Social Value Aotearoa

1. Organisation Name: Social Value Aotearoa (often abbreviated as SVA).

2. Legal Status: Registered as a New Zealand Limited Company under the name Social Value Aotearoa Limited.

3. Company Number: 5603980 (NZ Companies Office identifier).

4. New Zealand Business Number (NZBN): 9429041618202.

5. Date of Incorporation: 20 February 2015 (the company was formed on this date).

6. Registered Address: 331 Great North Road, Henderson, Auckland 0612, New Zealand – this address serves as the physical, registered, and service address since incorporation. It is the headquarters of Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust, indicating co-location with Waipareira’s offices.

7. Founding Context: Social Value Aotearoa was launched in June 2015 as a network to promote social impact measurement and “social value” outcomes in New Zealand. It was publicly announced as a joint initiative of the Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust and the North Island Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (formerly Te Pou Matakana). The launch emphasised developing new evaluation models (particularly Social Return on Investment, SROI) to assess whether government funding for social services was achieving real benefits for whānau (families).

8. Founders / Key Initiators: The launch was spearheaded by John Tamihere, CEO of Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust, and his organisation. John Tamihere is listed as the sole incorporator and director of Social Value Aotearoa Limited. The initiative’s formation was closely tied to Waipareira and Te Pou Matakana’s push for outcome-focused funding in Māori communities. (Note: While Waipareira and Te Pou Matakana are described as launching partners, the legal company was registered solely by Tamihere.)

9. Ownership and Shareholding: John Tamihere is the 100% owner of Social Value Aotearoa Limited. The company has 100 shares, all held by John Tamihere as a single shareholder. No other entities or individuals have a shareholding stake. This effectively places the organisation under Tamihere’s personal control.

10. Governance – Directors: John Tamihere serves as the sole Director of the company (appointed 20 Feb 2015 and continuously serving). There are no other directors registered. (Tamihere’s residential address on record is Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland, reflecting his West Auckland base.)

11. Key Management and Personnel: Day-to-day operations are led by a Director of Social Value Aotearoa (Network Director), a role held by Jo Nicholson. Jo Nicholson has been described as the Director of the Social Value Aotearoa network for nearly a decade. She is also a board member of Social Value International, indicating her involvement in global social value initiatives. Another prominent figure is Awerangi Tamihere, who frequently represents and speaks for SVA. Awerangi Tamihere (John’s wife) is the Chief Operating Officer of Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency/Te Pou Matakana and Waipareira Trust, and has written officially under the Social Value Aotearoa banner on measuring outcomes for whānau. (She presented awards on SVA’s behalf and is often acknowledged as a leader in the SVA movement in NZ.)

12. Affiliation: Social Value Aotearoa is the official New Zealand member network of Social Value International (SVI). It operates under a formal network agreement with SVI. SVA is thus part of the global SVI family, promoting the SROI methodology and Social Value principles set by SVI.

13. Mission and Activities: The organisation’s mission is to promote social value measurement and management across sectors in NZ. According to Sport NZ and SVA materials, Social Value Aotearoa coordinates activities to advance four pillars: (1) driving systems change towards outcomes-based thinking; (2) building capability for innovation in impact measurement; (3) creating space for cross-sector collaboration; and (4) building new solutions for social impact. In practical terms, SVA provides training and accreditation in Social Return on Investment (SROI) and related social impact tools, hosts conferences and workshops, and fosters a community of practice among nonprofits, iwi organisations, businesses and researchers focused on “measuring what matters” for communities.

14. Target Community/Membership: SVA describes itself as a “community of charities, researchers, corporates, iwi and government agencies” committed to integrating social value alongside financial value. Its membership model allows organizations and individuals to join the network (often through paid memberships or training fees) to access resources and contribute to best practices in outcome measurement. (Waipareira Trust itself is a member; many of SVA’s early participants were Māori service providers via Whānau Ora networks.)

15. Founding Rationale: The impetus for SVA’s creation was widespread dissatisfaction with funding models that focused only on spending and outputs, rather than actual outcomes for families. John Tamihere argued in 2015 that government agencies only measured “the volume of money” spent and “volume of activity”, without checking if those activities were effective. Social Value Aotearoa was conceived to introduce rigorous outcomes evaluation (like SROI) so that social services funding could be tied to real improvements in people’s lives. This aligned with emerging government interest in “social investment” approaches at the time.

16. Sector Classification: On official registers, SVA is classified under “Social assistance or welfare services n.e.c.” (not elsewhere classified), reflecting its work in the social services/impact sector. It is not registered as a charity (it operates as a business), but it serves charitable organisations and social programmes through its services.

