The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to protect and preserve Aotearoa’s resources for past, present and future generations (Tiaki Care For New Zealand, 2018). The 'Tiaki Promise' was a strategy collaboratively developed in 2018 by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Tourism Industry Aotearoa, Local Government New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, New Zealand Māori Tourism, and Tourism Holdings Ltd (Tiaki Care For New Zealand, 2018). The 'Tiaki Promise' was intentionally devised to promote tourism enterprises to engage their tourists in environmentally and culturally conscious travel experiences (Tiaki Care For New Zealand, 2018).
Therefore the 'Tiaki Promise' aims to encourage visitors to participate in reciprocal interactions with Whenua (land), Tangata Whenua (indigenous people), Tikanga (Māori cultural practices/customs) and Taonga (valued treasures or resources). Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours engages with the 'Tiaki Promise' by integrating Kaitiakitanga, Mōhiotanga and Kotahitanga in day-to-day practices, which coincide with the goals expressed in the 'Tiaki Promise'. Furthermore, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours integrates the 'Tourism 2025 & Beyond' (2018) framework created by TIA (Tourism Industry Aotearoa) into daily practice, which heavily correlates with the aims outlined within the 'Tiaki Promise'.
Tourism 2025 & beyond is a sustainable growth framework developed by TIA in 2018. The Tourism 2025 & beyond framework outlines the vision of “growing a sustainable tourism industry that benefits New Zealanders”(TIA, 2018).
Therefore, the framework is centred around four goals categorised as ‘visitor’, ‘community’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘economic’ (TIA, 2018). The goals are ‘deliver outstanding visitor experiences’, ‘New Zealanders are welcoming hosts’, ‘Aotearoa is enhanced by tourism’ and ‘grow tourism’s contribution to New Zealand's economy' (TIA, 2018). Tourism 2025 & beyond additionally outlines ‘10 actions’ that contribute toward the four goals stated in the framework; Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours integrates most of these actions within our practice (TIA, 2018).
01. Embedding Sustainability:
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is devoted to encouraging guests to engage in tourist experiences responsibly and consciously to facilitate sustainable outcomes for Aotearoa’s natural environment and resources. We believe it is essential to inform tourists how to engage in experiences responsibly to protect and preserve Aotearoa's natural and cultural ecologies for future generations.
02.Embracing Tikanga Māori:
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours embraces Tikanga Māori by demonstrating the significance of Aotearoa’s Māori heritage, customs, practices and ethics by integrating Māori worldviews into our business operations. We centre our business values around the Māori ethics of Kaitiakitanga, Manaakitanga, Mōhiotanga and Kotahitanga to align with Tikanga Māori and pay respect to and embrace indigenous worldviews.
03. Living Tiaki:
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours applies the ethic of Kaitiakitanga into business practice, informing tourists about their responsibility as visitors to engage in tours as kaitiaki (stewards of the land). We also integrate the ‘Tiaki Promise’ strategy by conveying to visitors the importance of participating in reciprocal and respectful interactions with the Whenua (land), Tangata Whenua (indigenous people), Tikanga (Māori cultural practices/customs) and Taonga (valued treasures or resources). Therefore, we actively inform our visitors of their duty as ‘kaitiaki’, influencing them to consciously consider Tikanga Māori when interacting with Whenua, Taonga and natural resources.
04. Engaging the community:
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours engages with the community in many ways. Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours strives to collaborate with whanau-based businesses to boost community engagement and enable tourists to interact with the local community in a more personal demeanour. Through this, tourists gain a deeper insight relating to Aotearoa’s local communities, promoting genuine connections between host communities and tourists. Integrating the local community into tourist experiences furthers the ability for Manaakitanga to transpire between foreigners and local communities, enhancing the tourist experience in Aotearoa.
