Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa is a group of like-minded organisations which are working together to help people and businesses across Aotearoa to accelerate their use of digital technologies. We believe that greater use of digital business tools and digital ways of working is vital to achieving Aotearoa’s economic and social potential. As an alliance, we work with Government, business and communities to grow digital capability and confidence with new and existing technology. Together, we have the scale to make an impact far greater than the sum of our separate parts.
On this page you’ll find a range of resources related to the Alliance including media releases, documents from the launch of the Alliance, and information about current members and their commitments to accelerating the growth of a Digital Aotearoa.
Our Vision
“Accelerating the growth of a Digital Aotearoa by providing businesses, people and organisations with increased access to technology, expertise, advice, support and services needed to love, work and thrive in a sustainable and resilient digital economy”
He waka eke noa! – We are all in this together!
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MEMBERS INFORMATION AT LAUNCH
Being a member of the Digital Boost Alliance means being committed to using their resources, skills and expertise to improve digital skills and adoption across Aotearoa.
The Commitment is an undertaking to promote, assist, or offer free/subsidised training, goods or services to businesses, groups or individuals. It could also include undertaking research to help understand barriers to digital adoption or providing seconded resources or funding to support the work of the Digital Boost Alliance. Depending on a members area of specialisation, Members make the commitment to taking action in one or more of the areas we are working in – Business, Growth and Community.
Here is a summary of the launch members commitment and below you will find information and media assets for each member.
BNZ
Through our support for New Zealand businesses and the economy, and our strong relationships in communities around the country, we will help lift digital skills and promote digital transformation to improve inclusion, wellbeing and productivity in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to:
SMEs
• Supporting NZ SMEs to digitally transform their business through digital courses to the value of $300,000
• Equipping our SME bankers to help businesses transform utilising eCommerce platforms by the end of 2022
• Supporting business through our ‘Good to Grow’ scheme with capital to help digitise their businesses
Staff & Community
• Offering essential digital skills training for all BNZ colleagues by the end of 2022
• Continuing to measure the progress of digital skills of New Zealanders and SMEs through our Digital Skills in Aotearoa regular research survey and report
• Providing $600,000 to support face-to-face digital skills training for our customers and the community in consultation with Digital Inclusion Coalition Aotearoa (DECA)
Accessibility & Vulnerability
• Ensuring that basic online banking services meet accessibility needs (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0) for our website and personal banking channels by the end of 2023
• Supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances (such as victims of domestic abuse) by providing support to use digital channels.
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Google New Zealand commits to support small businesses (SMBs) in New Zealand in two key
ways:
- relevant and localised skills programs across NZ’s SMB community – with attention to hard-hit industries such as tourism, manufacturing, export and trades businesses, as well as a focus on Māori/Pacific-owned businesses.
- customised offerings products and services in partnership with large local businesses, that help support better connectivity and productivity across SMBs.
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Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
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Westpac
Westpac has been serving New Zealanders since 1861 and is today one of New Zealand’s largest banks, employing more than 4000 staff and serving more than 1.3 million customers. We provide a full range of retail and commercial financial services to households and businesses.
Amazon Web Services
AWS is passionate about investing to build new skills as a means of driving economic growth and job creation among small to medium-sized businesses in New Zealand. The Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa is a great example of private and public sector collaborating to help accelerate the digital upskilling of local businesses. AWS looks forward to contributing to the commitment areas identified by the Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa; the Digital Boost Business Commitment, Digital Boost Growth Commitment and Digital Boost Community Commitment.
File : One page summary of Amazon Web Services and their Commitment
ANZ
At ANZ we’re supporting our customers, staff and the wider business community to embrace this digitisation with a variety of initiatives including Support and training, Promotions and partnerships and Innovation and collaboration.
File : One page summary of ANZ
ASB
ASB pledges its support to promoting a digital Aotearoa and growing our digital economy. We commit to:
- the ongoing development of the ASB Business Hub and roll out of additional support for business including future access to a discounted suite of supported digital and productivity products and services for our small business customers.
- making the Vonto tool available to all New Zealand businesses, regardless of who they bank with.
- providing access to a suite of free digital products and support to 20 ASB digital boost participants.
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File: One page summary of ASB
CERTNZ
It’s important that New Zealanders have the tools and skills to operate successfully in the modern digital world, and part of that is having the cyber security policies, procedures and practices in place.
We’re pledging to offer our technical skills to the Digital Boost programme to build a comprehensive library of cyber security advice to assist small to medium businesses feel confident trading and transacting online.
