Meet our first accredited professionals

We are delighted to welcome nine accredited DEI professionals as foundation members of the Workplace Inclusion Professional Accreditation programme.

Congratulations to Amelia Stone, Ashleigh Altmann, Catherine Smith, Earle Wilkes, Jovita Stellmacher, Phillipa Gimmillaro, Sarah Archer, Sripriya Somasekhar and Tracey Taylor, who gained accreditation at a hui at Piritahi Marae on Auckland’s Waiheke Island.

Diversity Works New Zealand Head of Capability Sarah Macdonald says this is an important milestone for the programme.

“The hui was a powerful experience – we came together to acknowledge the complexity and multi-layered nature of DEI mahi and to reflect on our own 'why' and the various dimensions we work with.”

The Workplace Inclusion Professional Accreditation programme was created to provide a way to formally recognise the knowledge, skills and experiences required to build cultures of inclusion and cohesion within workplaces in Aotearoa. It’s an opportunity for DEI professionals and practitioners to demonstrate and be acknowledged for their competencies in designing and implementing strategies and programmes.

Last month’s hui was run as part of the accelerated accreditation process, which is available until 28 February 2025. This allows people with significant experience in DEI mahi to gain accreditation under a straight-forward points-based system.

Simplifying the accreditation process for 12 months will build a cohort of knowledgeable experts who will establish a community of peer support for other professionals and practitioners doing this essential mahi in workplaces around Aotearoa.

“It was a real privilege to be part of this initial hui and welcome our first accredited professionals,” says Sarah. “This has really demonstrated the potential of the programme and we are excited to see it continue to grow and flourish.”

There are two credentials available under the programme – one for DEI professionals who have strategic experience in this work and one for DEI practitioners who support and implement programmes.

Here are the dates for accreditation hui for the remainder of 2024. Please read through the information on the accreditation programme and the accelerated accreditation policy to understand which designation – practitioner or professional – you should apply for.

2024 Accreditation Hui Dates

Check out more information on the programme and apply now.