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Community and Reputation
Respecting and contributing positively to the communities in which we operate and upholding our reputation.
At AWE we will always seek to "do the right thing". AWE has formed strong relationships with many of the communities in which we operate - recognising its responsibility to contribute in a positive way. This is the key principle behind our decision for allocation of sponsorship funds. In addition to this key principle, AWE sponsorship opportunities should be:
- based on community needs, and designed in consultation with the community;
- measurable positive impact: socially, economically and environmentally;
- sustainable - delivering long term benefits; and
- self-support once AWE participation ends
Below is a summary of the main sponsorship proposals accepted by AWE over the last 12 months.
| Organisation |
Proposal |
Category |
Comment |
| New Plymouth Police |
Principal sponsorship of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taranaki |
Youth |
BBBS Taranaki officially started up in July 2007 as a result over 53 young people have been matched with Mentors. |
| The Cape Egmont Sea Rescue Trust |
Contribution towards the purchase of a new rescue vessel. |
Safety/Community |
The new vessel will be based at Cape Egmont and is run by volunteers to assist and support rescues in and around Taranaki. |
| Taranaki Youth Trust |
Contribution towards the ongoing running costs of the Youth Trust Centre |
Youth |
WAVES is a youth centre that provides young adults with a range of advisory and health services |
| New Plymouth District Council |
Festival of the Lights (Pukekura Park) |
Community |
Part of the annual Taranaki Festival of Lights program that runs through the summer months. It's the most well known festival in Taranaki and is enjoyed by all ages. |
| Waikirikiri Lagoon & Beach Restoration Project |
Fencing and Planting of native vegetation & ongoing maintenance of the area. |
Environment |
Project concept developed through consultation with local Iwi and the community and undertaken in conjunction with the Taranaki Regional Council and Prosafe. |
| Coastal School |
Sustainability Project
(3 Year Contract) |
Environment |
Development of a Sustainability Program school wide with initiatives ranging from gardening, propagation to waste management. |
| Taranaki Arts Festival Trust |
Arts Festival -
Bronze Sponsor |
Arts & Culture |
This two yearly event brings a diverse range of arts opportunities to the Taranaki community as well as New Zealand. |
| Taranaki Rugby Union |
Secondary School Representative Team Sponsorship |
Sport |
Major sponsor of the two representative Taranaki Secondary School teams that represent Taranaki at National tournaments. |
| New Plymouth District Council |
Taranaki Children's Book Festival |
Community & Education |
The festival's philosophy is to encourage Taranaki children, their family and whanau, to celebrate and enjoy reading, books and literature. |
| Hearing Dogs of Taranaki |
Contribution to allow the upgrade of a vehicle used to transport dogs. |
Community |
Hearing Dogs is charitable trust dedicated to helping deaf and hearing-impaired people throughout New Zealand with the every day activities that we take for granted. The National training centre for hearing dogs is based in New Plymouth |
| Surf Lifesaving Taranaki |
Sponsorship enabled purchase of essential safety equipment for each club in the region. |
Safety |
Surf Lifesaving Taranaki is a voluntary organisation with approximately 900 active members, ranging from age 7 to life members over 65 years old. |
| Puki Ariki (local Museum) |
Maori Carving Ceremonial Doors |
Cultural |
Contribution towards the construction and purchase of traditional Maori Carving Ceremonial doors for the local museum |
| Children's Christmas Extravaganza |
Main sponsor of a day of fun for under privileged children. |
Youth |
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In 2009, AWE in conjunction with Taranaki oil venture partner Mitsui became the national champion of the highly successful youth mentoring program, Big Brothers Big Sisters ("BBBS"). A three-year sponsorship deal (worth $NZ450,000) has guaranteed the program's national future, giving countless young people the chance to improve their lives and make the most of opportunities for the future.
The national sponsorship deal compliments the existing local sponsorship arrangement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taranaki. AWE and its partners in the Tui oil project have successfully sponsored Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taranaki for two years, and have just confirmed an additional $NZ100,000 per year for a further three years for the program. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a youth program, managed in some regions including Taranaki, by NZ Police's Youth Development section, which enjoys overwhelming positive community recognition.
In addition to supporting the BBBS program, AWE sponsors a variety of other youth focused programs including supporting the local high school Science and Math fairs, local Youth Summer Soccer league, and contributions towards assisting local schools with art and cultural programs. Support of these youth based programs is complimented by AWE's involvement as a sponsor of the Young Enterprise Scheme, where AWE staff provide business mentorship to local schools.
AWE's support extends into the community through contributions towards the purchase of new safety equipment for the Taranaki Surf Lifesaving Clubs, Waikirikiri Lagoon and Beach Restoration project which was developed with the local iwi and community to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the lagoon and beach areas through planting of native vegetation and ongoing maintenance of the area.
As AWE expands new challenges will arise in interacting with diversity of locations, languages and cultures that will frame our interactions with communities.
Looking forward
In 2010 we look to continue to engage with our communities through stakeholder engagement processes and to continue to respond to community concerns - including the impact of our development activities on local communities, and responding to broader community needs. |