NZCSA Emerging Leaders Award 2026
Recognising the future leaders of New Zealand’s cold storage sector
The NZ Cold Storage Association Emerging Leaders Award recognises those who demonstrate leadership potential, initiative, and a commitment to building stronger businesses and a stronger cold storage ecosystem.
It is open to employees of any company that is a Full or Associate Member of the NZ Cold Storage Association.
Finalists will be recognised at the NZCSA26 Conference Gala Dinner on 3 August, at Te Pae Convention Centre in Christchurch. The winner will be announced on the night.
What the winner receives
Through our partnership with Trusted Advisor Network, we are pleased to provide valuable educational prizes:
- Finalists: 6-month group leadership development course PLUS one free ticket to the 2026 NZCSA conference.
- Winner: 9-month leadership development course PLUS one to one mentoring PLUS one free ticket to the 2026 NZCSA conference.
The courses are delivered remotely in structured online meetings and will provide practical leadership skills that participants can apply immediately in their organisations.
Nominations close 31 May 2026
Eligibility
Nominees must:
- Be employed by an NZCSA member organisation (full or associate member)
- Reside in New Zealand
- Be in an emerging stage of their leadership career (early to mid-career and/or aspiring to leadership roles)
- Not hold a senior executive position
- Be nominated by their manager (or another senior leader) of their employer
- Have their employer's approval to attend the NZCSA conference in-person, if named as a finalist.
Additional rules
- One nomination per individual.
- Nominee must consent to being nominated.
- Self-nominations are not accepted.
What we're looking for
Judges will assess nominees across four areas:
- Leadership potential - initiative, influence, problem-solving.
- Impact - contribution to their organisation.
- Industry contribution - engagement beyond their role.
- Future potential - ambition, growth mindset, leadership trajectory
Award Process
Step 1: Nominations Deadline 30 May
Managers submit nominations via the online form.
Step 2: Shortlisting (June)
A judging panel reviews all entries and selects 3–5 finalists (depending on the number and quality of entries). Finalists will be notified and invited to attend the NZCSA conference (2-4 August) for free.
Step 3: Finalist Interviews (June)
Finalists participate in a short online interview with the judging panel.
Step 4: Winner Announced (August)
The winner will be announced at the NZCSA26 Gala Dinner in Christchurch, during the NZCSA Conference on 3 August.
Judging
An independent NZCSA panel will judge the Awards. Any judge who works for a company that has nominated employees will not be allowed to participate in judging those employees. We will use a structured scoring framework to ensure fairness and consistency across the judging process.
Nominations close 31 May 2026
QUESTIONS? If you have any questions about the nomination or judging process, please email rose@mandeville.co.nz