Company Directory - Wright Family Foundation
Company Details - Wright Family Foundation
Wright Family Foundation
WebsiteNew Zealand
260 Locations
A foundation that runs BestStart, which operates 260 early childhood education centers in New Zealand, providing support and resources for children's early learning and development.
CCI Score
CCI Score: Wright Family Foundation
-58.73
0.05%
Latest Event
Wright Family Foundation Subsidy Claim Under Scrutiny
An article highlights that the Wright Family Foundation, which operates BestStart with 260 centres, claimed $26.9 million in government subsidies—more than major competitors combined. This event has been critiqued for reinforcing corporate control in early childhood education and diverting public funds in favor of corporate interests, thereby disadvantaging community-oriented, non-corporate models.
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QUISLING
Wright Family Foundation is currently rated as a Quisling.
Latest Events
- APR242025
An article highlights that the Wright Family Foundation, which operates BestStart with 260 centres, claimed $26.9 million in government subsidies—more than major competitors combined. This event has been critiqued for reinforcing corporate control in early childhood education and diverting public funds in favor of corporate interests, thereby disadvantaging community-oriented, non-corporate models.
- DEC312024
The 2024 accounts reveal that the Wright Family Foundation, which runs BestStart, has historically donated to New Zealand's National Party and backed an anti‐woke internet radio station. These political contributions, alongside its significant financial maneuvering—including a major loan repayment clearing—raise questions about its alignment with authoritarian and far‐right ideologies.
-70
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 23
The article highlights historical donations to the National Party and substantial backing of an anti‐woke media outlet by the foundation. Such activities indicate that the foundation is engaging in political contributions that may support authoritarian ideologies, which raises serious concerns from an anti‐fascist perspective.
Best Start payments to rich-list founders Wright family trust rocket to $37m
- OCT212024
The article details that the Wright Family Foundation, linked closely with the Wright family, has a history of donating to New Zealand's National Party and has backed Sean Plunket’s 'anti-woke' internet radio station, The Platform, with a 75% stake. Such actions signal alignment with right-wing political agendas and raise concerns regarding support for authoritarian ideas.
-80
Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts
April 23
The foundation and its affiliated family have historically funneled donations to the National Party and provided substantial backing to an anti-woke media outlet. This financial support for entities associated with far-right and authoritarian ideologies is concerning from an anti-fascist perspective. The rating reflects a significant negative impact on public and political behavior.
Private Childcare Profits are Investigated by The New Zealand Herald
- MAY072024
The court of appeal denied Birthing Centre Ltd's appeal after an Employment Relation Authority determination found that the dismissal of five midwives was unjustified. Birthing Centre Ltd, owned by the Wright Family Foundation, faced legal scrutiny over its labor practices, underscoring failures in protecting worker rights.
-80
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 23
The decision by the appeal court, following the Employment Relation Authority's ruling, highlights a violation of worker rights through the unjust dismissal of five midwives. This action reveals a disregard for labor relations and human rights, reflecting practices that undermine worker protections and set a concerning precedent for broader labor ethics.
Wright family denied appeal after unjustifiably sacking midwives | BusinessDesk
- OCT012023
A business owned by the Wright Family Foundation lost an employment court challenge after a ruling found that six former employees were unjustly dismissed. This decision highlights significant issues in worker treatment and labor practices.
-70
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 23
The court ruling that six former employees were unjustly dismissed indicates a failure in upholding fair labor practices and protecting worker rights at the foundation-owned Birthing Centre. Such outcomes can harm marginalized workers and reflect poorly on the organization's commitment to ethical employment standards.
Wright family's Birthing Centre loses employment court challenge
- OCT012023
Six former midwives from Birthing Centre Ltd, a business owned by the Wright Family Foundation, have taken their case to the Employment Relations Authority, alleging that their dismissals were unjustified and preceded secret talks to transfer employment to another organization.
-70
Labor Relations and Human Rights Practices
April 23
The reported dismissals of midwives at a foundation-owned business raise serious concerns about labor rights and fair treatment, reflecting practices that undermine worker protections. The action represents an instance where the company’s practices appear to disregard the rights and well-being of its employees, warranting a negative rating from the labor relations perspective.
ERA: Wright family's sacking of midwives unjustified | BusinessDesk
- MAR312022
The article details that the Wright Family Foundation, which oversees BestStart, engaged in significant related party transactions including loans to family-controlled entities and high rental fee payments to family properties. Additionally, it highlights the family's backing of The Platform, a media outlet known for extremist interviews, raising concerns over ethical financial practices and indirect media influence.
-40
Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility
April 23
The foundation's financial records reveal multiple related party transactions—including significant loans to family-controlled entities and high rental fees paid to family-owned properties—which raise serious concerns about ethical business practices and self-dealing. Such transactions may undermine public trust and contribute to elite enrichment, indirectly facilitating power imbalances associated with authoritarian tendencies.
-30
Media Influence and Propaganda
April 23
The article also highlights that the Wright family, linked to the foundation, are major backers of The Platform, a media outlet that has courted controversy with interviews of extremist figures. This involvement raises additional concerns over the promotion of extremist content and the potential amplification of divisive media narratives.
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