Leadership
Forum
27 - 28 OCTOBER 2023
HYATT PLACE MELBOURNE
ESSENDON FIELDS
The ESG23 Leadership Forum is now available via webinar. Hear from the brightest minds, boldest thinkers, and most passionate leaders in Australia who will frame the significance of ESG and demonstrate how it can create real value for your business and organisation.
Register now to start shaping your organisation’s innovative future.
Cost:
- $195 for Summit webinar
- $590 to attend two days live including Summit dinner, lunches and Summit booklet and materials.
We would like to thank all presenters and event organisers who are volunteering their time.
All proceeds will be going to Rotary community projects: Violence Free Families and Youth Projects.
The Rotary ESG Forum powers positive business change in the 21st century. With new environmental, social and governmental challenges, our opportunity and our imperative is to lead the way towards new solutions and possibilities for a better world. Join us as we hear from Australia’s most forward-thinking leaders and help shape a conscious, innovative future for Australia.
Held over two inspiring days, the Rotary ESG Forum brings together the brightest minds, boldest thinkers and most passionate leaders helping Australian business navigate the ESG needs of today.
This Forum is different to a normal ESG conference, ESG Summit or ESG convention. The objective is to help you create an ESG program that suits your organisation. Day one includes the latest thought leadership featuring voices from the new frontiers of science, government, and entrepreneurship. Day two includes lessons from people doing ESG and sessions about you and your challenges including program building and change management.
Program Outline
Day 1
Friday 27 October
09.00
REGISTRATION
09.30
Welcome
Professor Simon Wilkie
Dean of Monash Business School and Faculty of Business and Economics.
09.45
Keynote Speech
John McLeod
Co-Founder of JB Were Philanthropic Services
10:10
ESG Overview
Professor Stephen King
Commissioner, Productivity Commission
10:30
ESG Scene Setting
Professor Alan Finkel AC
Special Advisor to the Australian Government on low emissions technologies.
10.45
MORNING TEA
11.15
Setting the Ethical Tone
MODERATOR
Professor Simon Wilkie
The Business Case for Being Ethical
PANEL
Pablo Berrutti
Senior Investment Specialist, Stewart Investors
Anita Foerster
Assistant Professor, Business Law & Taxation, Monash Business School
Chris Braithwaite
Partner, Scyne Advisory
Fiona Simson
Chair of the National Farmers Federation
12.30
LUNCH
Break & Networking
13.30
Nature & Environment
MODERATOR
Professor Graeme Samuel AC
The Environment is Good Business
PANEL
Kelly O’Shanassy
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Conservation Foundation
Carolin Leeshaa
Natural Capital & Biodiversity National Lead – KPMG Australia, TNFD Taskforce Member
Honourable Tanya Plibersek
Minister for the Environment and Water
Amy Auster
Partner, Scyne Advisory
15.00
AFTERNOON TEA
Break & Networking
15.30
Business Discussion
MODERATOR
Julia Bilyanska
Partner, ESG Services – KPMG Australia
Riding the Wave
PANEL
Emma Sweet
Senior Manager Integrated Reporting and ESG, CPA Australia
Eytan Lenko
CEO, Boundless Earth
Rosalind (Ros) McKay
Head of Responsible Investment Cbus Super
Charisse Soutar
General Manager, Sustainability and Employee Communications at REA Group
16.30
MODERATOR
Professor Graeme Samuel AC
Wrap up the day
PANEL
Professor Stephen King
Monash Business School
17.30
BREAK
Prepare for Dinner - Networking drinks at 6:30
19.00
Dinner Speaker
Futurist
‘Today is Yesterday’s Tomorrow! The Future is Upon Us’
(ESG Matters)
Air Vice Marshal Margaret Staib
AM, CSC, FAICD, FRAES
Day 2
Saturday 28 October
09.00
Welcome
Welcome & Introduction to
Professor Graeme Samuel
Professor Stephen King
Monash Business School
09.15
Keynote
The ESG Challenge
Professor Graeme Samuel AC
Monash Business School
10.20
Social
MODERATOR
Melanie Yap
Human Rights and Social Impact Services – KPMG Australia
The Social Dimension
PANEL
Elaine Pratley
Founder, Peace Inc.