05. Measuring and managing carbon use:
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours measures and manages carbon output annually and has adopted a carbon offset strategy that offsets carbon output through regenerative planting. The 'carbon offset strategy' is a sustainable development initiative that will enhance our mission alongside the ‘Tourism 2025 & beyond’ goal of promoting sustainable outcomes for Aotearoa's natural and cultural environments. The 'carbon offset strategy' aims to offset any carbon emissions the company generates alongside the company's tourists.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is guided by the 12 business commitments developed by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) (TIA, 2018). The 12 commitments are centred around four prominent areas in tourism, including 'community', 'economy', 'visitor' and 'environment' (TIA, 2018). Each of these areas is considered a focal point within the tourism industry; thus, areas of development and growth are highlighted in each domain. In addition, the '12 business commitments' align heavily with the sustainable development goals produced by the United Nations (2016) (TIA, 2018). Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours aims to incorporate development goals from each area of interest to promote sustainable and ethical tourism in Aotearoa, alongside promoting heightened indigenous recognition and engagement amongst Aotearoa's tourism industry. By engaging with initiatives and developmental frameworks such as TIA's 12 business commitments, we facilitate positive environmental, economic, social and cultural outcomes in Aotearoa through tourism.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has adopted an ecological and cultural management framework known as the MauriOra Systems Framework (MSF). The MauriOra Systems Framework (MSF) allows natural habitats and cultural ecosystems in Aotearoa to become enriched through the application of Mātauranga, which refers to Māori cultural knowledge, alongside the utilisation of Tikanga Māori, which refers to Māori cultural practices (Matunga et al., 2020).
MauriOra Systems Framework (MSF) promotes long-term sustainable outcomes for the tourism industry by integrating Māori ethics and values, weaving the concepts of Kaitiaki (stewards of the environment), Taonga (valued natural and cultural resources), Tikanga (Māori cultural practices) and Mauri (life force and regenerative capacity) (Matunga et al., 2020). Thus, integrating these ethics allows for a more meaningful relationship between tourism providers, the natural environment, and cultural ecosystems. Furthermore, Taonga will flourish instead of degenerate.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours endeavours to provide a tourism service and experience guided by environmentally and culturally informed ideologies, values and frameworks. We acknowledge that as a tourism enterprise, we are responsible for protecting and conserving the natural and cultural landscape in which we operate. Therefore, we strive to align our company mission, values, and ethics with the 'Tourism 2025 & Beyond’ produced by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA, 2019), the 'Tiaki promise', and Māori worldviews that promote protecting and preserving Aotearoa's natural and cultural environments and resources. Thus, we have opted to implement a sustainable and ethical policy that applies to all areas of our business operations, ensuring that our mission, values and ethics are maintained to an elevated standard.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours aims to operate sustainably and ethically, guided by the 'Tiaki Promise' (Tiaki Care for New Zealand, 2018), 'Tourism 2025 & Beyond' (TIA, 2018), 'Mauri Ora Systems Framework' (Matunga et al., 2020) and the 'New Zealand Tourism Sustainability 12 Commitments' (TIA, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours strives to fulfil our responsibilities as a tourism provider to operate as sustainably, ethically and culturally informed as possible. Our company endeavours to uphold the values, ethics and goals stated within the frameworks in which we subscribe; and foster positive development for environmental and cultural ecologies.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has implemented ‘going digital’ to preserve unnecessary usage of resources to promote positive environmental outcomes. By implementing ‘going digital’, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is enacting the Māori ethic of Kaitiakitanga by protecting environmental resources where possible.
