Once you have read the Programme Overview and the Categories and Entry Criteria, you can enter the awards through the online form on our website.

We’ve designed our award categories to reflect the many ways workplace inclusion can show up — through organisational systems, team cultures, individual leadership, and focused initiatives. Here's how to decide where your entry best fits:

• Organisation Awards are for initiatives that span across the whole workplace. If your entry reflects broad cultural change, policy shifts, or systemic improvements that affect many people, this is likely the right category. You’ll choose between Small/Medium (fewer than 100 employees) and Medium/Large (100 or more employees) subcategories.

• Team Awards are for work led by a specific team (not an individual or the whole organisation). These could be operational teams, project groups, or internal functions driving inclusion in a defined area.
• Individual Awards are for celebrating personal leadership. You can enter these yourself or encourage a colleague or someone in your network to enter.
• Feature Awards focus on a specific area of inclusion (e.g. disability, rainbow, migrant pathways). You can’t enter these directly — but if your Organisation or Team Award entry strongly aligns with one of the feature areas, you can opt in to be considered by answering a few additional questions.
• Pinnacle Awards (Supreme and People’s Choice) are not entered separately — they are selected from the winners of the Organisation, Team, and Feature Awards.

Still unsure? Pick the category where your story is strongest and aligns best with the judging criteria. You can also sign up for our Awards Entry Assistance workshop to find out more about the new award categories – we are running this online and will have a recording available afterwards.

In the Individual Awards categories, entries are free for individuals employed by organisations that are members of Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion. A fee of $350+GST applies to entries from individuals who are not employed by a member organisation.

In the Organisation and Team Awards categories, entries are free for organisations that are members of Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion. A fee of $350+GST applies to entries from non-member organisations. There is a fee for each separate entry. There is no additional cost if you request to be considered for a Feature Award.

Invoices will be issued after submission. Entries will only be accepted for consideration once payment has been received. 

Yes, organisations may enter more than one category, and you’re welcome to submit multiple entries within the same category if each one features a distinct programme or initiative. However, the same initiative cannot be submitted across multiple categories.

An exception applies to the Feature Awards, which are designed as an extension of the Organisation or Team Awards. In these cases, the same initiative can be considered for a Feature Award, provided it is clearly aligned and you opt in accordingly. Each Team or Organisation Award can be entered in one Feature Award category.

Also, entries in the Individual Awards categories can reference initiatives entered in the Team or Organisational Awards categories.

If you are not a member of Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion, you will have to pay a separate fee for each entry. There is no additional cost if you request to be considered for a Feature Award.

No, entries must relate to workplace diversity and inclusion programmes or initiatives benefitting employees who are resident and working in New Zealand.

Yes, but if you are entering a programme or initiative that has previously won a Diversity Awards NZ™ category or been highly commended by the judging panel, you must provide evidence of significant new development.

Yes, you can do a joint entry with one of your clients (submitted under the name of your client), in one of the core Organisation or Team categories.

No, entries must provide evidence of how your organisation is advancing a culture of diversity and inclusion within the New Zealand workplace.

Entrants will be referred to by the name entered on the official online entry form throughout the awards programme and on all subsequent awards collateral or marketing material produced to support the awards programme.

Entering these awards sends a signal to the workforce that you are a business that values diversity and inclusion, so it’s preferable to enter under your organisation’s name, enhancing your employer brand. However, you are not prohibited from using the name of a specific programme, initiative or department if you want to promote this as a brand. Please ensure all names and titles are correct as they cannot be changed halfway through the programme.

There is no facility to upload supporting material, videos or photos as part of the entry process. However, entrants selected as finalists will be required to provide visual materials, including photographs and video content, for use in showcasing their entry at the awards ceremony.

No, a separate entry is required to be submitted for each award entered, using the online form.  

 Yes, finalists will be announced after entries close. 

Our team will be in touch to let you know when representatives from our judging panel can do an online meeting. 

Winners will be announced at our gala awards event, held as part of our national conference in May 2026. Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter so you don’t miss key updates and event details.