About Us

1985

Institute of Personnel Management NZ (IPMNZ) officially incorporated; Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, and Canterbury branches recognized.

1986

First IPMNZ National Council meeting in Wellington; Richard Rudman elected President. Grading system launched with new Fellows appointed.

1989 

Ruth Payne served as National President, leading professional development initiatives

1994

• High demand for IPM courses; IPM joins NZQA HRM Working Party to help shape national HR qualifications.
• The National President presented the first-ever professional membership certificates at an event in Wellington, a landmark moment formalising professional status within the Institute.
• 21 members received certificates affirming their capability and ethical standards, including two new Honorary Fellows: Rick Handford and Stewart Ransom.
• Seminars such as Managing the New Organisation and Strategic Human Resource Management by professors David Limerick and Roger Collins were in high demand, with courses frequently oversubscribed.
• IPM joined the NZQA Human Resources Management Working Party, contributing to the development of national HR qualifications across the vocational and university sectors.

1995

• National Council responds to the Privacy Act 1993, with a focus on appointing Privacy Officers.
• International collaboration begins with HR survey partnership in Malaysia.

1996

• New regional presidents elected; National Council forms six key committees including Research, Membership, and Finance.
• The first edition of Human Resources magazine was published in April 1996, marking a major step in professional communication and thought leadership for the HR community in New Zealand.

1997

Paul Toulson becomes National President; regional leadership includes presidents from Auckland, Canterbury, Manawatu, Otago/Southland, Taranaki, Waikato, and Wellington.

1998

National Council actively engages with expanding committees and regional branches to support growing membership and professional development.

1999

HRNZ Awards launched to celebrate excellence and innovation in HR practices across industries.

2000

The Human Resources Institute of New Zealand (HRNZ) was officially established on April 1st, evolving from the Institute of Personnel Management NZ (IPMNZ) to better serve modern HR professionals.

2005

• HRINZ National President Geoff Summers and NZATD National President Beryl Oldham formalised a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand and the New Zealand Association for Training and Development.
• The agreement, signed at Conference 2005, marked a key milestone in fostering collaboration between the two professional bodies.
• As part of the MoU:
  • A new Learning & Development (L&D) stream was introduced to HRINZ’s annual conference.
  • NZATD members gained access to HRINZ events at member rates.
  • Members from both organisations could attend each other’s meetings and events nationwide.
• The MoU aimed to strengthen professional networking, knowledge-sharing, and collective advocacy for L&D and HR professionals.

2000s - 2009

HRNZ expanded professional development programs with workshops, seminars, and conferences aimed at strengthening HR careers nationwide.

2010s 

Introduction of Chartered Membership and Accredited Professional certification programs to elevate HR professional standards in New Zealand.

2018

• Nick McKissack appointed as Chief Executive Officer of HRNZ on July 2nd, bringing extensive leadership experience and guiding HRNZ through transformation and modernisation.

2020

Launch of the HR Virtual Summit, providing members with access to global HR insights and virtual networking amid changing work environments.

2021

HRNZ staff embraced the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), integrating sustainability commitments into the organisation’s mission.

2023

• HRNZ launched The Path, a new Capability Framework designed to guide and develop HR professionals’ skills and career growth nationwide.
• HRNZ’s Human Resources Magazine underwent a significant redesign, refreshing its visual identity and layout to better engage readers and reflect modern HR trends.
• HRNZ Partnered with Bead and Proceed to create a Sustainability Snapshot that highlighted efforts focusing on reducing inequalities, health and wellbeing, and climate action.
• The Future Workplace Forum was introduced in partnership with the University of Auckland Business School, offering insights into the future of work and strategic HR leadership.