Thomas Mayo
National Indigenous Officer at Maritime Union of Australia, advocate for the Uluṟu Statement
Katrina Moore
General Manager Strategy and Programs Thriving Communities Partnership
Gabby Sundstrom
Transurban
12.00
LUNCH
Break & Networking
13.00
Governance
MODERATOR
Professor Stephen King
Monash Business School
Governance, Transparency, Greenwashing & Technology
PANEL
Simon Levy
Chief Executive Officer, Risk Management Institute Australasia (RMIA)
Sarah Barker
Partner & Head of Climate Risk Governance, Minter Ellison
Dr Darcy Allen
Academic Economist with the RMIT – Blockchain Hub
Sarah Downie
CEO, Shared Value Project
14.30
Rising to the Challenge
MODERATOR
Professor Edward Buckingham
Monash Business School
How to Make Change Happen
PANEL
Angie Farrugia
Director of Communications & Engagement, B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand
Marc Allen
Co-founder ‘Unravel Carbon’
15.30
AFTERNOON TEA
16.00
End of Forum
MODERATOR
Professor Graeme Samuel AC
So! What Are you Going to Do From Here?
Professor Edward Buckingham
Monash Business School
Professor Stephen King
Monash Business School
17.00
ESG Leadership Forum Concludes
SPEAKER PROFILES
Professor Alan Finkel AC
Professor Alan Finkel AC is a neuroscientist, engineer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Career highlights include 23 years running US company Axon Instruments and 8 years as Chancellor of Monash University.
Alan was Australia’s Chief Scientist from 2016 to 2020, during which time he led the National Electricity Market Review, the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy and the panel advising the Australian Government on the Low Emissions Technology Roadmap. As Special Adviser to the Australian Government on Low Emissions Technologies in 2021 and 2022, Alan brokered bilateral low-emissions technology partnerships between Australia and each of seven key countries and also chaired the Australian Government-hosted Sydney Energy Forum.
He is currently Chair of Stile Education and a corporate adviser on climate change technologies. In his most recent book, “Powering Up: unleashing the clean energy supply chain”, Alan shares his compelling insights and expertise to make a strong case for Australia to lead the way in the global transition to clean energy.
Professor Graeme Samuel AC
LLB Melb, LLM Monash, LLD honoris causa FAICD
Graeme Samuel is a Professor in Monash University’s Business School. He is also President of Dementia Australia, Chair of Australian Dementia Network Ltd (ADNet), Chair of Dementia Australia Research Foundation, Co-Chair of the National Network of Comprehensive Dementia Centres Steering Group, Chair of Quipex Pty Ltd and Chair of Airlines for Australia and New Zealand.
He was a member of the Panel appointed by the bank regulator, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) to conduct the Prudential Inquiry into the governance, culture and accountability of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Graeme was Chair of the panel which conducted a Capability Review of APRA and also conducted the Independent Review commissioned by the Commonwealth Government of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
He has held a number of roles in public life including former Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Associate Member of the Australian Communications and Media Authority and President of the National Competition Council.
In 2010 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to public administration through contributions in economic reform and competition law, and for his contributions to the community through his leadership roles within sporting and cultural organisations.
Eytan Lenko
Eytan Lenko is a technology entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor focused on climate solutions. Prior to joining Boundless, Eytan was Chair of the internationally-recognised think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions. Eytan started his career in tech, including as co-founder and CEO of Outware Mobile, growing Outware to become the recognised Australian leader in mobile software development.
Eytan is a director of funds management firm, Infrastructure Asset Managers, and investor and advisor to a number of ambitious clean-tech companies. He is a director of the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Networks and the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation and recently chaired the development of the Climate Change Funding Framework, an influential framework that helps large funders strategically direct their giving on climate. Eytan was a member of the 2020 Northern Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission to advise the Chief Minister on growth pathways for the NT economy.
Professor Patrick McGorry AO
Professor Patrick McGorry is an Irish-born, Australian psychiatrist known world-wide for his development and scaling up of early intervention, youth mental health services, mental health innovation, advocacy and reform. He is executive director of Orygen, Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, and founding editor of the journal “Early Intervention in Psychiatry”.
