Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Business Zen: The importance of increasing your social footprint

By Russell Bell
Whanganui Chronicle·
13 Dec, 2017 06:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

GATSHACK: In the running for Business Zen award.

GATSHACK: In the running for Business Zen award.

One of the best things about the business I am in is that it has a strategy to increase its social footprint to improve Whanganui and, more directly, groups of people in the community who need assistance. This comes in many forms and we will always encourage our staff to give their time and effort for good causes but, more importantly, contribute to strengthening our community.

For example, we are proud of our association and support of the Cancer Society. Cancer is a personal thing for many of us and our 'work family' is not immune – this will be an ongoing health challenge until a cure is found. Our team put in fabulous effort to support the Society via a number of events throughout the year.

Our Partners also sit on Boards which provide support and strength to the business community and 'not for profits' like schools and clubs.

I believe that this is crucial as it positively builds the culture of our business internally but also provides an avenue so that we can give back, even in a small way.

Last week marked the beginning of something new in this regard which has been in development over the last year. In partnership with Atihau Whanganui Incorporation and Deloitte, Balance offered a scholarship for aspiring accounting students. There is some satisfaction from getting this off the ground because it offers an opportunity for local and regional Maori commerce students to get support and the experience of working with us and the world leading 'Big 4' firm Deloitte. It is also a reflection of the deep and longstanding relationship we have with Atihau Whanganui Incorporation.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

So you can imagine that I was very keen to establish the scholarship and receive applications over the last 12 months!

There was one application which was outstanding. That of Aaron McGregor who is currently studying at UCOL. Aaron's is a story of determination and a desire to make change and better himself and his whanau. As one of the selection panel, it was clear that his academic record ticked all the boxes – but what I was more impressed by was the supporting material which spoke to his character and how he has applied himself to the task of gaining his degree and, later, becoming a Chartered Accountant.

I am looking forward to working with him on projects coming up in 2018, should he choose to utilise the opportunity to gain experience in consulting (that is, fields that don't involve "number crunching"!)

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Finally, and as Christmas approaches, next week's article will be the last of 2017. In keeping with today's theme talking about awards, and continuing with the tradition started last year, I will be announcing the 'Business Zen' award for 2017's outstanding business. The finalists include last year's winner Air Chathams, Monaghan's Barber shop, Noel Leeming Victoria Ave, Gatshack and Riverview 4 Square. All of these businesses exemplify the best in customer service and a unique and local offering.

Business, social enterprise and just giving time – all of these contribute to making Whanganui and its community the best there is.

Discover more

Scholarship for "exceptional" UCOL student

24 Jul 01:40 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Business

Whanganui Chronicle

'Time to lead': Airline founder hands over to son after 40 years

03 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
Opinion

Property Insider: Foodstuffs' $380m expansion with new Pak'nSave sites in the works

24 Jun 12:00 AM
Premium
Property

All rentals must meet five Healthy Homes standards by July 1

17 Jun 11:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Business

'Time to lead': Airline founder hands over to son after 40 years

'Time to lead': Airline founder hands over to son after 40 years

03 Jul 06:00 PM

Craig Emeny founded Air Chathams in 1984, alongside his wife Marion.

Premium
Property Insider: Foodstuffs' $380m expansion with new Pak'nSave sites in the works

Property Insider: Foodstuffs' $380m expansion with new Pak'nSave sites in the works

24 Jun 12:00 AM
Premium
All rentals must meet five Healthy Homes standards by July 1

All rentals must meet five Healthy Homes standards by July 1

17 Jun 11:00 PM
Sarjeant Gallery visitor numbers revealed

Sarjeant Gallery visitor numbers revealed

08 Jun 05:00 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP