Last month Priority One, the Western Bay of Plenty region’s economic development organisation, hosted the inaugural Tauranga Moana Investment Summit.
This event brought together local leadership in business and education, local and central government, and iwi partners to explore opportunities to unlock the regions potential. Hobec’s Jonathan Ng joined the ‘Investing for Impact‘ panel alongside moderator Alastair Rhodes of Bay Trust and fellow panelists Sam Newbury (Quayside), Ngaria Rolleston (Te Awanui), Nick Pacey (Purpose Capital), and Finn Mundy (ACG Tauranga).
Reflecting on the event, and in particular the Investing for Impact panel disussion, Jonathon had some inspiring takeaways:
Having worked in impact investing and blended finance internationally for many years, one thing that struck him is that New Zealand – and particularly regions like the Bay of Plenty – has something genuinely distinctive to offer that many places around the world are still trying to build.
First, there is already an embedded mindset here that social and environmental outcomes should sit alongside commercial goals.
In many cases, that thinking is not even labelled as “impact investing” because it is already reflected culturally, practically, and increasingly legally, including through Māori concepts such as kaitiakitanga (Guardianship rooted in stewardship, sustainability, and intergenerational responsibility).
In other parts of the world, people have been trying to embed impact like corporate social responsibility or CSR into systems from the outside.
Second, the accessibility of decision-makers in our region is a real asset.
You can realistically sit down for a coffee with most CEOs, founders, iwi leaders, investors, or local institutions. That matters more than people sometimes realise. It means trust, alignment, and momentum can develop quickly and organically. And when the right people come together at the right time, it can unlock genuinely outsized outcomes.
New Zealand may not always compete globally on sheer deal size or scale. But what it lacks here in terms of size, it more than makes up for where it truly counts: a genuine commitment to integrating impact into core business and investment decisions, not just treating it as a branding strategy.
If you’re interested in learning more about impact investing, social enterprise, and the opportunities emerging here in the Bay of Plenty, now is the time to lean in. The foundations are already in place – strong relationships, shared values, and a clear appetite for doing business differently. Whether you’re an investor, business leader or policymaker, or a charity, not-for-profit or community organisation, there’s a role to play in shaping a future where financial returns and meaningful impact go hand in hand.
Please don’t hestitate to reach out to Jonathan and start the conversation | Jonathan Ng
Jonathan Ng
Tauranga
tel:+64272007306
mailto:jonathan.ng@hobec.co.nz
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Access to Justice: Strong First-year Results for Pro Bono Framework
Holland Beckett is proud to be one of six founding signatories of the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa and to share the results from its first year.
At the heart of the Framework is a commitment to improving access to justice - ensuring that individuals and organisations who cannot afford legal services can still access high-quality legal support. Established in 2024 and led by Te Ara Ture (the pro bono clearinghouse within Community Law Centres Aotearoa), the Framework provides a structured and sustainable approach to pro bono work, enabling firms to achieve more together than they could individually.
The inargual performance report, which brings together data from participating firms, highlights a strong commitment to access to justice with impressive results.
Together, the participating firms - Holland Beckett alongside DLA Piper, Gilbert Walker, Luke Cunningham Clere, Russell McVeagh and Simpson Grierson - delivered more than 17,500 hours of free legal work in the first year.
Lawyers averaged 27.58 hours of pro bono work per full-time equivalent, exceeding the Framework\'s aspirational 25-hour target.
Two in three lawyers (67%) at participating firms undertook at least one hour of pro bono work during 2025, and among those who participated, the average was 41 hours.
The report was prepared by New Zealand Law Society – Te Kāhui Ture o Aotearoa. Data is submitted confidentially and reported in anonymised form, which removes any competitive aspect to joining the Framework. Participating firms collaborate by sharing ideas, discussing challenges and working together to maximise impact, while maintaining their independence. The shared goal is a stronger, more connected pro bono sector across Aotearoa.
Holland Beckett\'s own pro bono practice is broad. We support charities, community organisations and not-for-profits working with disadvantaged members of the community, as well as individuals who may otherwise be unable to access legal advice. Behind those 17,500 hours are real people and real stories, highlighting the significant and growing unmet legal need in Aotearoa, and the essential role pro bono work plays in addressing it.
