Investment

Trust Waikato recognised as a Responsible Investor 2026

September 23, 2026

4 min read

RIAA Conference 2026. Image credit: Abigail Dougherty

We’re proud to share that Trust Waikato has been recognised as a Responsible Investor 2026 by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) and were presented with a certificate by RIAA Co-CEO Dean Hegarty at the 2026 RIAA Conference in Auckland this week. The conference was an opportunity to hear and learn from many engaging speakers, including one of our own Trustees, Glenda Taituha-Toka who was on the panel for the “Unlocking Aotearoa’s impact capital pipeline” workshop.

Our Responsible Investor recognition reflects our commitment to investing responsibly and managing the Trust’s assets in a way that supports both long-term financial sustainability and positive outcomes for our communities.

As a community trust, we take a long-term view. Through our Investment Strategy and Responsible Investment Policy, we consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors alongside financial performance, recognising that responsible investment practices can contribute to better decision-making, stronger risk management, and sustainable returns over time.

In practice this means we consider factors such as climate-related risks, corporate governance, and social responsibility alongside traditional measures. We work with our investment managers who are actively engaging with companies on ESG issues and support improved performance through responsible stewardship, and we regularly review our investment policies, reporting and practices to ensure they continue to align with leading standards. This is also reflected in our commitment as signatory to the Aotearoa Stewardship Code.

RIAA’s assessment recognises organisations that demonstrate strong performance across responsible investment commitment and transparency, ESG integration, stewardship, and capital allocation.

Every dollar generated through our investment portfolio helps support grants and initiatives that create opportunities and strengthen communities across the Waikato region. Being named a Responsible Investor acknowledges our commitment to being a responsible steward of the assets entrusted to us, ensuring they continue to benefit current and future generations.

We are pleased to be recognised alongside other leading responsible investors across Australasia and remain committed to continually strengthening our responsible investment approach.


Above: Trust Waikato Trustee Glenda Taituha-Toka participating in the “Unlocking Aotearoa’s Impact Capital Pipeline” panel discussion.