According to Stats NZ, most of the determinants contributing to carbon dioxide emissions in Aotearoa were travel and transport-related emissions, with 90.7% contribution from vehicle emissions (Stats NZ, 2020). Consequently, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours strives to implement a 'carbon offset strategy' to align with ‘tourism 2025 & beyond’ alongside facilitating our current mission of promoting sustainable and ethical outcomes for the natural and cultural environments and ecologies in Aotearoa. Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours keeps a record of annual carbon emissions generated by employees and customers to mitigate and offset carbon output through regenerative planting. Therefore, we strive to offer our customers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to travel and tourism experiences by implementing a carbon offset strategy.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours offers remote work positions for employees by providing the appropriate staff with the opportunity to work from home to reduce their carbon footprint, alongside promoting safe covid practice.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours utilises low-emissions hybrid vehicles for all tours and other travel. The selected Hybrid vehicles only consume an average of four litres of petrol per 100km travelled, thus, reducing the negative environmental impact caused by high travel rates. Alongside this, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours denotes unnecessary employee travel for work-related instances. We additionally encourage customers to offset the carbon emissions generated by their aviation travel.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is often responsible for arranging connecting domestic aviation travel for our customers; we strictly utilise Air New Zealand’s airline services due to their commitment to sustainability. Air New Zealand has developed a rigorous sustainability framework, which outlines the airline's long-term and short-term sustainable goals. The sustainable framework is heavily in alignment with the ‘Tiaki Promise’ (2018) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2016) and is Qualmark endorsed (Air New Zealand, 2022). Air New Zealand has centred their sustainable framework around four main objectives: ' Sustainable Tourism’, ‘Driving towards a circular economy’, ‘Genuine climate action’ and ‘Caring for New Zealanders’ (Air New Zealand, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours arranges all domestic aviation travel for our customers through Air NZ to further support sustainable tourism and promote favourable outcomes for Aotearoa’s environmental, cultural, economic and social ecosystems.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours endeavours to implement a ‘ waste management strategy’ in Tokoroa township, where our business is located; this strategy entails a community clean-up in Tokoroa township that assists locals with managing waste and enriches the local community. Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours also uses the ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ guidelines. We consciously consume materials and products, ensure products have a lengthy lifespan and seek products that can be repurposed for secondary usage to foster sustainable outcomes.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours detests the use of single-use products alongside non-essential usage of materials, resources and products. We support the use of materials, resources and products that are sustainably derived and have longer lifespans to promote favourable sustainable outcomes for Aotearoa's natural environment. Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours consciously engages with purchasing materials, resources and products to limit unnecessary purchases within the workplace and while catering for customers. Additionally, we operate solely digitally, ensuring that office materials such as paper and stationary and not purchased regularly, ultimately reducing the overall waste produced by our company.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours seeks resources and partnerships with sustainably inclined and conscious enterprises. Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is motivated to align all our partnerships and alliances with our goals, values and ethics to foster sustainable and ethical development and positive outcomes for environmental and cultural ecologies in Aotearoa.
Therefore, we strive to collaborate with enterprises that operate sustainably and ethically, ensuring that the product, service or resources produced is sustainably derived and has ethical origins. Some key partnerships and alliances would include accommodation services, airline and domestic aviation, outsourced tourist activities, hospitality services, online software used by our company and travel and transportation services.
Luxury Lodges of New Zealand provides an array of luxury lodges for tourist accommodation throughout Aotearoa. The accommodation offered is high-end, luxury stays offering exclusive experiences for guests (Luxury Lodges of New Zealand, 2022). Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours frequently collaborates with Luxury Lodges of New Zealand as they offer ethical and sustainably conscious luxury accommodation services, which align with our company mission, values and ethics. In addition, Luxury Lodges of New Zealand are endorsed by Qualmark, which signifies that the business operates sustainably and ethically by adhering to the sustainable tourism business criteria outlined by Qualmark, providing eco-friendly and culturally inclusive accommodation services for guests.
Fiordland Lodge is a luxury, sustainably focussed accommodation provider situated on the Te Anau lakes edge and is endorsed by ‘Luxury Lodges of New Zealand’ and is a Qualmark licence holder (Fiordland Lodge, 2022). Aroha Luxury Tours often collaborates with Fiordland Lodge frequently due to their sustainable and ethical principles and values aligning with our own, ensuring that we solely support businesses that consider their impact on the natural environment alongside cultural ecologies.
Baillie Lodges is an accommodation supplier that provides sustainably and ethically inclined, luxury and fully customised accommodation for tourists (Baillie Lodges, 2022). Aroha Luxury Tours often collaborates with Baillie Lodges, specifically the ‘Huka Lodge’ located on the edge of the Waikato River near Lake Taupo (Huka Lodge, 2022). Baillie Lodges is environmentally conscious and highly proactive regarding environmental conservation and cultural preservation. Each of the Baillie Lodges has implemented an environmental management strategy to manage their impact on the surrounding natural and cultural ecosystems; hence, Aroha Luxury new Zealand Tours is proud to collaborate with Baillie Lodges.
Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ is a luxury accommodation provider which provides a plethora of hotels and lodges that are sustainably operated and ‘covid clean’ Qualmark endorsed. Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ accommodation services have been recognised as sustainably conscious, with many offered stays having a ‘green score’ of 9.5/10 (Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ, 2022). In addition, Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ strive to implement sustainable strategies such as organic ‘garden-to-table’ food service and reduction of single-use products and materials for guests. Consequently, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours proudly collaborates with Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ (Boutique Hotels and Lodges NZ, 2022).
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is often responsible for arranging connecting domestic aviation travel for our customers; we strictly utilise Air New Zealand’s airline services due to their commitment to sustainability. Air New Zealand has developed a rigorous sustainability framework, which outlines the airline's long-term and short-term sustainable goals. The sustainable framework is heavily in alignment with the ‘Tiaki Promise’ (2018) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (2016) and is Qualmark endorsed (Air New Zealand, 2022). Air New Zealand has centred their sustainable framework around four main objectives: ' Sustainable Tourism’, ‘Driving towards a circular economy’, ‘Genuine climate action’ and ‘Caring for New Zealanders’(Air New Zealand, 2022). Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours arranges all domestic aviation travel for our customers through Air NZ to further support sustainable tourism and promote favourable outcomes for Aotearoa’s environmental, cultural and social ecosystems.
Meta Technology Inc has developed a sustainability framework, which centres around becoming carbon neutral by 2030, energy and water conservation, and resource conservation, and aims to mitigate climate change misinformation (Meta Technology Ltd, 2021). Meta's office spaces and data centres run on 100% renewable energy, minimising their carbon footprint alongside managing water consumption and resource usage (Meta Technologies Ltd, 2021).
Additionally, Meta Technology inc endeavours to promote sustainable operations, practices and ideologies to their consumers, allowing the wider population to adopt more sustainable habits and perspectives in hopes of educating people regarding the need for sustainable action (Meta Technologies Ltd, 2021). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours proudly utilises software and social media platforms provided by Meta Technology inc, as their sustainable ideologies align with ours.
Microsoft is a global technology company that provides downloadable 'office' software, alongside many more technological products. Microsoft has implemented a sustainable framework to ensure sustainable business practices (Microsoft, 2021). The company has been carbon-neutral since 2012 and aims to be carbon negative by 2030 (Microsoft, 2021). Additionally, Microsoft has been certified as a 'zero waste' company and operates using 100% renewable energy in all office spaces. Furthermore, Microsoft products such as laptops and other consoles are manufactured using eco-friendly materials, alongside offering software that requires lower energy consumption than standardised products (Microsoft, 2021). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours proudly utilises Microsoft's software, as their sustainable goals, visions and policies coincide with ours.
Google operates under a strict sustainable policy that generates impactful outcomes for environmental ecologies. Google has been carbon-neutral since 2007 and aims to be carbon negative by 2030 (Google, 2022). Additionally, Google partners with non-profit and research organisations that generate positive and lasting impacts on the natural environment relating to wildlife conservation and other natural resource protection (Google, 2022). Currently, Google is constructing new eco-friendly materials to manufacture their products, generating less harmful environmental ramifications (Google, 2022). Google states that they do everything with 'the earth in mind' (Google, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Google, as their sustainable values and ideologies coincide with our outlined company vision and ethics.
Canva is an online graphic design platform that operates in accordance with a sustainable policy and commitment to environmental sustainability. Canva was declared carbon neutral in 2020 and is forecasted to be carbon negative by 2023 by implementing a carbon offset strategy through regenerative planting, with an astounding 3.5 million trees planted in 2022 (Canva, 2022). Additionally, Canva strives to significantly minimise its employee's carbon emissions by offering alternative working locations or less harmful means of travel (Canva, 2022). Canva will utilise 100% renewable energy within the next two years for all office spaces to reduce negative environmental impacts (Canva, 2022). Consequently, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has elected to engage in the services and products Canva supplies, as their sustainable practices, goals, and policies align with ours.
For the Better Good is a water bottle company that provides non-plastic, 100% biodegradable water bottles, striving to operate in harmony with nature (For the better good, 2022). For the Better Good not only promotes a sustainably sourced water bottle, they additionally have developed their composting stations that ensure their water bottles are repurposed (For the better good, 2022). The composting stations are placed throughout New Zealand to promote composting, offset carbon within the atmosphere and promote land regeneration through sustainable means (For the better good, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours proudly utilises For the better good water bottles for staff and clients, as their sustainable goals, visions, and policies coincide with ours.
