purpose rather than solely profit.