Employers and Manufacturers Association

1. Business / Trading Name: Employers’ and Manufacturers’ Association (Northern) Incorporated, trading as the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). This Auckland-based employers’ association is commonly known simply as “EMA.”

2. Company Number: 221372 (Incorporated Society registration certificate number).

3. NZBN: 9429042586708 (New Zealand Business Number).

4. Entity Type: Incorporated Society (not-for-profit membership organization registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908).

5. Business Classification: Industry business association providing advocacy, advisory, training and consultancy services to member businesses. The EMA’s formally stated “Nature of Business” is “Provision of Advocacy Services, Employment Relations Advice, Training and Consultancy.”

6. Industry Category: Association / Trade Body (Employers’ Organization). The EMA is New Zealand’s largest employers’ association, part of the “Association, Trade or Industry Body” sector.

7. Year Founded: 1886. The EMA has existed for over 135 years, tracing its origins to 1886 when it was formed to help employers during the rise of unionism. (The organization proudly notes it has “lit the pathway of opportunity for Aotearoa businesses since 1886.” )

8. Addresses: The EMA operates multiple offices in the upper North Island:

• Head Office (Auckland): 145 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland 1023 (Postal: Private Bag 92066, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142). Phone +64 9 367 0900.

• Hamilton Office (Waikato): 8A Melody Lane, Ruakura, Hamilton 3204 (Postal: PO Box 490, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240). Phone +64 7 839 2710.

• Tauranga Office (Bay of Plenty): 65 Chapel Street, Bay Central, Tauranga 3110 (Postal: PO Box 13202, Tauranga Central, Tauranga 3141). Phone +64 7 571 0060.

• Rotorua Office: Level 1, Trinity House, 1268 Haupapa St, Rotorua 3010 (Postal: PO Box 7411, Rotorua 3042).

• Whangārei Office (Northland): The Orchard Business & Event Hub, Level 1, 35 Walton St, Whangārei 0110.

9. Website URL: ema.co.nz (official site).

10. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ema-nz/?originalSubdomain=nz (official LinkedIn page).

11. Company Hub NZ URL: As an incorporated society the EMA is not registered on Company Hub NZ

12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb172e6b9558a0d17262&_timestamp=1342138223054768 (EMA Northern incorporated societies URL)

13. Social Media URLs: The EMA maintains an active presence on social platforms:

• Facebook: @EMANorthern (Employers and Manufacturers Association page) – providing news and updates.

• Twitter (X): @EMA_Nrthn – official Twitter handle for EMA Northern.

• Instagram: @emanorthern – sharing insights into EMA events and learning programs.

• LinkedIn: Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) Inc – professional updates and industry commentary.

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqlPGceUxi-Ua0_li8QqdA (e.g. webinars, interviews) on the official YouTube channel.

14. Ultimate Holding Company: N/A. The EMA is an incorporated society owned by its members, not a subsidiary of any holding company.

15. Key Shareholders: N/A. As a membership-based incorporated society, the EMA has no shareholders. Ownership rests with its member organizations (7,000+ member companies) rather than shareholders. (The EMA’s “owners” are its members; it does not issue shares.)

16. Leadership: Governance and management of EMA is composed of senior business leaders:

• President (Board Chair): Colin Birch (elected President of the EMA board).

• Board of Directors: The EMA Board includes executives from major companies and institutions. For example, recent board members have included leaders from the University of Auckland, Far North Holdings Ltd, Fletcher Building, New Zealand Steel Ltd, Port of Tauranga, BNZ (Bank of NZ), PwC, BDO, and other firms. This reflects a cross-section of large corporates and regional businesses.

• Chief Executive Officer: John Fraser-Mackenzie (appointed June 2024)

• Executive Team: Key EMA executives under the CEO include Alan McDonald (Head of Advocacy and Strategy), Matthew Dearing (Head of Legal Services), Simon Devoy (Head of Membership), Lisa Dean (Head of Marketing), Omima Alsafwani (Head of People & Support Services), among others. These managers lead the EMA’s functional departments (Advocacy, Legal/Consulting, Training services, Membership, Marketing, HR, etc).