Hotel Britomart operates under a strict sustainable policy that generates impactful outcomes for environmental ecologies and is considered one of NZ's most eco-friendly accommodation services, holding a gold level Qualmark (Hotel Britomart, 2022). Hotel Britomart was additionally awarded five 'green stars' from the NZ Green Building Council, as they managed to build their hotels as sustainably as possible (Hotel Britomart, 2022). Hotel Britomart has released a 2022 Sustainability Report, which outlines its applied sustainable goals and initiatives, such as mitigating carbon output, plastic-free policies, waste management and social and economic sustainability plans (Hotel Britomart, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Hotel Britomart, as its sustainable values and ideologies coincide with our outlined company vision and ethics.
Mahu Whenua translates to 'healing the land'; hence, Mahu Whenua's sole mission is to heal the land through native regeneration and planting schemes that reinstate bush and wildlife habitats in New Zealand (Mahu Whenua, 2022). Mahu Whenua has planted 1.36 million native plants as part of their native regenerative planting scheme to promote NZ's biodiversity and offset carbon in the atmosphere (Mahu Whenua, 2022). Consequently, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has elected to engage in the services Mahu Whenua supplies. Their sustainable practices, goals, and policies align with ours, educating our guests about the importance of applying sustainable practices.
Kimi Ora Eco Resort is a sustainably-inclined eco-friendly accommodation facility with a rigorous sustainability framework. The focal points of Kimi Ora Eco Resort's sustainable framework revolve around the natural environment, water conservation, energy consumption and nature (Kimi Ora Eco Resort, 2022). Kimi Ora Eco Resort donates one dollar per accommodation booked to the Tasman Bay Guardians, which dedicates resources to marine conservation and improving the health of aquatic environments (Kimi Ora Eco Resort, 2022). Additionally, Kimi Ora Eco Resort is climate positive and utilises 95% energy-efficient lightbulbs, solar water heating and energy-efficient heat pumps, alongside having planted over 2200 trees on the property to offset the carbon generated by the company itself (Kimi Ora Eco Resort, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Kimi Ora Eco Resort.
Abel Tasman Eco Tours is an environmentally friendly tour company that engages with environmental protection policies and conservation frameworks in order to better the natural ecosystems in which they operate (Abel Tasman Eco Tours, 2022). Abel Tasman Eco Tours operates as sustainably and environmentally friendly as possible and strives to update its environmental policies in order to evolve continuously for the greater good (Abel Tasman Eco Tours, 2022). Abel Tasman Eco Tours manages waste, carbon output, use of intrusive machinery (such as vehicles etc.), sustainable product engagement, and much more to mitigate risks and detrimental impact on natural ecosystems in Aotearoa (Abel Tasman Eco Tours, 2022). Abel Tasman Eco Tours engages with sustainable practices daily and has set annual goals to develop and evolve to foster more sustainably inclined outcomes. Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Abel Tasman Eco Tours.
Ridgeline Wanaka is a tourism experience provider specialising in scenic walks, off-roading experiences and safari experiences throughout Wanaka and Queenstown in Aotearoa (Ridgeline, 2022). Ridgeline Wanaka focuses on conservation and providing sustainable tourism experiences to their client; they strive to improve the natural environment for future generations (Ridgeline, 2022). Ridgeline Wanaka actively engages in sustainable practices such as native regenerative planting. Since 2012 they have successfully planted over 450 native trees within their set project area, implementing a predator control programme to protect native species in NZ (Ridgeline, 2022). Ridgeline Wanaka is Department of Conservation approved and was awarded as a finalist by Qualmark NZ (Ridgeline, 2022). Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Ridgeline Wanaka.