17. Relation to Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust: Waipareira Trust is intimately connected to SVA. Waipareira is acknowledged as a founding member and sponsor of Social Value Aotearoa. The trust’s CEO (Tamihere) owns SVA, and Waipareira’s resources (staff, office space, communications) are used by SVA – for example, SVA’s contact emails and phone number are actually those of Waipareira’s finance/accounts department. Waipareira’s own social innovation arm Wai-Research (Wai Rangahau) collaborates with SVA on outcome frameworks. Indeed, Waipareira’s 2023–24 Annual Report notes that Social Value Aotearoa was relocated “to Wai 414” (a Waipareira-managed facility) and given an updated business plan aligned with government priorities. In short, SVA operates under Waipareira’s wing, and the trust uses SVA methodologies to evaluate its programmes. (In one SROI report, Waipareira explicitly states that as a member of Social Value International “through Social Value Aotearoa”, it adheres to the seven principles of social value in evaluating its youth services.)

18. Relation to Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency: The North Island Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA, formerly Te Pou Matakana) is likewise deeply involved. WOCA’s COO, Awerangi Tamihere, is a leading advocate for SROI via Social Value Aotearoa. Te Pou Matakana co-launched SVA in 2015 and integrated social value measures into Whānau Ora contracts. SVA provides training and frameworks used by the Commissioning Agency’s network of providers to focus on outcomes. Essentially, SVA’s approach underpins how WOCA measures success for the hundreds of initiatives it funds across the North Island (embedding an “outcomes framework” across 80+ partner organisations). The Commissioning Agency’s influence and SVA’s mission align: both prioritize holistic, long-term changes for whānau rather than narrow output metrics.

19. Political Associations: Social Value Aotearoa’s principal figures link it to political spheres. John Tamihere (owner/director) is a former Cabinet Minister (Labour Party, early 2000s) and as of 2022 the President of Te Pāti Māori (the Māori Party). He has been an outspoken political figure on social policy, Māori development, and local government. His wife Awerangi Tamihere, while not a politician, is centrally placed in Māori public-sector organisations and has been honored (MNZM) for services to Māori health and development. These personal ties mean SVA’s leadership is politically connected and not shy about engaging with government decision-makers.

20. Funding Sources: SVA’s funding model is not fully transparent publicly. As a non-charitable company, it likely derives revenue from membership fees, training and consulting fees, sponsorships, and possibly direct support from Waipareira/WOCA. Waipareira Trust, with an annual surplus and significant assets, has the capacity to underwrite SVA activities (e.g. covering staff or event costs). Government agencies have also partnered in SVA events (for instance, NZ Ministries and Crown entities have sent participants to SVA trainings or co-hosted workshops). However, there is no public record of direct government contracts with “Social Value Aotearoa Ltd.” If any exist, they have not been disclosed as such. (It should be noted that ImpactLab – a similar social impact firm – secured government commissions for analyses; by contrast SVA’s support might be more through NGO channels.)

21. Financial Data: Because Social Value Aotearoa is a small privately held company, detailed financial statements are not publicly available. The Companies Office indicates the company files annual returns in October. There is no evidence of it being a “large” company under NZ law (which would require public financial reports). However, Waipareira Trust’s financials give a clue: SVA is mentioned as a unit or project. Waipareira’s 2023–24 report suggests SVA underwent a “revised business plan” that year, implying some budget or strategy change, potentially in response to shifting government priorities. SVA presumably operates on a modest budget; any profits (if generated) could be retained or theoretically paid as dividends to its owner (Tamihere), though none are publicly reported.

22. Regulatory Compliance: Social Value Aotearoa Ltd is a registered company in good standing (status: Registered). It complies with basic Companies Act requirements (annual returns up to date as of Oct 2024). It is not registered as a charitable entity with Charities Services (Department of Internal Affairs) – thus it is not bound by charities law constraints on political activity or reporting. If SVA engages in lobbying or advocacy, it does so as a private entity. There is currently no mandatory lobbying register in NZ, so any informal advocacy by SVA would not be officially recorded.

23. Strategic Partners: Aside from its affiliation with Social Value International, SVA collaborates with numerous partners. These include non-profits and social enterprises in its network, government bodies interested in outcomes measurement, academic institutions, and even design/innovation groups. Internationally, SVA is part of the Social Value Asia Pacific networks – it co-hosted the Social Value Matters conference in 2019 alongside SVI. Domestically, SVA has worked with groups like Akina Foundation and Impact Initiative (Dept. of Internal Affairs) on social enterprise impact measurement.