17. Staff: The EMA employs a professional staff of roughly 100+ employees (estimated) to service its members. Staff expertise ranges from employment law consultants and trainers to account managers and economists. The team includes in-house lawyers, HR advisors, health & safety trainers, and support personnel who provide the EMA’s member services (such as the free AdviceLine helpline, consulting, and training delivery). In recent years, the association’s wage bill and headcount have been substantial (employee-related costs were ~$9.8 million in FY2023, indicating a staff on the order of 100 people).

17.a Staff with previous government roles: A number of EMA’s key people have experience in government or public-sector roles, exemplifying the “revolving door” between industry and public service:

• Brett O’Riley (former CEO) – Before joining EMA, O’Riley held senior public-sector positions, including Deputy Chief Executive at the Ministry of Science + Innovation (now MBIE) and Chief Executive of Auckland’s economic development agency (ATEED). He has also been appointed co-chair of a government Industry Transformation Plan steering group (see Comprehensive Analysis) while serving as EMA CEO.

• Board Members: Some board representatives come from public or quasi-government institutions. For instance, board member Andrew Phipps is from the University of Auckland (public university), and Heta Hudson leads a Māori business network with government partnerships. These roles often involve liaising with government on skills, education and Māori economic development.

• Other staff with public sector ties include those working closely with government agencies on policy committees or training initiatives. (For example, EMA’s advocacy staff regularly interact with MBIE and other ministries as subject-matter experts, and former EMA training staff have sat on NZQA and industry training advisory groups – see Ethical Considerations.)

18. Past Employees: Notable former leaders and staff of EMA include:

• Brett O’Riley – EMA CEO from January 2019 to June 2024. O’Riley is a former government and economic development executive who led EMA for five years.

• Alasdair Thompson – Chief Executive of EMA from the late 1990s until 2011. Thompson was a prominent figure in New Zealand industrial relations before his tenure ended amid controversy in 2011 (see Controversies below).

• Kim Campbell – EMA Chief Executive 2011–2018, who succeeded Thompson. Campbell led the association through the 2010s, frequently advocating on employment law and economic policy. He retired in late 2018, making way for Brett O’Riley.

• David Lowe – Former Head of Employment Relations at EMA. Lowe was a well-known voice on employment legislation on behalf of EMA for many years. (He later moved to BusinessNZ in a national advisory role.)

• Catherine Beard – Former EMA manager (Manufacturing/Export). Beard helped lead the EMA’s ExportNZ and manufacturing member initiatives before taking a role at BusinessNZ’s national office.

• Numerous other policy advisors, lawyers, and executives have spent time at EMA and then moved into government or other industry roles. (For example, Paul Jarvie, a long-time EMA employment relations advisor, has served on government working groups on workplace safety, and Brett O’Riley himself will join the APEC Business Advisory Council after leaving EMA.)

19. Clients: Not applicable in the traditional sense – as an association, EMA’s “clients” are its member companies. The EMA’s membership includes over 7,000 businesses and organizations, ranging from some of New Zealand’s largest corporations to small and medium enterprises. Prominent members (represented on EMA’s board or committees) include: Fletcher Building (major construction materials conglomerate), New Zealand Steel (heavy manufacturing), Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) (finance and professional services), Port of Tauranga (transport/export logistics), BDO (accounting services), University of Auckland (education sector), Accordant Group (large recruitment firm), and many others. In addition, countless small and mid-sized firms across all sectors – manufacturing, engineering, retail, agriculture, tech, services, public institutions, local councils, etc. – are members. The EMA itself notes that its membership “covers all industry sectors and all business sizes” from across the upper North Island.

19.a Industries/sectors represented: All major industries are represented in EMA’s membership, reflecting its broad mandate as a regional employers’ union. The member base spans manufacturing and engineering, construction and infrastructure, transport and logistics, banking and insurance, professional services (legal, accounting, consulting), education and training providers, primary industries, healthcare providers, hospitality and retail chains, technology startups, Māori business networks, and more. In effect, EMA acts as a cross-sector voice for businesses in Auckland, Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and surrounding areas. (Its affiliated regional partners cover the rest of NZ – see Affiliations.)

20. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: The EMA’s interactions with government are well documented through submissions, committees, and public statements:

• Policy Submissions: EMA regularly makes formal submissions on proposed laws and policies. For instance, it submitted detailed feedback to the Government on the proposed New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme in 2022, arguing the scheme would impose high costs on employers. (In that submission, EMA noted it represents “more than 7,500 businesses from Taupō north, employing ~300,000 New Zealanders”.) It also submits on changes to employment law, holidays legislation, health & safety regulations, immigration settings, local council plans, etc. – these submissions are often published or referenced on government websites.

• Lobbying Meetings: EMA officials frequently meet with ministers and government agencies. Cabinet minister diaries (released publicly) show regular meetings – e.g. the Workplace Relations Minister had meetings with EMA’s CEO (Kim Campbell) and advocacy head to discuss employment legislation, and a July 2019 Beehive diary notes a meeting with EMA’s Alan McDonald on workplace relations policy. Such engagements indicate direct lobbying and consultation on behalf of employers.

• Parliamentary Hearings and Consultations: EMA representatives often appear in front of Parliamentary select committees examining bills (for example, to provide the employers’ perspective on proposed Fair Pay Agreement legislation, changes to the Holidays Act, or COVID-19 response bills). These appearances are on the public record.

• Government Working Groups: EMA leaders are invited onto government advisory groups. Notably, EMA CEO Brett O’Riley was appointed Co-Chair (Business representative) of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan Steering Group – a partnership with MBIE, unions and industry to shape manufacturing policy. This role (publicly listed by MBIE) exemplifies EMA’s engagement at a strategic policy level.

• Fair Pay Agreement (FPA) Bargaining: Under the now-repealed FPA system, EMA took on a formal role representing employers. By late 2023, EMA was the nominated employer bargaining party for 4 out of 7 approved Fair Pay Agreement negotiations (covering industries like hospitality, retail, etc.). The association actively participated in those multi-employer bargaining processes as required by law (even though it opposed the FPA legislation – see Influence Assessment).

• Hosted Political Events: The EMA often hosts and organizes events featuring government officials. For example, Ministers and Prime Ministers frequently address EMA gatherings. (The Prime Minister’s annual speech to the EMA or finance briefings are common; e.g., the Finance Minister delivered a “Relief for today, hope for tomorrow” speech to an EMA audience, as noted on the Beehive website.) These events are usually publicized via media releases or the EMA’s website.

• Media Releases and Public Commentary: The EMA routinely issues media statements reacting to government announcements. These public engagements (catalogued on EMA’s website under News and Media Releases) disclose its positions and any discussions with policymakers. For instance, EMA’s media release welcoming the new government’s December 2023 move to repeal FPAs quoted its Head of Advocacy and referenced ongoing dialogue with officials.

21. Affiliations: The EMA is deeply integrated into national and regional networks of business organizations:

• BusinessNZ: EMA is one of the four founding members of BusinessNZ, which is the national federation of employers’ associations in New Zealand. EMA (Northern) works alongside its sister organizations – Business Central (Wellington and central NZ), Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (sometimes referred to as BusinessNZ’s Canterbury partner), and Business South (Otago/Southland Employers’ Association) – under the BusinessNZ umbrella. Through BusinessNZ, EMA is connected to national advocacy efforts and international forums (BusinessNZ represents NZ employers at bodies like the ILO and OECD). EMA holds five seats on BusinessNZ’s 12-member council, reflecting its significant role.

• ExportNZ: EMA hosts and runs the northern region branch of ExportNZ, which supports exporters. ExportNZ is a division of BusinessNZ; EMA’s members get access to its exporter forums, trade missions, and advice. (The EMA’s profile notes it supports “members of the EMA, ExportNZ and The Manufacturers’ Network.” )

• The Manufacturers’ Network: EMA is also closely tied to The Manufacturers’ Network, a manufacturing industry association allied with BusinessNZ. Many manufacturing firms in EMA’s membership participate in this network’s initiatives on technology, productivity, and skills.

