Dave Letele and Z provide support where urgent need is overlooked.
Polls show cost of living remains a significant concern for New Zealanders, and many are deeply worried that vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected. Corporate giving can help under-represented communities – when businesses choose to support it.
For Dave Letele, corporate philanthropy is, in business-speak, a win-win situation. “If you can help, you should. There are many corporates that can give and they simply have to if we want a better Aotearoa for our kids, and our grandkids,” he says.
Z’s Good in the Hood Community Ambassador and founder of the BBM charity adds: “Look at Z Energy (Z). When they came and had a sit-down with us, they saw the impact they could have by getting involved.”
“You see the families that, if it wasn't for the support, where would they go? You see the lives that are better off just because you're helping. There's no better feeling than looking at someone and seeing their life is better because we exist.”
Z has over 170 retail sites, meaning it is a key part of communities across the motu. The company has developed initiatives around the belief that those who are part of local communities are best placed to guide where and how they can provide meaningful support. Its flagship community initiative Good in the Hood has shared over $10 million to hundreds of local charity and community organisations since 2011, and the company has evolved to add new programmes over the last few years.
In 2024, Z established a three-year partnership with Letele and his charity programme BBM (ButterBean Motivation), and through this they aim to help address inequalities faced by Māori and Pasifika - enabling more New Zealanders to live lives they value and empower rangatahi to reach their potential.
Letele stresses it’s not just PR. “When businesses are involved in their community, they can come to groups like us and see where their money is being spent first-hand. A lot of these community groups are doing their work with next to nothing. So the business can see the scale and the impact that their investment has in the communities they live in and work in.”
Z’s Head of Sustainability and Community Abbie Bull says it’s sometimes hard for large corporates to engage effectively with these groups, and that’s where the local network demonstrates its strength. “Letele’s participation was critical as he is a known and trusted voice in Māori and Pasifika communities and can open doors.”
With a nationwide footprint of retail sites, Z has a front-row seat to the needs of communities across Aotearoa. Bull says that visibility shapes how the company gives back.
“We feel we have a responsibility to support those communities where we operate in a meaningful way,” she says. “We’ve evolved our community investment to focus on where it matters most, leveraging our local people and their relationships.
“In addition to our well-known Good in the Hood programme, and our partnership with BBM, we have our Regional Boost and our $1m Biodiversity Fund.
“Regional Boost emerged from our review of how Good in the Hood funds were distributed. The Deprivation Index showed that areas with higher needs – particularly those with larger Māori populations – weren’t getting proportionate support.
“Through Z’s Regional Boost, we can proactively direct funding into those areas, guided by our local retailers who know which groups are providing on the ground support. We’re giving $13,000–20,000 to small grassroots groups that often can’t access major corporate sponsorship.”
Philanthropy NZ, the peak body that represents the philanthropy and grant-giving sector, estimates $3.8 billion is channelled towards charities, sports and community groups each year. It says various reports on New Zealand’s state of corporate giving shows most of our large corporates have the opportunity to do more to keep up with the global benchmark like Z Energy is seeking to do.
Bull says corporate giving is not just a feelgood factor. “Creating strong customer engagement through our approach to community investment absolutely supports our business proposition. There is no doubt that consumers feel more positively towards businesses who give back.”
“There is a real opportunity for corporates to make a difference, particularly now as traditional funding sources dry up and eligibility narrows. Corporates can play a unique role in the funding landscape if they are willing to take more risk and provide seed funding to enable innovation or to pilot new approaches. They can also reduce the administrative load on charities by cutting red tape on applications and reporting.
“There are so many benefits from genuine community partnership beyond donations, including through volunteering opportunities. Many businesses may be surprised at how positive and fulfilling it is to engage with community groups. It’s a really positive thing for managers and employees to be involved in the community sector – and it has wellbeing outcomes for staff too.”