Professor McGorry has published over 980 publications, with 47,266 citations and a “h” index of 112 (Scopus). He has played key advocacy and advisory roles to government on health system reform in Australia and many parts of the world.
He is President of the International Association for Youth Mental Health, Past-President of the Schizophrenia International Research Society, Past-president of the Society for Mental Health Research, and was Founding President and is now Treasurer of the IEPA: Early Intervention in Mental Health. He is also a Founding Board Member of Australians for Mental Health.
Professor Simon Wilkie
Professor Simon Wilkie’s career spans a remarkable array of roles that include appointments as Chief Economic Policy Strategist at Microsoft Corporation and Chief Economist with the US Federal Communications Commission.
In 2019, Professor Wilkie joined Monash Business School from the University of Southern California (USC), where he was Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics and Professor of Economics, Communication and Law in the USC Gould School of Law. He was previously head of USC’s Department of Economics and the USC Center for Communication Law and Policy.
Prof Wilkie has a PhD and MA in Economics from the University of Rochester, and a BComm (Hons) with first-class honours in Economics from the University of New South Wales.
With an exceptional record for advancing multi-disciplinary collaborative research and leveraging its potential to transform policy and create lasting impact, he is widely published on the subjects of spectrum auctions, game theory and telecommunications regulation in leading scholarly journals.
He is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Communication and a former member of the editorial board of the Journal of Public Economic Theory.
Simon Levy
Over twenty plus years, Simon has led an impressive career as; a Non-Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer and Senior Risk Leader. His breadth of experience traverses several challenging and client-centric industry sectors, from professional services, to health and aged care, retail, and manufacturing.
Following three years serving on the board of Australasia’s leading professional risk body, the Risk Management Institution Australasia (RMIA), Simon was appointed its Chief Executive Officer. In which capacity he has played a significant role in reshaping the future of the risk profession; strengthening its education and accreditation and creating a collegiate network through which risk professionals can connect, communicate and learn to grow together.
Simon is enthusiastic about collaboration and promotion of the risk profession, providing an influential voice for the risk industry across its many professional engagements. A voice that is committed to enhancing the role of RMIA and the risk profession.
Prior to heading the RMIA, Simon led a national team of risk practitioners with Marsh Advisory, providing risk services to leading ASX50 companies and global brands.
A transformational leader, capable of drawing together the threads of opportunity and turning strategic vision into expert execution. Simon has an MBA and an undergraduate degree in Applied Science and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Marc Allen
Marc is co-founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Unravel Carbon, a software solution to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across a company’s entire value chain – charting a path to net-zero emissions. A chemical engineer by training, Marc has spent the last 15 years working in climate change and sustainability and helped some of the world’s largest companies with developing strategic responses to climate change – everything from calculating emissions, analysing climate risk exposure and development of large-scale, technical solutions for reducing emissions, to advising Governments on policy frameworks for climate change response. He has worked in a wide variety of roles including in consulting and operational roles and worked across mining, oil and gas and other heavy industry.
Fiona Simson
Fiona Simson believes that agriculture is an industry of the future. Collaborative and passionate, she has been an agricultural industry leader at both a state and federal level since 2008. Elected in 2016 as the first female President of National Farmers Federation in its 40 year history, she is now leading industry through an exciting period of change. A farmer herself with her husband Ed and family from the Liverpool Plains in NSW, she hopes to create opportunities for more women and young people to become involved in industry, and was instrumental in the launch of the NFF’s first Diversity in Ag Leadership Programme in 2018. She has also spearheaded NFF’s 2030 $100bn Vision, is leading new approaches to the stewardship of natural capital and biodiversity and is passionate about the need to grow connections between farmers and urban consumers.
Growing up on a property near Armidale, NSW, she is passionate about the growth and sustainability of rural and regional Australia and Agriculture’s role in its future. She is a skilled and experienced Board Director, with particular experience in policy development, communication and governance. As well as a number of government advisory committees, she also Chairs the Future Food Systems CRC, is a Commissioner and Chair of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, sits as a Director on the Boards of Australian Made Australian Grown, OneBasin CRC and NRMA (NSW), and is Patron of National Rural Press Club and Gunnedah Gatepost Community Support Centre.
Sarah Barker
Sarah leads MinterEllison’s international climate risk governance and sustainability team, I helping corporations, institutional investors and government agencies manage dynamic environmental, social and governance risks through a commercial lens.
Sarah has particular expertise in the climate change related exposures under corporate and securities (rather than ‘environmental’) laws – including directors’ fiduciary duties and financial reporting/disclosure obligations.
Bringing a cross-disciplinary approach, Sarah harnesses her experience in areas from atmospheric science to finance and investment. Her work at the forefront of international developments with institutions from the Bank of England, United Nations and the European Union, allows her to provide practical, forward-thinking advice to clients across the financial services, mining & resources, industrials, retail, agriculture, infrastructure, development and government sectors.
Australia’s representative on the cross-jurisdictional Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative, Sarah is also an academic visitor at Oxford University’s Smith School and teaches sustainability in corporate governance for Cambridge University’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Sarah currently sits on the board of one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, and as is the only lawyer on the Steering Committee of the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative.
She has just recently been appointed joint Chair of a key World Economic Forum climate governance body, the Climate Governance Community of Experts (CGCoE). An appointment which serves to highlight the global pre-eminence of her expertise in climate change governance and liability risk.
Anita Foerster
Anita specialises in environmental and climate change law, regulation and governance and she works across many of the issues that are of current and pressing public policy importance.
These include the private sector’s role in addressing climate change; implementing legal framework best practice that will be required for climate mitigation and adaptation; disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in Australian settlements; and the allocation of scarce natural resources (such as water) between competing users.
Anita’s extensive research, teaching and advocacy experience with environmental NGOs such as World Wide Fund for Nature and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW have helped inform her role as Director of Monash Business School’s Green Lab – a hub for inter-disciplinary and applied research on climate change and sustainability
Anita’s research is socio-legal (law-in-context) and interdisciplinary. Using both empirical and qualitative research techniques to track and assess to record the impact and effectiveness of environmental law and regulation. This work is often targeted towards end-users in policy and practice, including reports she has prepared for the Australian Conservation Foundation, ClientEarth and the Victorian Dept. of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Anita has taught a range of subjects in environmental, climate change and natural resource law and she currently teaches environmental law and sustainability regulation in an inter- disciplinary context at the Monash Business School.
Dr Darcy Allen
Dr Darcy Allen is a Senior Research Fellow at the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub in Melbourne, Australia. He is an academic economist focused on the cryptoeconomics and governance of web3.
Dr Allen has published over 20 academic journal articles and four books including When Entrepreneurs Meet (World Scientific, 2020) and Cryptodemocracy (Lexington, 2019).
Dr Allen partners with industry to design and develop web3 business models and has offered expert testimony before six parliamentary inquiries on topics including on the regulation of new technologies.
Professor Stephen King
Stephen King is a Commissioner at Australia’s Productivity Commission, a Professor of Practice at Monash University and a member of the governments’ Independent Review Panel for the NDIS. At the Productivity Commission, among other things, Stephen has led work on Mental Health, Human Services and Prisons.
Prior to joining the Productivity Commission in 2016, Stephen was a Professor of Economics at Monash University where he was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business from 2009 to 2011. Stephen was also a Member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from 2004 to 2009 and of the National Competition Council from 2011 to 2016.
Stephen has a PhD in economics from Harvard University, is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a Lay Member of the High Court of New Zealand. In 2021 he received the Distinguished Public Policy Fellow Award from the Economics Society of Australia.
Elaine Pratley
Elaine Pratley is the Founder of Peace Inc. and partners with businesses and community groups to transform conflict into growth. A qualified lawyer, she is a Rotary Peace Fellow with a PhD in food and youth peacebuilding and a Masters in International Relations.
Elaine is passionate about facilitating strategic partnerships among government, business, and the NGO sector across the Asia-Pacific. She has served as Co-Chair of the Global Peace Conference and as an advisor to the New Zealand Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade’s aid and development programme.
Having lived in Switzerland, Malaysia, China, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand, her strength is helping organisations navigate conflict and cultural divides. She represented the New Zealand government as a Crown Prosecutor, negotiated multi-stakeholder partnerships with the UN, managed the international team for Zhong Lun, China’s biggest law firm, and supported not-for-profits in the Asia-Pacific. Despite her 20 years of experience in negotiating peace, she has yet to master the art of negotiating with her children.
Air Vice Marshal Margaret Staib, AM, CSC, FAICD, FRAES
Air Vice Marshal Margaret Staib is a non-executive director Sydney Airport Corporation, non-executive director of QINETIQ Australia, and the Australian Royal Aeronautical Society and is in the Air Force Reserve.
She recently completed a nine year term as a Director of the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation.
Margaret has extensive expertise in defence, national security, transport and logistics, aviation and aerospace, cultural change and organisational transformation. Margaret commenced her professional career as a military logistician with the Australian Air Force, reaching the rank of Air Vice Marshal. Her military service included holding the position of Commander Joint Logistics and Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy and exchange with the United States Air Force in the Pentagon. From the Air Force, Margaret continued her executive career as the CEO and Managing Director of Air Services Australia. There, she led significant transformation in air safety, air navigation technology and cultural change.
Amy Auster
Amy Auster is a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Government and Public Sector consulting practice. Amy helps clients successfully develop and implement public policy in her areas of expertise: public finance, public goods (energy, water, waste), housing and financial services across the Asia Pacific.
Prior to joining PwC, Amy served as CEO of the Commonwealth’s Infrastructure and Project Financing Agency; Chief Adviser, Commonwealth Treasury; and Deputy Secretary, Economic at the Department of Treasury and Finance in Victoria.
She has led the Australian Centre for Financial Studies as Executive Director; the Foundation for Development Cooperation as Principal Consultant and worked as an economist, strategist and senior executive for ANZ Banking Group during the bank’s expansion into Asia.
She is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Monash University in the Monash Business School, an Advisory Board member of the York Butter Factory incubator and RMIT’s APEC Study Centre, a passionate advocate for women in economics, the proud mother of three children and a devotee of the great outdoors.
Kelly O’Shanassy
As a teenager, Kelly grew up immersed in nature. Living in a caravan in the country with no running water taught her about our deep reliance on nature for life. Following her love of nature, Kelly upped-sticks and moved to the big smoke to study ‘the science’ of nature at university.
She believes she has been incredibly lucky to have worked across the fields of business, government and the community sector, all of which are crucial to creating positive change.
In her various roles she has established world-first environment protection policies, saved water, boosted recycling, safeguarded fragile rivers from overuse and pollution, stopped coal mines and kick-started renewable energy. She has also advised business CEOs, guiding them on their journey towards sustainability. However, Kelly believes that it is her work with communities, where she has chaired environment and community committees for government, that has provided her greatest reward.
She believes strongly in the power of people to advocate for a better future and she is focused on growing the number and diversity of people who speak up and take action.
Carolin Leeshaa
Carolin has been at the forefront of global social and sustainable finance for over 20 years. As a trusted impact strategist she works at the intersection of government policy, capital markets and industry across developed and emerging markets. She has a deep commitment to catalyse social prosperity and regenerative economic growth. Carolin applies creativity, collaboration and finance to design and deliver transformative, impactful solutions to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
With a background in global capital markets and structured finance, she leads global Natural Capital & Biodiversity service propositions, market engagement and thought leadership. One of her Principal areas of expertise include advising government, financial services and corporate clients to integrate nature as an opportunity in policy, strategy, business, investment-and risk management decisions, the design of innovative Finance for Nature solutions across the full spectrum of the capital continuum. She has been actively involved in national policy, global biodiversity accounting standard setting and reporting change and represents KPMG International as a member on the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
She is a graduate of the Impact Finance Innovation Programme at the Said Business School, University of Oxford and holds masters’ degrees in banking and finance and post-graduate qualifications of social impact from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, University of New South Wales.
Edward Buckingham
Professor Edward Buckingham is Director, Engagement, at Monash Business School.
