Board Elections | WasteMINZ

WasteMINZ is calling for dedicated and forward-thinking people from across our membership who are passionate about driving progress and contributing to the strategic direction of WasteMINZ.

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s waste, resource recovery, and contaminated land sectors. WasteMINZ plays a critical leadership role in advocating for best practices, fostering innovation, and supporting the industry’s transition toward a circular economy.

The Board consists of six WasteMINZ financial members who are elected for a term of two years. Three of the six elected Board members complete their two-year terms at alternate annual general meetings, so there are three spaces available.

The successful candidates will join the three Board members who remain on the Board:

Chris Purchas, Tonkin + Taylor
Sophie Mander, Queenstown Lakes District Council
Sandy Botterill, Foodstuffs NZ

Current Board members Paul Evans (Localised) and Dave Bull (HAIL Environmental) are intending to run again, and current chair Parul Sood (Auckland Council) has decided to stand down.

About the role

As a Board member, you will:

Provide strategic governance and direction for WasteMINZ
Represent the diverse interests of our members
Support and guide sector development and collaboration

Who can be nominated?

Nominees must be current financial members of WasteMINZ (individual or organisational representatives).
We encourage nominations that reflect the diversity of our industry, including geographic, sectoral, and cultural representation.

Experience in governance, strategy, Māori partnership, environmental leadership, or sector expertise will be advantageous.

Kerbside Campaign RFP 1200x1200

Nominations

Who can be nominated?

Anyone who is a paid-up financial member of WasteMINZ (i.e. anyone who has paid their 2026 membership invoice) can be nominated for the WasteMINZ Board.

The only exception to this is for those who are under Student Memberships, as students are not eligible to be nominated for the Board.

The Board election process is determined by the WasteMINZ Rules, as adopted 17 October 2024.

I want to stand for the Board - what do I need to do?

That's great! Make friends with another member of WasteMINZ, who has also fully paid their membership invoice, and ask them to nominate you.

You, or your nominator, will need to fill out an online nomination form (available from Thursday, 6 August, 2026), and have the following details handy:

The nominator details (including contact details, position and organisation)
The nominee details (including contact details, position and organisation)
Nominee bio (written in third-person) and headshot.

Your nominee bio should give WasteMINZ members a good understanding of who you are and why they should vote for you.

What do Board nominees need to know?

Role of the Board: The role of the Board is to provide governance and strategic direction to WasteMINZ, monitor the organisation's performance, and protect the integrity of the organisation. You can read more about WasteMINZ's strategy here.

Time commitment: We ask that any nominees consider the time commitment required to be an effective member of the Board. This will usually involve four in-person Board meetings a year, as well as other WasteMINZ business which is conducted by email and video calls.

Overall, a minimum commitment of approximately one day every two months may be required. WasteMINZ Board members volunteer their time but are reimbursed for relevant expenses.

Board charter: The Board is guided by the Board Charter. Please read this if you are considering nomination – it provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the Board.

Voting Process

How many votes does my organisation get?

Each membership level is eligible for a different number of votes, which will be outlined in the email sent to your primary contact, with your organisation's voting papers.

To learn about the different levels of membership and how many votes each membership level receives, go to our Membership Options page.

When will I receive voting papers?

Voting papers will be sent out to the primary contact of all paid-up financial members of WasteMINZ on Tuesday, 15 September, 2026. You will have until 5pm Friday, 2 October 2026 to cast your vote.

If your organisation pays its membership invoice during the voting period, your organisation's primary contact will receive voting papers within a week of payment.

Why haven't I received voting papers?

If you haven't received voting papers, it may be as a result of two things:

Your organisation might not have paid this financial year's invoice for membership, or
You aren't your organisation's primary contact.

If you're in an organisation with a number of votes, you'll need to contact your primary contact to discuss your preferred candidate. If you want to know who your primary contact is or want further information about payment details, contact membership@wasteminz.org.nz .

When will the Board members be announced?

The new Board members will be announced at the WasteMINZ AGM on Wednesday, 14 October. Details for this are TBC.

WasteMINZ Board election 2026

About the role

Nominate now

Frequently Asked Questions

Nominations

Voting Process

Creating a future where people, communities and nature in Aotearoa New Zealand thrive together