Valerie Marie Ngaoa Teraitua
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year
Finalist
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year
Te Toa Taiao o te Tau
Valerie Marie Ngaoa Teraitua
Valerie Marie Ngaoa Teraitua (Ngati Whatua Ki Kaipara, Ngapuhi Rarotonga) has spent more than 15 years leading Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae in Māngere, South Auckland – guiding a powerful community movement centred on sustainability, food security, and wellbeing. Under her leadership, the marae has become a nationally recognised model for how local action can restore connection between people and the environment, blending traditional knowledge with innovative, practical solutions.
Valerie is the driving force behind initiatives such as the Koha Café and the Kai Ika Project, which together have diverted tonnes of food from landfill and provided thousands of nutritious meals to families across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She has championed zero-waste practices, organic food production, and climate adaptation projects that build resilience from the ground up. Leading by example, Valerie continues to inspire others to create change through compassion, collaboration, and care for both people and the planet.
Valerie is the driving force behind initiatives such as the Koha Café and the Kai Ika Project, which together have diverted tonnes of food from landfill and provided thousands of nutritious meals to families across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She has championed zero-waste practices, organic food production, and climate adaptation projects that build resilience from the ground up. Leading by example, Valerie continues to inspire others to create change through compassion, collaboration, and care for both people and the planet.
Celebrating those restoring and protecting the natural world. These leaders are creating a more sustainable Aotearoa through action, innovation, and deep commitment to the environment – forging a future that honours both people and planet.
Nominees for this Award must:
- Demonstrate tangible actions, with proven impact, towards global sustainability goals focused on environment – including (but not limited to) climate change, air and water pollution, water scarcity, food security, deforestation, rising sea levels, loss of species and habitat biodiversity, or loss of indigenous environmental knowledge and traditions.
- Show significant impact within the past year.
- Serve as role models fellow New Zealanders (and beyond) – inspiring a sustainable and thriving future for Aotearoa.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as the New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE
How does the planet benefit from the mahi, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: COMMITMENT
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, creativity/innovation, and create change? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive contribution, with proven impact, towards sustainability (particularly over the last 12 -months)? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT
If known, how does the nominee plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
2025
Finalists