Edward graduated with a BSc in Materials Science and a BA (Hons) in Indonesian Literature from Monash University.
After graduating from Monash, Edward continued with postgraduate China studies at the Johns Hopkins Nanjing Center. He also holds an MBA from INSEAD. His PhD, from SOAS, the University of London, focused on organisational boundaries and business strategy in Indonesia.
Prior to joining Monash Business School on July 10th 2015, Edward spent two years Nottingham University’s Business School in Ningbo, China. His professional background includes both corporate and academic roles. Edward has been Director of INSEAD’s Executive MBA programs (France, Singapore the UAE and Beijing); Manager, Schlumberger Business Consulting Group (UK, France, Gabon, Pakistan and Russia); and Associate Consultant, Boston Consulting Group (China). After his MBA he was Directeur Général of Airsec SAS (now part of Clariant) a French company that pioneered desiccant packaging for the pharmaceutical industry.
Edward’s areas of expertise are strategy, entrepreneurship, international business and change management. He has extensive experience in executive education, and has taught in French, Indonesian and Mandarin as well as English. His specialist areas in executive education include strategy and leadership. His industry interests include agribusiness, manufacturing, education and natural resources.
Julia Bilyanska
Julia is a Partner with KPMG’s Sustainability Services practice based in Melbourne. Julia has a strong background in sustainability strategy, management and reporting, coupled with expertise in internal and external audit, due diligence and business risk, which provides a unique skill set from 20 years of experience.
Julia’s experience includes compliance with reporting frameworks and legislative requirements, strategy development, design of management and external reporting processes, operational application of corporate and external standards. Julia is an accredited Energy and Greenhouse auditor registered with the Australian Clean Energy Regulator under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act.
Melanie Yap
Duncan Stevens
Duncan is a Partner at KPMG, in the Sustainability Services practice, and leads the environmental service line in Australia. He has over 20 years of environmental and sustainability experience, working across multiple countries, sectors and industries.
Duncan’s experience includes supporting a range of organisations with sustainability strategy, circular economy, natural capital, carbon markets, the development of carbon projects, environmental compliance advisory and auditing. Before joining KPMG, he spent many years in the resources sector, leading the development and implementation of environmental and sustainability initiatives, which supports his pragmatic approach as an advisor.
John McLeod
John co-founded JBWere Philanthropic Services in 2001 after 16 years as a financial analyst and manager of the Resource Research group within the firm’s top-ranking strategy team.
He researches and produces widely read reports on the operation of and trends in the for-purpose and philanthropy sectors. He co-authored the Impact – Australia report in 2013 highlighting the practice and growth potential for Impact Investing and more recently co-authored Growing Impact in New Zealand, released at the Social Enterprise World Forum held in Christchurch in 2017. He also authored The Cause Report examining the evolution of the NFP sector in Australia over the last 20 years and examined the implications for its future direction. He has compiled the annual list of Australia’s major philanthropists for the Australian Financial Review’s (AFR) annual special, Philanthropy 50 since 2016. In 2018, John authored The Support Report which focused on the dramatic trends occurring in Australian giving and the implications for recipients over the coming decade. More recently, he also authored the JBWere NAB Charitable Giving Index report providing a timely view on giving during COVID. John has co-authored the list of Australia’s top 50 companies for corporate community investment published in the AFRs Boss magazine since 2019.
He also sits on the Board of several charities including Summer Housing and Philanthropy Australia.
Rosalind (Ros) McKay
Ros has over 20 years’ experience as an innovative, positive and agile Responsible Investment Leader. She has worked in policy, ESG integration and stewardship roles with an ASX 50 listed company, pensions regulators (in Australia and the UK), superannuation industry bodies and a state-based funds manager.
Ros is a member of Towards Sustainable Mining – Community of Interest Stakeholder Advisory Panel for the Minerals Council of Australia, participates on ACSI’s Member Advisory Council and chairs the ACSI Rights and Cultural Heritage Risk Management working group. She is also a member of the AICD’s 30% Club Investor working group and the ISSB Investor Advisory Group. Ros was a member of the ASFI Taxonomy Steering Committee.
