New Zealand’s premier workplace inclusion conference, Whiria Ngā Kaha Workplace Inclusion Aotearoa, returns to Auckland next May.
The theme for 2026 is Future-ready and Fearless. In the face of deep and accelerating change, it’s a call to courage as we ask what it really takes to lead inclusion into the future.
Advance registration for the two-day conference on May 5 and 6 is now open, with members able to secure their place for just $995+GST and non-member pricing from $1375+GST.
There are also discounted registration fees for not-for-profit organisations and students for the event, which will be held at the Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments in the central city.
Everyone who registers for both days of the conference can access discounted rates for the 2026 Diversity Awards NZ™ dinner on Tuesday, 5 May. This is the first time we’ve held our two flagship events together, creating one powerful gathering of Aotearoa’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) community.
Incremental pricing this year means the earlier you book, the less you pay, so head to the website now to lock in a great rate!
Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion Chief Executive Maretha Smit says the conference programme is packed with an impressive array of speakers, panelists and interactive sessions.
Day one features three ways to engage with inclusion through concurrent Systems, Story and Skills Lab sessions. Delegates can swap between the sessions to reimagine the structures that shape our workplaces, connect through lived experience, or strengthen the practical capabilities that bring inclusion to life.
Day two turns the spotlight to Fair Futures, with two concurrent sessions examining how equity must evolve in response to social and environmental change. Delegates can choose between dismantling class barriers that shape opportunity and building climate equity to ensure no one is excluded from the future of work.
Alongside these sessions, the conference will engage directly with the emerging conversation about artificial intelligence. AI is already transforming our systems, stories, and skills. The challenge is to face this transformation fearlessly — recognising both its promise and its peril. Over the two days, delegates will engage with how inclusion leaders can help guide technology choices that protect equity and expand opportunity.
“We’ve taken on feedback from previous years and shaped a conference programme that is more immersive and connected, with sessions designed to spark reflection and real-world application. Our goal is to provide people with the tools and confidence they need to lead inclusion into the future,” Maretha says.
“We can’t wait to see you there.”