All Incorporated Societies and Charitable Trusts registered with the Companies Office can now have Māori macrons in their titles.

This means along with new registrations, existing societies and trusts can update their existing incorporation certificate to include macrons.

The move to enable macronisation across registers is part of ongoing upgrades to the Companies Office's registers, says Ross van der Schyff, General Manager, Business Integrity Services.

'Investment in the new Business Registers platform commenced at the end of 2015 and included a requirement for all new registers to include macronisation. Enabling incorporated societies to register using macrons in their titles is the next step in a plan to make this a reality."

The inclusion of Māori macrons on registers held by the Companies Office has the full support of Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission).

Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori Chief Executive Ngahiwi Apanui has commended the move.

'Te Taura Whiri I Te Reo Māori is really pleased with the Companies Office's support of macrons in its new registers. We encourage all organisations to recognise the status of te reo Māori and use correct modern spelling."

The Companies Register, which went live in 2010, enables the use of macrons for company names, directors' names, shareholders' names and accounts.

Existing incorporated societies and charitable trusts can correct their certificate of incorporation with macrons using forms on the Companies Office website; the Incorporated Societies form or the Charitable Trusts form.