24. Notable Events and Milestones: Key milestones include the official launch in June 2015 (in West Auckland); the one-year anniversary Whānau Ora conference in July 2016 where SVA hosted SVI’s CEO Jeremy Nicholls as keynote; participation in international conferences such as Social Value Matters (Taipei 2019); and inaugural national trainings on SROI in NZ. In 2020, SVA pivoted to online events (hosting sessions in the virtual Social Value Matters summit). In 2022–2023, SVA was involved in dialogue around Government social investment reforms and community outcomes frameworks, positioning itself in debates alongside ImpactLab as leading “social impact” specialists in NZ.

25. ImpactLab Comparison: ImpactLab is a separate entity co-founded by former NZ Prime Minister Sir Bill English to perform data-driven social impact analysis (known for its “GoodMeasure” reports). While not part of SVA, ImpactLab operates in the same space of SROI and outcomes valuation. ImpactLab is explicitly private and commercially oriented, chaired by Bill English and run by his daughter Maria English. Social Value Aotearoa, by contrast, pitches itself as a network or movement, although it too is privately owned (by Tamihere). Both organisations have political pedigree – SVA via Tamihere (Māori Party/Labour) and ImpactLab via English (National Party). Both also aim to influence public funding decisions with their methodologies.

26. Connections to Other Entities: Social Value Aotearoa Limited is one of several similarly named companies registered by John Tamihere on the same day in 2015. Others include Social Value New Zealand Limited, Social Impact Measurement Network Limited, Social Impact Measurement Network Association NZ Limited, and Social Return on Investment (SROI) Network Aotearoa Limited. All of these companies have identical ownership (100% John Tamihere) and address. This suggests Tamihere secured multiple related names – possibly to cover various branding options or aspects of the initiative. For example, “Social Value New Zealand” may have been an alternative brand, and “SROI Network Aotearoa” mirrors the name of SVI’s precursor (the SROI Network). In practice, “Social Value Aotearoa” became the public-facing identity, while the other registrations remain unused shells or placeholders. (Their existence underlines that the “network” is entirely controlled by Tamihere’s private interests.)

27. Integrity and Transparency Indicators: Social Value Aotearoa does not publish annual reports or detailed disclosures of its activities to the public. Its website (socialvalueaotearoa.nz) provides general information, blog posts, and event listings but no financial or governance transparency (and notably, no listed board beyond Tamihere’s directorship). Because it is not a charity, it falls outside the scrutiny applied to charitable trusts. Its close integration with Waipareira Trust means some information can be gleaned from Waipareira’s publications (for instance, mention of SVA’s relocation and plan in Waipareira’s annual report ). However, there is no independent oversight of SVA’s operations. This lack of formal transparency is significant given its role in advising on accountable funding frameworks – a point of critique discussed later.

28. Contact Information: Official contact is via Email: info@socialvalueaotearoa.nz. Phone: +64 9 836 6683 (Waipareira Trust’s main line). Website: www.socialvalueaotearoa.nz (public site with membership and resources). Social media: SVA maintains a presence on LinkedIn and Twitter (X) through staff like Jo Nicholson.

29. Integrity Institute Relevance: This profile is compiled for The Integrity Institute’s New Zealand Lobbying & Influence Register. Social Value Aotearoa’s inclusion is due to its unique position: an ostensibly public-interest network for social good that is, in reality, privately owned by politically connected individuals.

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Sources:

1. RNZ News – “Social Value Aotearoa launched” (24 Jun 2015). Describes launch by Waipareira Trust and Te Pou Matakana, quoting John Tamihere on need to measure outcomes.

2. BizDb – Company Information for Social Value Aotearoa Limited. Confirms registration on 20 Feb 2015, company number 5603980, sole director/shareholder John Tamihere, address 331 Great North Rd, Henderson.

3. BusinessCheck – Profile for Social Value Aotearoa Ltd. Shows 100 shares owned by John Tamihere (100%), industry classification “Social assistance or welfare services n.e.c.”, contact emails @waiwhanau.com.

4. Social Value International (UK Charity Commission filings) – mention of £5,000 contribution from Social Value Aotearoa upon signing network agreement (2015/16). Also notes John Tamihere gave keynote at SVI conference 2016.

5. Democracy Project (Bryce Edwards) – National Urban Māori Authority post. Notes Tamihere family’s dominance: “John as CEO, his wife Awerangi as COO of Waipareira…”. Highlights nepotism and influence within urban Māori organisations.