Tim Conder, a partner in Holland Beckett’s litigation and dispute resolution team, says the firm’s commitment to community is long-standing:
“Holland Beckett has an outstanding culture of supporting the communities that have supported us. One of our values is being \'Champions of our Communities. We bring positive impact to those around us. We are supportive, inclusive and generous.\' We do this in many ways, from community days and payroll giving to governance roles. But ultimately, we are lawyers, and one of the most effective ways we can give back is by providing pro bono legal services to those who need them most, helping to improve access to justice in our communities.”
You can read the 2025 performance report here: Collaborative Framework Pro Bono Report May 2026
Holland Beckett champion commitment to community through pro bono work
Holland Beckett is proud to be one of the six founding signatories of the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa, along with five other national law firms – Gilbert Walker, Simpson Grierson, DLA Piper, Russel McVeagh and Luke Cunningham Clere.
Formed in 2024, the framework is a strategic group led by Te Ara Ture which aims to enhance access to justice for all New Zealanders, especially the most vulnerable communities. The framework provides a structured pathway and a platform for cross-firm collaboration, sharing knowledge and best practice, reporting on targets, and working together to facilitate more effective use of pro bono time and more impactful services nationally.
Holland Beckett understands that accessing legal advice can be challenging, and pro bono work plays a key role in the firms\' commitment to supporting the communities they are part of. The framework draws inspiration from successful international models and is a significant step towards creating a more successful pro bono culture in Aotearoa, tailored to serve communities more effectively and directed to the where it is most needed.
What is pro bono?
‘Pro bono’ is professional, especially legal, work undertaken voluntarily for the public good. Donating legal help to those who need it has long been a practice of many law firms, improving access to justice for disadvantaged members within the community.
Who can access pro bono services?
Holland Beckett’s pro bono practice focusses on providing high quality legal advice to assist in areas of unmet legal need, with an emphasis on work that will have a long-term impact and address systemic issues affecting marginalised or vulnerable people. The firm therefore aims to direct pro bono time towards charities, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations or social enterprises that work in the interests of low income or disadvantaged members of the community, or for the public good.
Many of the lawyers at Holland Beckett also dedicate time and energy as board members of community organisations they are passionate about.
What sort of pro bono work does Holland Beckett do?
Some recent examples of Holland Beckett’s pro bono work include:
Assisting Hunt for Good to form their charitable trust, enabling the group to organise deer culls and deliver the premium protein to various foodbanks and community groups – by the end of 2025 Hunt for Good had provided 73,507 servings (10.8 tonnes) of premium venison mince to local foodbanks;
Our RMA team supported Mount Playcentre with resource consent work as the playcentre moved location, enabling more local children to learn through play;
Our litigation team helps victims of financial abuse recover money and property that they would otherwise have lost, represents community organisations that are in dispute, and assists with appeals on a pro bono basis;
House of Science, a national organisation on a mission to raise science literacy in schools with engaging science resources, is supported with pro bono employment, funding and Intellectual Property advice;
We assist numerous sports clubs and charitable organisations, such as Omanu Surf Life Saving Club, Bay Conservation Incorporated and Rotorua Mountain Bike Club, in reviewing and preparing their constitutions;
Breast Cancer Support Services Tauranga Trust is aided with pro bono leasing and property advice, so they can focus on providing emotional and practical support to women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Jen Scoular, Ex-Chair of House of Science NZ, is grateful for the pro bono work which the Trust has benefitted from while she was there; “House of Science is incredibly grateful for the pro bono legal work that Holland Beckett provides. We are a Charitable Trust, and we are able to access professional expert advice, guidance and support across a wide-ranging number of areas including HR, intellectual property, and contract law. Holland Beckett’s pro bono work better enables House of Science to deliver science kits to 180,000 primary school kids across Aotearoa, New Zealand, raising scientific literacy for the prosperity of New Zealand.”
Who cannot access pro bono services, and what are the other options?