• Local Chambers of Commerce: While separate, EMA collaborates with local Chambers (e.g. Auckland Business Chamber) on certain issues and may have overlapping membership. It also partners with sector groups like Competenz (Manufacturing ITO) and regional economic development agencies on workforce programs.

• International Affiliations: Through BusinessNZ, EMA is indirectly linked to global employer bodies (like the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the employers’ group of the ILO). EMA leaders have participated in APEC Business Advisory Council activities and maintain relationships with overseas counterparts (for example, EMA has connections with employer groups in Asia-Pacific for trade delegations). The EMA even established a joint venture, EMA China Ltd, aimed at facilitating NZ–China business relations (see International Links).

• Other Alliances: EMA is part of cross-industry coalitions on specific topics. For instance, it is a member of the BusinessNZ Energy Council and ManufacturingNZ (collaborative initiatives on energy and manufacturing policy), and it works with sector-specific associations (like Plastics NZ, Metals NZ, etc.) on common advocacy goals. It also supports the BusinessNZ Network which collectively represents over 76,000 businesses nationwide.

22. Sponsorships / Collaborations: The EMA engages in strategic partnerships with private companies to enhance member services and sponsor events:

• nib Health Insurance: nib NZ is EMA’s largest strategic partner for member services in the HR/people space. The partnership with nib provides EMA members with access to group health insurance offers and wellness programs. In FY2023, EMA highlighted nib as a key partner supporting its People Experience (HR) initiatives and events.

• BNZ (Bank of New Zealand): BNZ is a long-standing strategic partner of EMA, particularly for export-related programs. As EMA’s “strategic export partnership,” BNZ co-sponsors EMA’s ExportNZ networking events and programs (such as the Export Excelerator series) across Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. This collaboration provides exporters in EMA’s membership with banking insights and has funded a series of export-focused seminars.

• Malcolm Pacific Immigration: EMA partners with Malcolm Pacific, NZ’s largest immigration consulting firm, to support members on immigration and skills shortage issues. This collaboration includes regular immigration law webinars, updates on visa changes, and an annual Skills Shortage Survey (jointly run in 2023 to gather data for advocacy on workforce gaps). The partnership helps EMA members navigate hiring migrant workers and informs EMA’s lobbying on immigration policy.

• Other Sponsors: EMA events attract other corporate sponsors. For example, various law firms, technology providers, and training vendors sponsor EMA’s conferences and training courses. After the pandemic, live sponsored events returned – multiple partners now support EMA’s member events calendar. Additionally, EMA’s annual “Manufacturer of the Year” awards and “ExportNZ Awards” involve sponsorships from industry and government agencies (NZTE, Callaghan Innovation, etc.).

• Service Providers: The EMA itself is a client of or collaborates with service providers like Lockhart Legal (which provides the EMA’s legal counsel) and major banks (ANZ, ASB, Westpac, Kiwibank handle EMA’s banking). While not sponsorships per se, these relationships support EMA’s operations.

• Community Initiatives: EMA is also a supporter (and listed “Network Partner”) of Youth Employability Aotearoa (YEA), a program to boost young people’s work-readiness. This reflects EMA’s collaborative approach with community groups to improve workforce outcomes.

23. Events (held or organised by this organisation): Hosting events is a core part of EMA’s member engagement. Hundreds of events are run annually, including:

• Training Courses & Workshops: EMA offers over 600 training courses per year on topics such as employment law, health & safety, leadership, HR, and management. These are held as seminars or online webinars for members (often branded as “EMA Learning” programs).

• Conferences & Flagship Events: The EMA organises major conferences. In 2023, the “Go Global” Export Conference (held in November) was a signature event focusing on new export business models. The EMA also co-hosts the annual International Business Forum and Manufacturing Expo with partners. It runs an annual Employment Law Conference for HR professionals, and periodic summits on manufacturing, skills, and digital innovation.

