Criteria for election of Companions

The election of Companion (CRSNZ) recognises outstanding leadership in science, technology, or the humanities; and/ or eminent or sustained contributions to the promotion and advancement in New Zealand of science, technology, or the humanities.

Companionship criteria

The contribution must be significant at a national level, and beyond what could reasonably be expected from competent performance of their role for their current and previous employers. It must also be demonstrated that nominees are held in esteem by, and have broad support in the community or communities that are relevant to the nomination. 

Outstanding leadership may be demonstrated by meeting some or all of the following indicators:

1. Meritorious service and leadership within non-commercial national entities formed to address important national public issues,
2. Being recognised as having shown distinguished service and leadership in holding, maintaining, curating or preserving important, and nationally-significant, mātauranga; and/or taonga of an iwi, hapu or whānau.[1]    

3.Distinctive service and leadership in the maintenance, curation and/or preservation of nationally- or internationally significant collections, archives,  databases, sites or places that support science, technology, or the humanities,
4. Uniting stakeholders around a common purpose to achieve beneficial outcomes in New Zealand’s interests,
5. Undertaking a personal programme of activity highlighting an issue in a way that leads to its successful resolution in a manner that benefits New Zealand,
6. Developing, building and delivering a nationally significant organisation, activity or programme.
 

Eminent or sustained contribution may be demonstrated by meeting some or all of the following indicators:

1. Development of a national profile as a communicator trusted by the public within their discipline, or more widely,
2. Being recognised as having achieved distinction in contemporary or intergenerational dissemination and wider understanding of nationally-significant, mātauranga and/or taonga of an iwi, hapu or whānau.1
3. Procuring and managing the deployment of resources for public engagement to achieve demonstrated outcomes, for example in terms of improved public knowledge and perceptions,
4. Role modelling of new approaches to working with the community, leading to changes in the way the research and scholarly community interacts with the public,
5. Obtaining and deploying resources for delivery of nationally-significant public engagement programmes to advance community understanding of science, technology or the humanities.
 

The election of Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand (CRSNZ) shall not be limited in number unless directed otherwise by the Council.

Companion (CRSNZ) and Fellow (FRSNZ) titles may be held simultaneously because each focuses on different achievements.

[1] In noting that such knowledge holding is often seen as a community responsibility, the identification of an individual for the election of Companionship can also be seen to be recognising outstanding leadership from the whole community.