AWARDS FINALIST: Todd Energy and Otaraua Hapū – Building a future together

A long-standing partnership between Todd Energy and Otaraua Hapū is demonstrating how business and iwi can work together to create enduring social, cultural and economic value.

What began in 2014 as a commitment to better engagement has evolved into a decade-long collaboration that is reshaping opportunities for whānau and setting a new benchmark for corporate-community relationships.

At the heart of the initiative is Nga Ringawera Otaraua, a hapū-owned enterprise and Todd Energy partner.

Initially established to deliver catering services, NRO has grown into a multi-faceted business offering environmental monitoring, biodiversity project delivery and cultural advisory services.

In recent years, the business has expanded further - acquiring seven commercial properties, launching a native plant nursery and initiating housing developments for kaumātua and whānau.

Essential

This growth has created employment for dozens of local people and generated new streams of income for the hapū. It has also enabled whānau to return to their ancestral lands, reconnect with their cultural identity and contribute to the revitalisation of their community.

NRO provides essential services across Todd's sites, including rig camp operations in Taranaki and the Bay of Plenty, ecological assessments and cultural monitoring.

The collaboration has also influenced project design - reducing the environmental footprint of some sites, improving biodiversity outcomes and embedding Mātauranga Māori into decision-making.

In 2023 and 2024, NRO delivered substantial contracts for Todd and also provided services to third parties, including New Plymouth District Council, Whitaker Civil Engineering, Downer Group NZ, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Fulton Hogan, NIWA and Webster Energy Services.

For Todd Energy, the partnership has delivered operational and environmental benefits.

With NRO and its employees fully integrated in its day-to-day operations, many Todd staff members have worked directly alongside NRO employees, building relationships and opportunities for growth and development.

Respect

Todd says the relationship is built on mutual respect and a shared commitment to long-term outcomes.

It has supported NRO with training, funding, and business development, while Otaraua Hapū has brought deep local knowledge, cultural insight and a willingness to engage constructively. This two-way exchange has fostered trust and created a platform for innovative and positive outcomes.

While the hapū says it will always have concerns about any industry operating in its rohe, the partnership with Todd has shifted the way those matters are now approached.

Rather than being left to react through formal regulatory processes, it says it is increasingly engaging earlier, with genuine discussions taking place ahead of actions being finalised.

That shift towards proactive dialogue has strengthened trust, preserved mana and helped avoid unnecessary conflict.

The annual Energy Excellence Awards will be held in Wellington on 13 August. The Community Initiative of the Year Award is sponsored by Eagle Technology.