Kaupapa | Initiative
HTK Group is on a mission to champion, accelerate, and mobilise Māori businesses across the motu, elevating the Māori economy and building intergenerational prosperity.
As a culturally based, values-led organisation, values alignment is a non-negotiable for Managing Director, Renata Hakiwai (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Porou, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), who has found Awhi to be the perfect fit.
Wero | The Challenge
COVID-19 was the catalyst for HTK to supercharge their offerings, and seek government relations assistance.
“Given the wide-spread impact of COVID-19, we were interested in how we could best leverage Government investment to support hard-hit Māori businesses whilst securing their own balance sheets. Our priority was to use the principles of social procurement to best bounce the dollar within the Māori economy, all while helping the Government achieve its objectives. It’s a win-win-win situation.”
Te Āhua Mahi | Our Approach
While initially apprehensive about relying on the government for support, Renata knew fostering relationships with political leaders could increase HTK’s impact and reach. With support from Awhi, government relations quickly began playing a key role in expediting the engagement process.
Ngā Hua | The Outcome
“The Awhi team’s network of contacts has allowed us to enter political engagement through the side door. They made ministerial meetings happen in a matter of weeks.”
HTK Group has also been able to improve engagement with political leaders across Parliament – a massive feat that Renata says HTK Group and the wider Māori economy are starting to see dividends from.
“We’re now in a space where our political engagement is paying off. We’re getting calls left, right and centre from other people wanting to partner with us and bolster pakihi Māori.”
“Much of our success to date is down to the trusted partnership with Awhi, and the team’s guidance around establishing our political influence and strategic positioning.”
Renata also says the way which Awhi does its mahi, engagement grounded in te ao Māori values, gave them comfort the organisation would deliver.
We are both all about whakawhanaungatanga | building meaningful relationships and truly investing in the kaupapa to achieve mutual outcomes that benefit everyone involved. That really says it all.
