AWARDS FINALIST: Powerco – Leading with culture, connection, and well-being

Powerco says its in-house leadership development programme has helped reverse record-low staff engagement, slashed requests for counselling and seen the firm meet its Māori participation target a year early.

The programme, grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā - the holistic Māori model of well-being, was developed by Kacey Graham, a former Gas Hub customer manager.

She moved into the people and culture team with a clear mission: to build empathetic, inclusive leaders who support the well-being of all employees - especially Māori, Pasifika, and women. 

Delivered over four modules - Leading Foundations, Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading Business - the programme integrates tikanga, te reo Māori, emotional intelligence and psychological safety into every aspect of leadership development.

Participants gain self-awareness and greater empathy for those they work with, all while learning practical tools for resilience, conflict resolution and inclusive leadership. 

Powerco says the results speak volumes. Every participant to date has reported increased emotional and cultural competence, with more than 70 per cent having stepped into new leadership roles or expanded responsibilities.

Powerco's employee Net Promoter Score has soared to a record 47 per cent and therapy rates through its well-being provider have dropped by 47 per cent in 18 months. 

But the impact goes beyond metrics. Participants describe the programme as "life-changing," and connections formed across the two cohorts to date have created a powerful support network, and a culture of belonging and psychological safety. 

The programme's success has not gone unnoticed. Powerco met its ambitious 2025 goal - to lift Māori workforce participation from 3 per cent to 10 per cent - a year ahead of schedule in 2024.

The initiative also earned external recognition, including a finalist spot in the 2024 Deloitte Top 200 Business Awards and the Mana Tangata award for Graham at this year's HRNZ Awards. 

Looking ahead, Powerco plans to expand the programme, with a third cohort launching soon and elements being integrated into the company's graduate programme.

It says the LDP has become "world famous across Powerco," not just for its outcomes, but for what it represents: a shift from compliance to connection, and from leadership as authority to leadership as care. 

The annual Energy Excellence Awards will be held in Wellington on 13 August. The Well-being Award is sponsored by Hiko Energy Insights.