What does sustainability entail? Is it just about being environmentally friendly or is it more than that?
Is sustainability a factor in attracting investment? Do investee companies with a sustainability focus or awareness perform better than those without such a focus?
How does sustainability impact recruitment and talent management?
Can businesses afford not to be observing sustainability principles? What is the reputational risk of being a laggard with sustainability?
What are the benefits to shareholders, staff, customers and the wider public when a business observes good sustainability practices?
Are New Zealand company directors sufficiently up to speed with sustainability?
Is sustainability only for big corporates or should it be a focus for SMEs too?
What is the difference between sustainability and corporate social responsibility?
How can businesses maximise returns from observing good sustainability practices?
Speakers
Rob Campbell
Chair of SkyCity Entertainment Group, Summerset, Tourism Holdings and WEL Networks and director of Precinct Properties
Rob has over 30 years’ experience in capital markets and is a director of or advisor to a range of investment fund and private equity groups in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and the United States of America. Rob holds a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Economic History and Political Science and a Masters of Philosophy in Economics.
Abbie Reynolds
Executive Director of the Sustainabe Business Council
The Sustainable Business Council is a division of BusinessNZ that represents 94 member businesses, including some of New Zealand's largest companies. Its membership accounts for almost a third of private sector GDP.
Abbie brings with her a depth of expertise in social, financial and environmental sustainability within business. Before joining SBC, Abbie led the Vodafone Foundation and was Head of Sustainability at Vodafone. She has worked on a wide range of sustainability initiatives including rolling out an eco-rating for mobile phones. Abbie was also the driving force behind a mobile phone recycling programme that delivered $2.5 million to Starship.
Abbie champions the interests of businesses that want to be the best for New Zealand and the world. This includes driving action on climate change, governance, social impact and ecosystem health. She is also continuing to grow the organisation's focus on mainstreaming sustainable business practices throughout New Zealand.
Previously she has led sustainability and regulatory work at Spark, the UK's Cable & Wireless and as a resource management/environment solicitor for Bell Gully.
Robbie Tindall
Analyst at K1W1 and alternate director of The Warehouse Group Limited
Robbie graduated from Auckland University with Arts and Science degrees in Economics and Geography and then went to work for The Warehouse Group. He spent 8 years with the company in various buying and merchandising roles. In 2010 he left the group to join his father, Stephen, in the family investment company, K1W1, where he helps manage a portfolio of over 100 New Zealand Technology and Innovation companies. The companies in the portfolio are export-focused, are predominantly early-stage, and are from a range of industries including IT Technology and Software, Clean Tech, Med Tech & Health Sciences, Agri-Tech, and Innovative Hardware and Design. In 2017, K1W1 had a record year which saw it invest in 20 new deals, from a total of approximately 150 deals reviewed. Since 2011 Robbie has been an Alternate Director on The Warehouse Group Board.