Diversity Policy

At Boating New Zealand, we recognise that the ocean connects us all — and that diversity, inclusion and representation matter in the stories we tell and the people we reach.

Who we are and who we serve

We are a New Zealand-owned and operated publication serving a wide readership of boating enthusiasts, professionals, and communities across Aotearoa. Our audience spans generations, skill levels and regions — from lifelong yachties and commercial skippers to families discovering the Hauraki Gulf for the first time.

We value this diversity and believe it makes boating — and journalism — stronger.

Our commitment

We aim to reflect the full breadth of the New Zealand marine world in our reporting, photography, contributors and content choices. That includes:

  • Covering stories from both urban and regional communities

  • Highlighting Māori and Pasifika perspectives when relevant to maritime heritage, conservation, or coastal use

  • Profiling a range of boaters, builders, designers and innovators — regardless of gender, age or background

  • Promoting accessibility and inclusivity across the marine sector

How we work

We strive to:

  • Use inclusive language and imagery that reflects the diversity of our readers and the boating public

  • Include a broad mix of voices in our coverage, including emerging and underrepresented contributors

  • Be mindful of unconscious bias in story selection, framing and visual representation

  • Welcome diverse freelancers, creators and partners to contribute to our pages — in print and online

Internal culture

As a small and independent publishing team, we are committed to maintaining an open, respectful and inclusive working environment. We value collaboration, lived experience and different points of view. Our content team, led by Editor Chris Woodhams, works in partnership with our directors to uphold these standards.

Accountability

We are always learning. If you feel something we’ve published falls short of these principles, or you’d like to share your own perspective, please contact us at:

All feedback is taken seriously and treated with urgency by the editorial team. We also refer to our Corrections Policy and Actionable Feedback Policy for how we process content concerns.