Holland Beckett is best equipped to support organisations who help the community overall, so that individuals receive better support through them in turn. While Holland Beckett does do pro bono work for individuals in some cases, this is mostly done through the Community Law network. Individuals who need legal assistance will usually have the best result working with their Community Law Centre to see that their legal needs are met.
Holland Beckett is proud to be a firm leading the way in the pro bono space and look forward to many more joining the Framework for Collaborative Pro Bono in Aotearoa. This framework and a cohesive approach to pro bono work will improve access to justice for vulnerable people and support New Zealand lawyers to give back to communities in need.
Holland Beckett encourages local community groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations to contact the firm for specific pro bono projects and to establish long term pro bono partnerships.
Contact:
Natasha van der Wal, Partner
07 928 7097
natasha.vanderwal@hobec.co.nz
Hobec Payroll Giving – Wrap-up 2025
For several years, the Holland Beckett Community Committee has championed acts of service and financial support to give local charities and community groups a hand up. One way we do this is through our Payroll Giving initiative - an easy, stress-free opportunity for our people to give back to the community.
How it works
Our people can opt in to take part in the payroll giving scheme, contributing a small amount from their regular pay. Holland Beckett\'s Partners generously match these contributions dollar for dollar. Each quarter, the accumulated funds are donated to a chosen cause, determined by nominations and voting by our team. To share the love across the Bay of Plenty, nominations may be limited to Tauranga, Rotorua, or Whakatāne-based organisations in different quarters.
The charity with the most votes receives the payroll giving donation - currently just over $2800 each quarter.
2025 Payroll Giving Recipients
We are proud to share a little about the wonderful charities and community groups that received our 2025 quarterly donations:
Q1 - RRR | Rescue Revive Rehome
RRR is a not-for-profit animal rescue organisation dedicated to providing a safe haven for homeless and rescued animals until a responsible, loving home is found. RRR relies on fosters, volunteers, donations and fundraisers to provide a safe home for the many animals that come though their doors. Some RRR dogs have been rehomed with Hobecians, and one of our team regularly fosters dogs needing a safe, comfortable space to recover from surgery or trauma before adoption.
RRR - Rescue. Revive. Rehome.
Q2 - Te Wāhi Whakaora | Rotorua and District Women\'s Refuge
Te Wāhi Whakaora assists women, children, and whānau experiencing family violence in Rotorua and surrounding areas through support, advocacy, education and awareness. Holland Beckett\'s Lucy Vala-Blackmore is on the board of Te Wāhi Whakaora. As a Rotorua local and Family Lawyer, she is proud to give back to the wāhine in her community.
Te Wāhi Whakaora Rotorua and District Women’s Refuge
Q3 - Whakatāne Kiwi Trust
Whakatāne Kiwi Trust works to protect our precious kiwi and other native species in the Whakatāne region - the \'Kiwi Capital of the World™\'. The Trust manages pest control programmes, and volunteers are actively involved in predator trapping, kiwi monitoring, education, public events and fundraising. Holland Beckett is also proud to sponsor the Kiwi Trust and to support solicitor Jayden McNeil in his role as a trustee.
Whakatāne Kiwi Trust
Q4 - MAMA | Massage after Miscarriage Aotearoa
MAMA provide a simple gesture of comfort, care and compassion - restorative massage or facials - for women following a miscarriage or stillbirth. Losing a baby at any stage in pregnancy is heartbreaking and recovery is both a physical and emotional journey. Through generous contributions of services, products, and monetary support (including our payroll giving donations) MAMA provides healing experiences to support grieving mothers in need of solace after loss.
Massage After Miscarriage Tauranga
We’re proud of our team for embracing our payroll giving initiative and supporting a wide range of organisations that make a real difference in our communities. Their contributions help these groups extend their reach and provide vital support to those who need it most.
We also set aside a small portion of the payroll giving funds for community days, where our teams roll up their sleeves and support causes close to their hearts with hard mahi! It might mean buying paint and brushes to refresh a tired playcentre, or native plants to replant waterways and dunes. And at Christmas, any remaining funds in the payroll giving piggy bank are donated to another charity, such as the Tauranga Community Foodbank.