Spotlight on the FSC Award 2025 winners

Written by The FSC team | May 18, 2026

With nominations for the FSC Awards 2026 closing on Sunday 31 May 2026, learn more about the past winners and what the winning entries were.

Don’t miss your chance to be recognised - submit your entries for the FSC Awards 2026 today and showcase efforts that have made a meaningful impact on your community and the financial services industry.

Winner of Excellence in Wellbeing & Inclusion Award - Partners Life

Partners Life was the winner of FSC's Excellence in Wellbeing & Inclusion award in 2025.

Helen Meade, Chief People Officer, shares their experience of entering and winning an FSC Award.

Partners Life’s submission showcased how wellbeing and inclusion are embedded into everyday business practices, including:

Advanced GenderTick Accreditation for three consecutive years (2023–2025)
26 weeks of topped-up paid parental leave, alongside market‑leading flexibility and return‑to‑work support
Organisation‑wide unconscious bias training, embedded into leadership and recruitment practices
Strong focus on psychological safety, including professional supervision for emotionally demanding roles
Clear evidence that inclusive, wellbeing‑led practices drive attraction, retention, resilience and innovation

Winner of Team of the Year Award - Southern Cross Health Society

The Adviser Training Refresh Team at Southern Cross Health Society was the winner of FSC's Team of the Year award in 2025.

Kirsty Newton, Head of Sales Operations and Automation, shares their experience of entering and winning an FSC Award.

Some of the key points that stood out from their submission are:

A purpose-built team spanning multiple disciplines worked seamlessly to design and deliver a consistent, adviser-centric onboarding and training experience.
The introduction of a digital Learning Management System (LMS) and structured onboarding significantly improved efficiency, compliance, and adviser readiness.
Their programme achieved outstanding feedback, with 71% of advisers saying it exceeded expectations and an average satisfaction score of 4.71 out of 5.
Better-trained advisers are delivering more confident, tailored, and inclusive advice, leading to improved experiences and wellbeing for New Zealanders.
The programme supports CoFI requirements, embeds the FSC Code of Conduct, and creates a scalable model that enables sustainable business growth.

Winner of the Contribution to Community Award - Good Shepherd

Good Shepherd NZ, Family Violence Economic Harm Service was the winner of FSC's Contribution to Community Award in 2025.

Beryl Brogden, Manager - Financial Wellbeing Programmes and Vanessa Mazzola, Senior Family Violence Economic Harm Specialist, share their experience of entering and winning an FSC Award.

Here are some key points highlighted from their submission:

Good Shepherd specialised a Family Violence Economic Harm service to support victims of economic abuse - a form of family violence that restricts financial independence which provides holistic, nationwide support to help people recover from financial harm and rebuild their lives.
Demonstrated measurable improvements in wellbeing - clients reported reduced financial stress, increased confidence, and greater control over their lives. They received a net promoter score of 92 and 9.7/10 rating which is exceptional client satisfaction.
They helped remove $1.1 million in unjust debt in 2024, directly relieving financial pressure.
Supported clients to leave abusive relationships, improve employment opportunities, and reduce reliance on benefits.

Watch the FSC Awards 2025 ceremony here:

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