Canopy Tour Zipline is a tourism experience provider based in Rotorua that specialises in zipline adventures through the treetops and was awarded "the world's best nature experience in the world" by Trip Advisor in 2021 (Canopy Tour Zipline, 2022). Canopy Tour Zipline operates according to sustainable and ethical practices to reap positive impacts for the natural environment in Aotearoa and has adopted the 'canopy conservation' initiative (Canopy Tour Zipline, 2022). The Canopy Conservation Trust strives to improve forest health, and has restored 750ha of forest, caught tens of thousands of pests, and placed 750 pest traps to improve forest health and preservation (Canopy Tour Zipline, 2022). Canopy Tour Zipline, Department of Conservation approved and awarded as a finalist and winner by Qualmark NZ. Thus, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours commends and proudly supports Canopy Tour Zipline in Rotorua.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours aspires to deliver a tourism experience directed by ethical and culturally informed ideologies, morals and procedures. As a tourism enterprise, we are obligated and committed to protecting and conserving the cultural landscape in which we function. Therefore, we have opted to implement an ethical policy that applies to all areas of our business operations, ensuring that our mission, values and ethics are upheld to a high standard.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours acknowledges the importance of understanding where resources are derived. Therefore, we actively consider the origins of each product, service or resource we utilise within our company to ensure we only support ethical businesses. Furthermore, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours aims to strictly form partnerships and collaborations with ethically and sustainably inclined enterprises. Thus, we consider ethical operations and supply chains concerning employee rights, fair pay, and workplace conditions and standards in accordance with Employment New Zealand (2021), alongside ethical and sustainable derivation of resources and textiles. Therefore, our company endeavours to Investigate the origination of each material and product our company uses to ensure we are exclusively supporting businesses that operate ethically and responsibly, adhering to our company values and ethics.
Nomadic Tribe is an ethical international travel and tour provider centred around delivering tourists authentic travel enriched with indigenous cultural experiences powered by sustainable and ethical practices (Nomadic tribe,2022). Nomadic Tribe endeavours to provide tour experiences that do not intrude on local communities; however, they strive to preserve local indigenous culture and communities (Nomadic tribe,2022). Furthermore, the Nomadic tribe aims to strengthen the relationship between hosts and guests and promote life-changing cultural exchange. Nomadic Tribe honours the UNWTO ‘global code of ethics for tourism’, and strives to conserve indigenous cultures internationally (Nomadic tribe,2022). Therefore, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is proud to collaborate with Nomadic Tribe, as their values, ethics and principles embody our own, embracing and conserving indigenous culture and communities through tourism experiences.
Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is a luxury tourism provider overlooking Lake Aniwhenua, located near Rotorua. This enterprise focuses on giving back to the local community, preserving environmental resources, and promoting indigenous ancestry. Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours is an ethical and sustainable enterprise dedicated to engaging and enriching the surrounding community by allocating profits towards benefiting the community in Murupara. In addition, Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours partakes in selfless gestures such as providing meals for locals and educational experiences for students of Murupara annually (Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours, 2022). Therefore, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is proud to collaborate with Kohutapu Lodge & Tribal Tours as their values, ethics, and principles reflect our own.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has ensured that Instagram and Facebook follow an ethical policy and implement sustainable and ethical business practices. Instagram and Facebook are both owned by Meta Technology Inc; Meta focuses on delivering non-discriminatory social media content and commits to protecting all users' social media platforms. Meta ensures to mitigate any display of discrimination by banning explicit content and removing any content that could be considered ‘inflammatory’ or ‘hateful’ (Meta Technology Inc, 2021).
Furthermore, Meta Technology Inc applies internal ethical operations; Meta stated that they “Respect human, labour and civil rights in our operations and supply chain” alongside striving to cultivate workplace diversity (Meta Technology Inc, 2021). Hence, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours proudly utilises Meta Technology Inc's social media platforms and software, as their ethical policies coincide with ours.
Microsoft is a global technology company that provides downloadable ‘office’ software, alongside many more technological products, and has been recognised as ‘Ethisphere's World’s Most Ethical companies (Microsoft, 2021). Microsoft operates according to a code of ethics, and one of its key goals is prioritising customers and stakeholders. Therefore, Microsoft strives to interact with customers and key stakeholders honestly and with complete transparency (Microsoft, 2021). Additionally, Microsoft has implemented a ‘fair information practice’ that ensures its services provide a safe space for all users, free from unethical content (Microsoft, 2021). Furthermore, Microsoft operates ethically internally by acknowledging the value of inclusivity and diversity, thus, adhering to ‘Equal Opportunity regulations’ in the United States (Microsoft, 2021).
