Getting the board on board: ESG reporting that drives action

How do you report sustainability to the board in a way that leads to high engagement, commitment, and action?

Many organisations are already reporting on sustainability initiatives to their boards, but not always with the results they hope for. Getting real traction often requires more than just reporting activity - it’s about 'how', 'when', and 'what' you share.

Whether you’re a sustainability lead, executive team member, or a senior manager feeding into board or C-suite updates, the challenge remains the same: How to secure attention, support, and investment from the board for what matters.

📊 This 30-minute live panel will explore reporting approaches that get results - from C-level updates and quarterly board packs to annual ESG reporting - and how to use these to build lasting board-level engagement.

The session will be facilitated by Caroline Thalund, CEO and founder of Sustainability 360. Caroline brings a non-executive internal perspective, drawing on many years of experience as an in-house sustainability lead across various sectors.

Caroline will be joined by two exceptional panellists from Australia and New Zealand:

• Kirsten Patterson, CEO of the Institute of Directors NZ, and

• Andrew Petersen, CEO of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia.

We’re lucky to have their depth of experience in this space - from boardroom expectations and governance culture to translating sustainability strategy into decision-ready insights.

💬 Participants are asked to submit questions in advance - the discussion will focus on practical challenges raised by attendees and include a live Q&A.

👥Who it’s for
Executive leaders, sustainability managers and other senior managers – anyone responsible for getting ESG updates in front of the board (directly or indirectly).

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🎤 SPEAKERS

Kirsten Patterson (KP)

Kirsten Patterson MNZM (known as KP) is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors and is a Chartered Member of the IoD. In 2025 she was awarded the New Zealand Royal Honour, Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to governance and women.  She is a qualified lawyer and a Distinguished Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand, Chair of the Global Network of Directors Institutes (GNDI), and a member of the New Zealand External Reporting Advisory Panel (XRAP).  She serves on the Boards of the mental health charity, Voices of Hope, is Chair of the Brian Picot Ethical Leadership Advisory Board at Victoria University in Wellington and an Ambassador for the Wellington Women’s Homeless Trust. 

A strong advocate of diversity KP was one of the founding members of Global Women’s ‘Champions for Change’, a group of senior executives and directors who commit to diversity in the workplace. KP was the founder and is Executive Sponsor for Chapter Zero New Zealand – the New Zealand Chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Governance Initiative - hosted by the IoD NZ to mobilise, connect, educate and equip directors and boards to make climate-smart governance decisions, thereby creating long term value for both shareholders and stakeholders. 

Andrew Petersen

Andrew Petersen is Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia (BCSD Australia), the Australian network partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Since 2011, he has led BCSD Australia in supporting over 70 organisations to integrate climate, nature, and equity into strategy and disclosure.

A former corporate lawyer and PwC partner, Andrew has more than 25 years’ experience advising on environmental law, policy, and sustainability across Australia and internationally. He serves on the boards of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation and the Banksia Foundation, and sits on the Advisory Board of the University of Sydney Business School’s Institute of Transport and Logistics. He has also contributed to national policy through the Australian Government’s Sustainability Industry Reference Committee, shaping skills and training frameworks for the VET sector.

Under Andrew’s leadership, BCSD Australia has formed key partnerships with global initiatives including the Global Reporting Initiative, We Mean Business, Business for Nature, and the Natural Capital Coalition. He is known for his ability to translate international ESG frameworks – including ISSB, TCFD and TNFD – into actionable, board-ready insights.

Caroline Thalund

Caroline Thalund is a business sustainability expert with over 24 years’ experience helping organisations turn ESG commitments into practical action. As the founder and CEO of Sustainability 360 (S360), she combines digital tools with expert support to make sustainability work achievable and engaging. Her platform S360 streamlines ESG reporting, builds stakeholder buy-in, supports planning and delivery of improvements, and helps B Corps reduce certification time by up to 60%.

Caroline has worked across sectors including finance, tech, aviation, tourism, construction, facilities services, and manufacturing, and is a Professor of Practice at the University of Canterbury. Having spent many years in-house, she understands the real-world challenges of securing action from executive teams and boards.