Joris de Bres has been New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner since 2002. He was previously General Manager, External Relations in the Department of Conservation and, before that, head of industrial relations for the New Zealand Public Service Association.

At the Human Rights Commission, the main focus for Joris has been to encourage central and local government, business, and community organisations to develop their own diversity programmes and to come together in the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme, which the Commission facilitates. Other initiatives have been the production of an annual review of race relations; development of national statements on religious diversity, language policy, and race relations; monthly acknowledgments of individuals and organisations for positive contributions to race relations; and the annual New Zealand Diversity Awards.

Joris is also Vice-Chairperson of Oxfam New Zealand, a trustee of Project Crimson, and member of the Advisory Board for the Victoria University Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research.