Affiliated Industries Group (AIG)

The Affiliated Industries Group (AIG) uses its strong combined voice, through BusinessNZ’s policy and advocacy capabilities, to drive better outcomes for the businesses community.

The AIG is comprised of member-based organisations that represent and support their respective industries, sectors and professions. Our AIG members are organisations such as industry associations, federations, councils, forums and other representative groups. With more than 60 representative groups covering a range of major industries, the AIG membership represents a significant portion of New Zealand’s economy. Together, the AIG provides a strong collective voice, as well as supporting each member’s ability to influence outcomes important to their respective industry.

Katharine McGhie, Manager Business Development & Events, manages the AIG and convenes its meetings.

While each AIG member’s focus is specialized, members all have in common a focus on ensuring that NZ has the right conditions in place for their respective members to grow and prosper. The AIG’s combined strength and voice helps influence and shape outcomes that are important to New Zealand through its strong and influential collective voice.

AIG members all have an interest getting relevant and up to date information, and having strong networks in place, so that they can positively influence outcomes that are important to the industries they each represent.  AIG members benefit from having direct access to BusinessNZ’s influential networks and policy expertise, which they can leverage to support their respective industry representation efforts.

In addition to other benefits, the AIG Forum meets regularly in Wellington and Auckland for briefings and strategy sessions. These meetings provide a platform for industries to discuss policy and challenges facing them, and for giving advance notice of forthcoming issues and regulation that could have a big impact on your industry.

All of our AIG members exist to represent and serve their respective industry.  The AIG ultimately exists to help make each AIG member, and BusinessNZ, to be more effective and influential.

Member Benefits

Being part of the Affiliated Industries Group offers value to your organisation through a wide range of benefits, including:

• Advocacy - BusinessNZ advocates on behalf of the collective AIG membership to influence regulatory policy outcomes that cover most of the economy including: infrastructure, tax, energy, climate change, technology, diversity, sustainability, Commerce Commission and competition law, skills, tax, compliance, training, education, employment relations, health and safety, innovation and entrepreneurship, export and manufacturing, energy, environment, productivity, corporate affairs, water, and other policy positions.
• Policy submissions and research - AIG members have direct accessto all of BusinessNZ’s influential policy leadership activities. AIG members have access to and are able to use for their own benefit, BusinessNZ’s policy submissions, media releases and research papers. Members receive draft submissions and have the option to provide input. Members also receive regular policy updates.
• Access to policy expertise – AIG members have direct access to our expert policy team in: exporting, manufacturing, tax, productivity, employment law, skills and training and education, sustainability, health and safety, emissions and energy.
• Attending the AIG Forum, whichmeets six times a year. The Forum’s conversations are demand driven and facilitate a free exchange of business insights. This helps policy development so that we can grow the New Zealand economy. BusinessNZ also invites influential guests to the Forum, such as Government officials, MPs, Ministers and thought leaders.
• Chief Executive Kirk Hope and other BusinessNZ specialists contribute on invitation to strategy sessions conducted by AIG member industries.
• Help shape BusinessNZ’s advocacy and policy efforts – AIG members have the ability to raise issues and challenges that are important to their respective industry, which directly feed into BusinessNZ’s advocacy, policy and influence efforts.
• Networking - AIG members are invited to various networking events, including BusinessNZ's annual cocktail party held in Wellington in February. The cocktail event is attended by influencers from both industry and government, including Ministers, government ministerial advisers, press secretaries, and political advisers.
• The Wellington Seminar is a comprehensive way of understanding Wellington and the regulatory landscape. BusinessNZ’s unique workshop on achieving public policy influence is available at a discounted rate to AIG members. Members are invited to attend two per year covering the Select Committee process, and how to effectively engage with senior Ministers, prominent Opposition MPs, and officials alongside other senior business executives.
• Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum - BusinessNZ is also the secretariat for the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, which involves dialogue and engagement with the top 60 companies on both sides of the Tasman. This promotes discussion for Trans Tasman businesses on the issues that matter for the two countries.
• Buy NZ Made discounts - AIG members can offer discounted membership of Buy NZ Made to their members.
• Our 4 regional shareholders (EMA Northern, Business Central, Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers Association) provide AIG members with the opportunity to access tailored professional advice, resources and training, and networking events for organisations of all sectors. If AIG members join their applicable regional body, they can access their highly skilled teams which can assist with Advocacy and Industry Relations, Human Resources and Employments Relations, Employment Law, Health & Safety, International Trade, Business Strategy and Professional Development solutions. The regions have access to regional and national initiatives, lobbying, representation and resources that help build enterprise capability for business. They are focused on building long-term relationships with their members by helping grow businesses sustainably.