Ros holds a Bachelor of Economics and Finance, Masters of Commercial Law, a Certificate in Governance and Risk Management and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Emma Sweet
Emma Sweet is an accomplished reporting, sustainability and research specialist with more than 25 years’ experience across a diverse range of industries including music, tourism and professional associations. She is currently the Senior Manager Integrated Reporting and ESG for CPA Australia, one of the world’s largest accounting organisations.
CPA Australia has more than 170,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, supported by 19 offices globally.
Their core services to members include education, training, technical support and advocacy.
Employees and members work together with local and international bodies to represent the views and concerns of the profession to governments, regulators, industries, academia and the general public.
Emma’s experience includes leading the development of CPA Australia’s ESG strategy and Net Zero Emissions Pathway, alongside CPA Australia’s Integrated Report.
Emma holds two Masters degrees, one in business and the other in entrepreneurship and innovation. She has specific interest and expertise in Integrated Thinking and Reporting.
Charisse Soutar
Charisse Soutar is General Manager, Sustainability and Employee Communications at REA Group. Prior to joining REA she has over two decades experience working with major brands including Foxtel, ANZ and the International Red Cross. Charisse is responsible for REA’s Environmental, Social and Governance approach and reporting including climate risk and emissions reduction strategy.
Gabby Sundstrom
Gabby has over 15 years experience in transformational change, managing corporate and community programs and partnerships across sectors and industries including banking, energy, and transport. She is passionate about improved societal outcomes, particularly creating greater equity and inclusion and has previously worked for the Thriving Communities Partnership where she delivered the One Stop One Story Hub. Gabby is currently leading Transurban’s Social Licence team where she is responsible for social impact and evaluation, social inclusion, reconciliation and partnerships.
Sarah Downie
Sarah is an accomplished executive and strategist, with a particular talent for transforming, leading and activating purpose-led organisations. As CEO for the Shared Value Project Australia and New Zealand (SVP), she builds on 20 years’ experience in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors to champion a better future for business and society collectively, through shared value. Driven by the belief that corporate assets, resources and innovation can unlock unrivalled social progress – whilst increasing business prosperity and sustainability – Sarah is committed to advancing a new kind of capitalism; fit for the times.
A member of the Shared Value Global Steering Committee, she directs the SVP team to deliver the evidence, tools, education and inspiration required make this urgent shift. Established in 2014, SVP has grown into a thriving and influential network of members including AIA Australia, IAG, NAB, PwC Australia, Nestlé Oceania and Optus.
She has completed the Sustainable Business Program at Harvard Business School (2019) and the Harvard Executive Program, Profit and Purpose: Creating Shared Value (2021).
Katrina Moore
Katrina is the General Manager Strategy and Programs at Thriving Communities Partnership (TCP), where she leads cross-sector collaboration initiatives between business, academia, government, NGOs and those with lived experience.
Katrina works with leaders across these sectors to enable deeper connections, networks, platforms, and initiatives for place-based and national collaboration.
Previously Katrina worked at the Transdisciplinary Innovation School at University of Technology Sydney. Her creativity and drive has seen her run successful innovation programs across corporate, education, and not-for-profit sectors globally, challenging thinking on how we address the challenges of our future, to deliberately shape our future, together.
Angie Farrugia
B Lab is the global nonprofit network transforming the economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. B Lab creates standards, policies, and programs for business,and certifies companies — known as B Corps — for meeting high standards of environmental and social performance, transparency and accountability.
Angie Farrugia is the Director of Communications and Engagement at B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand. Angie has over twenty years of experience in communicationsand marketing roles across a diverse and interesting range of brands, businesses and sectors both locally and in the UK. Starting her career in public relations for Ford Australia and Toni&Guy Hairdressing, Angie then spent four years in London agencies as an account director for Microsoft UK and Procter & Gamble. Returning to Australia in 2009, Angie turned to a purpose and social impact path, leading communications, community engagement and marketing functions in various roles, including five years at not-for-profitEarly Childhood Management Services (ECMS) and three years with Camp Quality’s wellbeing-focused social enterprise, The Oranges Toolkit. Angie joined B Lab in 2022 to build the profile, community and collective impact of the growing B Corp movement in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