6. Social Value Aotearoa – Blog “Really Measuring Outcomes For Whānau” by Awerangi Tamihere (May 2024). Emphasizes shift from outputs to outcomes and welcomes the Social Investment Agency’s creation. Illustrates SVA’s alignment with government initiatives and Awerangi’s role.

7. ThinkImpact (Aus) – “Social Impact going mainstream” (Feb 2020) by Rebecca Cain. Reports on Social Value Matters 2019 conference: mentions Jo Nicholson (Director, SVA) and Awerangi Tamihere (Waipareira/WOCA) as NZ representatives. Describes Whānau Ora outcomes framework and its embedding across 82 partner organisations, showing SVA’s influence in policy implementation.

8. Sport NZ – Guidance on applying SROI (2023). Describes SVA as “affiliated national network of Social Value International” coordinating activities to promote four pillars. Also lists ImpactLab as a private organisation providing SROI services, contextualising both.

9. BusinessCheck – Neighbouring companies at 331 Great North Rd: Social Value NZ Ltd, Social Impact Measurement Network Ltd, Social Impact Measurement Network Association NZ Ltd, SROI Network Aotearoa Ltd – all registered 20 Feb 2015, 100% J. Tamihere. Demonstrates deliberate securing of related entities by Tamihere.

10. Bassett, Brash & Hide blog – Graham Adams, “Storm clouds gather over Tamihere’s fiefdom” (Jan 2024). Details looming cut to Whānau Ora funding and Charities Services action. Notes WOCA (Te Pou Matakana) led by John (CEO) & Awerangi (COO), Waipareira similarly, and their “indivisible” relationship. Provides context on scale of public funds involved (~$180m Whānau Ora, large share to Tamihere’s orgs).

11. NZ Herald – Bryce Edwards, “Auditor-General damns Govt’s charity funding processes” (Oct 2024). (Political Roundup column). Retracts earlier statement questioning ImpactLab’s independence, apologizing. Confirms ImpactLab chaired by Sir Bill English and the sensitivity around such critiques. Highlights need for caution in commenting on these influential private actors.

12. University of Auckland News – Jane Norton, “Charities no place for politics” (Jan 2025). Discusses Waipareira Trust deregistration. Notes Charities Services concerns: conflicts of interest, management standards, “eyebrow-raising remuneration”. Reveals Waipareira execs’ average salary $510k (highest in NZ/Aus charities). Cites Waipareira’s $150k donation to Tamihere’s 2019 campaign (56% of all its donations) as breach of charity law. Illustrates governance and conflict issues directly relevant to Tamihere’s operations (and by extension SVA).

13. Democracy Project (Bryce Edwards) – “Te Pāti Māori political donations scandal gets worse” (Substack, Aug 2023). Describes Tamihere’s companies being funded by government via Whānau Ora, notes Waipareira under investigation for political finance issues. Reinforces pattern of mixing public funding and political activity in Tamihere’s sphere.

14. Wikipedia – John Tamihere entry. Confirms political roles: President of Māori Party since June 2022, co-leader in 2020, former Labour MP 1999–2005. Provides general background on his career useful for context.

15. LinkedIn post via Google cache – ImpactLab’s Maria English interview note. Indicates Maria (Bill English’s daughter) leading ImpactLab, representing a “new generation” and continuing Bill’s social investment vision. Underlines familial tie and intention to influence funding decisions.

16. Social Value Aotearoa Facebook (Nov 2023) – Thanks Awerangi Tamihere for presenting Best Awards 2024 on SVA’s behalf. Small but telling example of Awerangi formally representing SVA publicly, implying governance role.

17. Social Value Matters Europe 2022 – Speaker bio for Jo Nicholson (Director, Social Value Aotearoa). Confirms her role and that SVA is positioned as a connector in NZ’s impact space.

18. Social Value UK – “Ngā Tau Mīharo ō Aotearoa – Incredible Years Parenting…” report (2019) acknowledgment. Thanks SVA for introducing SROI methodology and providing channels to explore it. Shows knowledge transfer role of SVA for NZ charities.

19. Waipareira Trust Annual Report 2023/24 – snippet: “Social Value Aotearoa moved during the year to Wai 414 to manage… in alignment with government priorities, a revised business plan…”. Implies structural changes and integration with Waipareira’s facilities/strategy.

20. Waipareira Wai-Research (Wai Rangahau) – Value Creation by Taitamariki Programme SROI Report (2023). Methodology page: “As a member of the global network of Social Value International (through Social Value Aotearoa), Waipareira supports the seven principles of social value…”. Demonstrates SVA’s direct role in Waipareira’s evaluation approach and how Waipareira projects its SVA affiliation for legitimacy.

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