• Member Briefings and Networking: Regular networking breakfasts, luncheons, and briefings are held across the region. In the last year, EMA held networking events in Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga that collectively drew over 6,700 attendees. These range from economic outlook presentations by economists, to industry-specific forums (e.g. for exporters or manufacturers), to informal business networking sessions.

• Awards and Competitions: Through ExportNZ and the Manufacturers’ Network, EMA helps run awards like the ExportNZ Awards (Northern) honoring exporting companies, and manufacturing excellence awards. It also launched a “Best Places to Work” program (in partnership with Psychmata) to recognize high-performing workplaces. Additionally, EMA publishes results of its Workplace Wellbeing Survey annually to coincide with a Wellbeing Conference.

• Webinars & Covid Response Events: During the COVID-19 period, EMA hosted many webinars guiding businesses on lockdown rules, wage subsidies, and recovery strategies – sometimes in collaboration with government agencies. Those virtual events kept members updated on rapidly changing regulations.

• Political and Economic Forums: EMA frequently invites political leaders for Q&A sessions with members (e.g. pre-election “Meet the Ministers” events, Budget briefings with the Finance Minister, etc.). These events strengthen dialogue between business and government and are a longstanding tradition for the association.

24. Political Donations: None disclosed. The EMA itself does not make political donations to parties or candidates (and is not known to have a political action fund). A search of New Zealand Electoral Commission records shows no donations from EMA (Northern) Inc above the public disclosure threshold. Instead of campaign contributions, EMA focuses its influence through lobbying and advocacy (as detailed elsewhere). Individual member companies of EMA may donate to political parties in their own capacity, but the EMA organization remains officially non-partisan. Its role is to advocate regardless of which party is in power, and it generally avoids direct political funding. (Notably, in contrast to some overseas business lobbies, New Zealand’s employers’ associations like EMA and BusinessNZ do not maintain PACs or make partisan donations.)

25. Controversies: Despite its respected status, EMA has faced a few high-profile controversies:

• 2011 “Women’s Productivity” Scandal: Longtime EMA chief executive Alasdair Thompson ignited outrage in June 2011 by claiming that women’s monthly “sick problems” (menstrual leave) were a factor in the gender pay gap. His remarks – suggesting women take more sick leave “when they have their period” – were widely condemned as sexist. Thompson initially defended his comments, then issued an apology under intense pressure. Politicians and union leaders called for his resignation, and within weeks the EMA Board dismissed Thompson from the CEO role. This incident drew global media attention and is perhaps EMA’s most damaging controversy, prompting the organization to distance itself from Thompson’s statements. It also led to internal reflection on EMA’s messaging around gender and employment.

• 2014 “Open Letter” on Climate Stance: In 2014, an environmental advocacy group published an open letter criticizing then-CEO Kim Campbell for EMA’s stance on climate and energy policies. Campbell had opposed certain renewable energy initiatives, which sustainability proponents argued was short-sighted. While not a scandal on the scale of 2011, it did put EMA in the spotlight regarding its support for business-as-usual approaches versus embracing sustainable innovation. Campbell engaged with critics and maintained that EMA had to consider economic impacts on members.

• Union Criticisms: The EMA is occasionally accused by unions of scaremongering. For example, in 2010 the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) slammed an EMA guide about employees’ Facebook use as overkill, accusing EMA of fueling unnecessary fears about social media in the workplace (the NZ Herald ran a story titled “Union slams EMA’s ‘scaremongering’ Facebook warning”). Similarly, EMA’s strong opposition to the Fair Pay Agreements law was criticized by unions as protecting low wages. These disputes are part of the ongoing tussle between employer and union perspectives – not scandals per se, but heated public exchanges.

• Recent Financial Losses: While not a “controversy” externally, it’s notable that EMA ran a significant deficit in the 2023 financial year (a $2.2 million loss after years of near-break-even). This was due in part to heavy investment in new services and possibly membership strain from Covid. The loss, revealed in its annual report, raised some member eyebrows. However, the Board and CEO explained it as a strategic investment phase and signaled confidence in EMA’s future – but it does put pressure on management to restore surpluses.

