Deloitte Top 200: Shining a light on Maori business

Leon Wijohn is a partner at Deloitte and National Maori Business Sector Leader. Photo / Doug Sherring

Deloitte's Leon Wijon talks about the importance of recognising the success of Maori businesses.

Last year, for the first time, the Deloitte Top 200 included a separate list of the top nine Maori business entities based on total asset value. In 2015, this list has expanded to 10.

At Deloitte we believe it is vitally important to recognise and celebrate business success in Aotearoa.

But this is often challenging for New Zealanders, especially for Maori for whom the cultural norm is generally to refrain from talking about one's success.

Nevertheless, by recognising the success of Maori organisations and their people through the Deloitte Top 200, we are shining a light on positive role models for Maori businesses -- an increasingly important exercise as the Maori economy stands at an estimated $40 billion and growing and Maori demonstrate an aspiration to move from being passive asset holders to active managers of their land and other assets.

Like last year, some of the organisations on the 2015 list may not be what most people would intuitively describe as a Maori business. Deciding if a business is "Maori" can be subjective. In our view it is not only about being a Maori Trust or Incorporation.

For the purposes of the Deloitte Top 200 we have taken the more general view that the Maori economy is made up of all those businesses where "Maori-ness" matters.

First, an organisation needs to identify as Maori. Then we look more closely at four attributes; stakeholders, kaupapa, ownership and results. What portion of the organisation's stakeholders are Maori? How does the organisation demonstrate it follows Maori kaupapa?

How much of the business is owned by Maori individuals, Iwi and other Maori groups or organisations? And are the results -- the purpose and profits -- of the company predominantly to benefit or promote Maori initiatives?

The answers to these questions collectively inform the extent to which any business is defined as Maori.

We are shining a light on positive role models for Maori businesses -- an increasingly important exercise as the Maori economy stands at an estimated $40 billion and growing.

Leon Wijohn

In addition, in 2015 we include not only the total asset value for each entity, but also their earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA). As these business entities fundamentally exist to benefit or promote Maori initiatives, EBITDA offers a proxy for how much resource they have to serve this purpose.

Presenting the EBITDA figures is also useful for comparison as it discounts the distortionary effects of differing legal statuses, tax rates, asset classifications, etc.

We congratulate the 10 largest Maori organisations for making the 2015 Deloitte Top 200 Maori companies list. We hope their leadership continues to inspire other Maori organisations to grow and make a difference for their uri, Maori people and New Zealand as a whole.

Leon Wijohn is a Deloitte Private partner and National Maori Business Sector Leader.