Consultancies committed to embedding Te Ao Maōri in a genuine and enduring way will be celebrated at this year’s ACE Awards.
He Tohu Auroa, a new award in 2026, recognises firms that have built strong, grounded relationships with iwi and hapū, and is designed to act as a beacon for the industry.
We talk to L’Rey Renata (GHD Process Water Engineer, Maori Leadership Forum member and ACE Board member) about how He Tohu Auroa came to life, why the award matters, and what she hopes it will unlock for the industry.
He autaia, He aukaha, He auroa
Water is life, movement, and connection.
Its currents differ in nature. Some bring clarity, some move with strength, and others endure across time.
The story behind He Tohu Auroa
For L’Rey, the award’s origin is as important as its intent. She says it began when ACE New Zealand Chief Executive Helen Davidson approached the Māori Leadership Forum (MLF) with a clear aspiration: to recognise the value of Te Ao Māori in a way that was meaningful for consulting businesses. “I love this because He Tohu Auroa signals integrity in action. Sitting on the ACE Board, it represents ACE’s maturing commitment. One that moves beyond intention and into sustained, values‑led practice.”
L’Rey says the MLF can see both sides of the current reality – the gaps that remain across the industry, but also the firms doing “impactful mahi” in the Te Ao Maōri space – and the award is designed to showcase the brilliance of some of that mahi and instil confidence in others that it can be done. “It provides a benchmark to strive towards – it shows what’s possible and is one of the first awards of this nature.”
Encouraging action
The award criteria provide practical hints and prompts to guide businesses wondering where to start, even for those not entering the awards, and are especially valuable for smaller firms with limited resources.
That focus on “how” is deliberate. L’Rey hopes the award will act as a motivator, creating a sense of shared direction that will, in time, lift the bar. Reciprocity sits at its core – not as a value to reference, but as a way of working. It reflects Te Ao Māori in practice by treating relationships as partnerships, not transactions, and recognising opportunities to give back. Ultimately, the aspiration is for the award to help normalise strong, grounded relationships with iwi and hapū, and to strengthen the unity and capability of the sector.
Award elements
The kaupapa began with He Tohu Auroa as an enduring commitment – a long‑term signal of what genuine partnership looks like. Through collective wānanga within the MLF, that idea deepened. He auroa was recognised as a current in its own right – one that holds steady beneath change, sustaining what has been built and carrying it forward as legacy. From that understanding, other currents were named alongside it, reflecting how different forms of commitment, brilliance (He autaia), and relational strength (He aukaha) coexist. Together they capture what embedded looks like in practice – moving beyond intent statements and tick boxes into behaviours, ways of working, and sustained investment in relationships and capability.
Future aspirations
Looking ahead, L’Rey and the MLF hope He Tohu Auroa will help the industry better understand what it means to embed Te Ao Māori and see the criteria as both encouragement and a challenge. “My hope is that the award showcases the value of committing to Te Ao Maōri and to iwi / hapū relationships and that it challenges the industry to lift its capability, move beyond intention, and commit to practice that is thoughtful, durable, and grounded over time.”
L’Rey says the award has been designed with a long-term view. “It’s exciting to see something that can continue forward and act as a beacon for the industry, encouraging firms to hop on those currents if they aren’t already in them.”