Google operates under a strict ethical policy that generates impactful outcomes for online communities and staff (Google, 2022). Google has outlined policies to ensure Google is a diverse, inclusive and safe space for all employees and stakeholders. Google has sustained a creative approach when engaging employees; this is done intentionally to promote and influence positive company culture and workplace environment, alongside encouraging innovation (Google, 2022). Google is committed to mitigating discriminatory or abusive conduct in the workplace and online platforms to protect employees and customers from harmful content, bullying and exploitation (Google, 2022).
LinkedIn is an online networking platform; its vision is to “create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”(LinkedIn, 2022). In addition, LinkedIn engages in ethical workplace practices and has been recognised on the Ethisphere Institute's “World’s Most Ethical Company” list for the second time (LinkedIn, 2022). LinkedIn focuses on strengthening its company work culture, ensuring inclusivity and diversity, and exemplifying non-discriminatory practices (LinkedIn, 2022). Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours utilises LinkedIn without concern, as their internal and external ethical policies are well recognised and visible, ultimately aligning with our company goals, ambitions and ethics.
Xero is a company that provides online cloud-based software that provides accounting services for individuals or businesses (Xero Ltd, 2022). Xero is recognised for its sustainable and ethical practices and dedication to facilitating positive impacts for communities and the natural environment. Xero states that one of its priorities as a company is to “behave ethically and responsibly in every aspect of our business, right across our value chain” (Xero Ltd, 2022). Thus, Xero upholds all their employee's human rights, as stipulated in the Human Rights Act, and operates following the employment rights of New Zealand (Xero Ltd, 2022). Furthermore, Xero ensures their supply chain is 100% ethical concerning ethical origins, ethical workplace practices and ethical staff policies (Xero Ltd, 2022). Additionally, Xero strives to maintain an inclusive and diverse workplace, free from discrimination (Xero Ltd, 2022). Therefore, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours is proud to utilise Xero’s accounting software as their values, ethics, and principles reflect our own.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours enforces ethical business operations and work practices in accordance with Employment New Zealand’s (2021) guide to ethical work practices. In addition, we have meticulously evaluated all business practices to ensure we have fulfilled our responsibility to operate as ethically as possible, guaranteeing that our employee's mental and physical wellbeings are considered and protected.
At Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours, we strive to go above and beyond for our employees, ensuring employees are granted more than just their minimum employment and human rights. Therefore, we pay all employees over $23.65 New Zealand Dollars per hour, considering New Zealand’s living wage. Thus, ensuring all employees are provided financial security to afford the necessities in life, alongside allowing for some disposable income. Additionally, Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours ensures that all employee rights are fulfilled in alignment with Employment New Zealand (2021) ‘Employee rights and responsibilities’ and the Human Rights Act (1993); concerning employee leave and holidays, staff breaks, health and safety and discrimination.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours has worked towards creating a safe, secure and uncontroversial work environment to ensure employees feel valued, cared for and considered. We aim to collaborate with businesses that prioritise implementing ethical operations and business practices to ensure we support businesses that align with our company's values and ethics.
Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours acknowledges the New Zealand Bill of Rights 1990 and the Human Rights Act 1993 (New Zealand Legislation, 2022; New Zealand Legislation, 2013). Thus, we have elected to implement a rigorous non-discrimination policy for employees and stakeholders to ensure a safe, free from prejudice and diverse working environment and company culture. Aroha Luxury New Zealand Tours values and recognises the importance of diversity.
Consequently, we refuse to discriminate against individuals based on their religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, native language, genetic or medical details and procedures, including vaccination (inclusive of the covid-19 vaccination and boosters), disability, marital position, pregnancy, citizenship, age and any other characteristic stipulated in the Human Rights Act (1993) and the NZ Bill of Rights Act (1990) (New Zealand Legislation, 2022; New Zealand Legislation, 2013). Aroha Luxury New Zealand tours commend and are proud to collaborate with other businesses that apply similar non-discrimination policies concerning employees and business stakeholders.
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