Chorus
Digital infrastructure and the associated skills have the potential to increase economic growth and improve societal outcomes across Aotearoa in a more sustainable and equitable way. Chorus’ approach to championing digital futures is in three parts:
- Highlight the role that our fibre infrastructure plays in New Zealand’s future digital success.
- Collaborate with the Government, and industry, to strive for digital equity.
- Support not-for-profits and other organisations that are focused on digital capability and inclusion.
Datacom
In conjunction with our partners Ngāi Tahu, Tuputoa and in the tertiary sector including Tupukinga, we commit to delivering 200 new graduates to the sector each year. In addition, we will work with our existing 3000 strong New Zealand-based workforce to upskill and support their own development within the digital sector.
Facebook is committed to supporting and empowering the small business community in Aotearoa New Zealand and providing Kiwis the opportunities to enhance their digital skills. Facebook is committed to:
- Providing scholarships to a number of small business professionals to upskill in Facebook Professional Certifications.
- Providing free digital skills education to small businesses both virtually and in person across cities and towns New Zealand through the Boost with Facebook programme.
- Partnering with local organisations focussed on expanding the economic empowerment opportunities for Māori owned businesses.
HP
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Kiwibank
Since 2019, we have been working with the Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa to bring free digital banking workshops to communities all around New Zealand through their Stepping UP programme which is delivered in libraries and community centres around the country; and DORA, providing digital on-road access via its mobile classroom. As part of our commitment to the Digital Boost Alliance we pledge to continue to support the great work of Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa and ensure that we reach as many communities as possible.
Microsoft
Locally Microsoft has operated in New Zealand for nearly 30 years working across a broad array of public and private partners and customers from Auckland Transport, Sustainable Coastlines, Volpara, Fonterra and many more.
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MYOB
MYOB is committed to digital enablement and is proud to be working alongside the Government and private sector on the Digital Boost programme, and as a member of the Digital Boost Alliance.
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Rocketspark
Rocketspark was specifically created for small business owners because they often find themselves short on time and knowledge, and they feel overwhelmed by all of the options and tasks of building a website. Rocketspark believes that every small business can have the world’s best website and it’s created the platform to guide customers towards best practice and equip them with beautifully simple tools that put them in control of their online presence.
Spark
Our purpose at Spark is ‘to help all of New Zealand win big in a digital world’. This purpose and the work we are currently doing to empower New Zealanders with digital access and skills, aligns with the vision of the Digital Boost Alliance which aims to promote a ‘digital Aotearoa’. To achieve this, it is important that that no New Zealander is left behind. That’s why Spark has joined the collaborative effort of the Alliance, to work alongside the other partners to bring this ambitious vision to life.
The Mind Lab
As part of the Digital Alliance commitment The Mind Lab will build and constantly improve active solutions to remove business barriers to digitalising and learning. The Mind Lab will develop and share the insights from the SME business economy to enable others to better understand the challenges and opportunities for small and medium businesses as they face the rapid transformation of business due to technology, changing customer expectations and competition.
The Warehouse Group
The Warehouse Group are proud to be an Alliance member by ensuring convenient access to affordable digital tools, a wide range of general office solutions and are committed to supporting NZ communities and businesses flourish.
File: One page summary of THE WAREHOUSE GROUP and their Commitment
2 Degrees
In 2009, 2degrees burst into the market determined to give Kiwis a better choice of telco and a fairer deal. From day one we challenged the status quo by halving the price of calls and texts overnight. Since then, we’ve invested more than $1b in both our broadband offering, and in creating our own mobile network, which covers 98.5% of the places that New Zealanders live and work.
Xero
Xero is a cloud-based accounting software platform for small businesses with 2.7 million
subscribers globally. Through Xero, small businesses and their advisors have access to
real-time financial data any time, anywhere, and on any device.
File: One page summary of Xero
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Zeald
When New Zealand first went into lockdown, many businesses had no capability to trade online, or to operate digitally. In response, we launched our Get Ecommerce Movement – the GEM initiative – offering free ecommerce websites to Kiwi businesses. As ecommerce pioneers and digital transformation specialists, we wanted to use our 20-year expertise to support micro, small and medium-sized (MSME) businesses to start trading online and to begin their digital journeys, to survive and thrive beyond Covid.
About TUANZ
We’re the group helping our members make sense of the digital future through sharing experiences and knowledge about using current and new technology. We’re the only truly independent and representative voice for all users, both corporate and individual who know that connectivity is key to a growing digital economy.
Over the months of February and March of 2021, we interviewed 27 senior leaders in a number of Corporations and Government Departments on the topics of issues and priorities in both their businesses and across the digital sector in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Read the full report here: Aotearoa’s Digital Priorities in 2021