• Employment Practices: EMA, as an employer itself, must practice what it preaches. Any internal staff issues can attract notice (e.g., if EMA were ever found in breach of employment laws it advises on). There have been no public cases of EMA being prosecuted for labor law violations. It did, however, undertake a review of its payroll in line with the nationwide Holidays Act compliance issues that affected many organizations (ensuring all staff leave payments were correct).

Overall, EMA has largely maintained a positive public image aside from the notable 2011 episode. Its leaders are generally seen as moderate voices for business, though at times outspoken. Controversies have been relatively rare given the EMA’s long history.

26. Other information of note:

• Member Services: A hallmark of EMA is its AdviceLine – a free phone helpline for members that provides expert advice on employment relations and HR queries. This service handles thousands of inquiries yearly (with an impressive 93% of calls answered within 20 seconds) and earns high satisfaction ratings. The AdviceLine and EMA’s in-house legal team help members navigate issues from hiring and firing to health & safety compliance on a daily basis.

• Public Benefit Entity: The EMA is structured as a Public Benefit Entity (PBE) for accounting purposes, reflecting its not-for-profit status devoted to member benefit. Surpluses are reinvested into services or advocacy, rather than distributed (there are no shareholders).

• Property Holdings: EMA owns its headquarters building in Grafton, Auckland and at least one other property which it rents out for income. It considers these as investment properties in its financial statements. In 2022 it revalued its Auckland property upwards by $711k, indicating significant asset holdings. (This provides financial stability and was a factor in EMA’s equity position of ~$25 million in 2023 despite the operating loss.)

• Digital Transformation: In recent years, EMA has modernized its offerings – launching online learning modules, a membership app for rewards, and digital resources portals (e.g. the EMA Resources Hub for compliance tools, and sector-specific sites like Manufacturing Network and Workplace Wellbeing). This reflects an effort to remain relevant to younger entrepreneurs and a dispersed membership.

• Thought Leadership and Research: The association conducts regular surveys (e.g. an Annual Employers Survey and the Skills Shortage Survey mentioned earlier) to gauge business sentiment. It publishes reports on topics like future of work, productivity, and mental health in the workplace, often in partnership with agencies like MBIE or ACC. These insights are used in advocacy and also shared with members to benchmark themselves.

• EMA China & International Initiatives: As noted, EMA formed EMA China Limited as a vehicle to help Kiwi businesses enter Chinese markets. While a small venture (EMA’s 2023 accounts show only a ~$1.2k loss from EMA China and a $40k contribution), it symbolizes EMA’s interest in fostering international links for members. EMA also periodically leads trade delegations overseas in conjunction with NZ Trade & Enterprise or regional partnerships.

• Charitable Activities: The EMA Northern Inc is associated with a charitable trust for training – the Employers and Manufacturers Educational Trust, which provides scholarships/apprenticeship support (and is registered under Charities Services #CC62525). This allows parts of EMA’s educational work to receive charitable funding and tax exemptions.

• Adaptation and History: Historically, the EMA (Northern) was formed by the merger of various local employers’ associations and manufacturers’ guilds over the 20th century. It was a key part of the now-defunct NZ Employers Federation. In the 1990s, it adopted a more regional structure (“Northern”) and later a branding simply as “EMA” to signal a broader identity. The EMA’s longevity (over 137 years) is often attributed to its ability to adapt – from negotiating national awards in the early industrial era, to helping implement the Employment Contracts Act reforms in the 1990s, to embracing modern workforce issues like diversity and technology. Its motto “Kia tūrama te huanui pakihi” (Maori: Lighting the path for business) encapsulates its evolving yet steadfast mission.

• Overall Significance: The EMA today remains New Zealand’s largest business membership body, acting as a powerful voice for employers in the Upper North Island. It is a key player in industrial relations, known for balancing a pragmatic service role (guiding individual firms) with a strategic lobbying role (shaping the business operating environment). Its influence and activities, as detailed above, make it a central institution in New Zealand’s economic landscape.

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz