Our Woke Rating

We have researched some of the main commercial businesses operating in New Zealand. We looked for some key examples of woke policies and activities, including:

  • Virtue signalling, especially in ad campaigns and marketing activities.
  • LGBTQIA+ activism and marketing, Rainbow Tick certified, financially supporting LGBTQIA+ organisations and causes (e.g. Pride Pledge).

  • Supporting gender transitioning (including surgery). For example, some businesses will give employees paid-leave to undergo gender transitioning.

  • Committed to 40:40:20 gender split (40% male, 40% female, 20% other gender/non-binary), yep this is really a thing.

  • DEI (Diversity Equity Inclusion) policies and gender recruitment targets.

  • Supporting abortions. Woke businesses will often reimburse some costs for employees who need abortions.

  • Integrating Te ao Māori (the Māori world) and Māori spirituality into everything (especially when the majority of their customers are not Māori).

  • Evidence of Critical Race Theory, including training courses on “unconscious bias” etc.

  • Evidence of Ant-Semitism. 

  • Pushing “Climate Alarmism”, and committed to stringent emissions reduction targets. Support for Agenda 2030.

How do we rank each business?

The traffic light system is easy to understand and self explanatory:

Not Woke
Woke Lite (moderate)
Woke
Extreme Woke

This simple rating system is obviously subjective, but it’s our best attempt at giving consumers the insight needed to avoid businesses that don’t align with their personal values. 

  • All
  • Extreme Woke
  • Not Woke
  • Woke
  • Woke Lite
starbucks-thumbnail Extreme Woke

Starbucks

Starbucks Corporation is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2022, the company had 35,711 stores in 80 countries, 15,873 of which were located ...
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Not Woke

Stirling Sports

Stirling Sports is a retail company that primarily sells sporting goods and sportswear. The first Stirling Sport store opened in 1964 on Dominion Road, Auckland ...
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warehouse_logo Extreme Woke

The Warehouse Group

The Warehouse Group (TWG) was established by Stephen Tindall in 1982 and is the largest retail group in operation in New Zealand. It is a ...
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Not Woke

TSB Bank

TSB is a 100% New Zealand-owned bank. TSB Bank Ltd (originally known as the Taranaki Savings Bank) trading as TSB, is a New Zealand bank ...
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Vector-Logo Woke

Vector

Vector Limited delivers energy and communication services across Australasia and the Pacific. Its primary business is electricity distribution, along with distributing piped gas. It also ...
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Not Woke

Walker & Hall

Walker and Hall is a family owned jewellery business established in 1899 with 11 stores nationwide. The jewellery store offers a wide range of services ...
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Westpac-Banking-Corporation-Logo Woke

Westpac

Westpac provides a full range of banking and financial services, including online banking, bank accounts, home loans/mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, foreign exchange, insurance, KiwiSaver ...
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Not Woke

Whitcoulls

Whitcoulls is a NZ bookstore chain with more than 50 stores throughout New Zealand.
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woolworths-logo Woke

Woolworths

Woolworths (formerly Countdown) is a full-service supermarket chain, and a subsidiary of the Australian Woolworths Group. Alongside Foodstuffs (New World, Pak'nSave, Four Square), Woolworths NZ ...
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Z-Energy-thumbnail Woke

Z Energy

Z Energy is a New Zealand fuel distributor with branded service stations. Formerly Shell New Zealand, it comprises some of the former assets of Shell ...
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Most Woke and Least Woke Businesses

Woke Businesses in NZ
Featured

Most Woke Businesses in NZ

Here are some of the most woke businesses currently listed on this website. You can decide for yourselves who to do business with and who ...
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Woke Free Zone
Featured

Woke Free Businesses

Here's a list of some of the least woke businesses in New Zealand. You can decide for yourselves who to do business with and who to ...
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So what is wrong with Businesses being Woke?

Most people just want to purchase products and services, then get on with their lives. They don’t want businesses shoving woke beliefs down their throats.  Businesses should stick to business, not telling customers what to think about social issues.

Any wokeness and virtue signalling detracts from a business’ core purpose, and ultimately passes on unnecessary costs to the customer. 

Businesses are free to support causes they believe in. We just believe that consumers should know what those causes may be. 

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