It aims to help the bank meet its sustainability targets
Kiwibank is on a roll despite the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the banking sector as it has opened new corporate premises in Auckland.
With local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the bank has opened its Auckland corporate premises, Te Kupenga at 155 Fanshawe Street, in the Wynyard Quarter.
Kiwibank chief executive officer Steve Jurkovich said the name Te Kupenga means the “fishing net” and pays homage to the historical significance of the whenua, where the new building sits, as a bustling fishing hub and place of trade.
“All these years later, and this place is still where people come together to innovate, conduct business, and exchange ideas. Using a fishing net is a craft that takes time to learn and requires collaboration, strategic thinking, maintenance, and patience, not dissimilar to Kiwibank's own journey to become a more sustainable bank,” Jurkovich said.
“The idea of giving a person a fishing net so they can catch kai moana is aligned to Kiwibank's purpose of enabling more Kiwi to be better off, as well as being mindful of our own footprint and leaving something for the future,” he continued.
The bank expects the new corporate premises to help it meet its sustainability targets, particularly around energy usage, which is a 30% reduction from 2018 by 2022.
“Our move here also underlines our commitment to grow our presence in New Zealand's biggest city where we see plenty of opportunities to expand our base of small and medium-size business customers,” Jurkovich said.
