We know Australians need to urgently change the way we consume goods and services to reduce our environmental footprints and make more conscious consumption decisions.

But what can businesses do when consumers are change resistant? How can companies help promote consumer behavioural change in their efforts to decarbonise supply chains? What power do consumers really have in helping society and organisations make the transition to Net Zero?

Our panel unfurls the multi-layered challenges of this complex issue that organisations of all sizes and types are grappling with.

Hear from leading experts Catherine King, Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett; Nicky Sparshott, Former Global Chief of Transformation Unilever & CEO Unilever ANZ and Chair, UTS Vice-Chancellor’s Industry Advisory Board; Siobhan Toohill, Sustainability advisor; John Lydon, Co-Chair of Australian Climate Leaders’ Coalition, Chair of Generation Australia and Industry Professor, UTS; and Professor Martina Linnenluecke, Director, UTS Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience and how they're addressing the generational tension of consumerism and contradictive behaviour.

Event details

Date: Wednesday 12 March 2025

Time: 11:30am - Guest arrival, refreshments available
12:00pm - Formalities commence
1:00pm - Formalities conclude
1.30pm - Event concludes

Location: UTS Business School (Building 8), Level 3, 14-28 Ultimo Road, Ultimo NSW 2007

Getting here

For location and parking information please click here.

Speakers

Catherine King is the Chief Strategy Officer at Leo Burnett with over 20 years of advertising experience that focuses on the intersection of brand building, human behaviour, culture and influence. To develop this perspective, Catherine has held leadership positions with creative, consulting, strategic, PR and digital teams across both multinational and independent agencies in partnership with a broad range of brands that include Suncorp, Destination NSW, Diageo, Royal Caribbean, Sony, Microsoft and Nestle. In her role at Leo Burnett, Catherine leads an ongoing research study called "What good is doing good", affectionately known as the "Good Study", which aims to better understand the role that brands should and could play in the areas of public interest, encompassing human, social, environmental and financial impact.

Nicky Sparshott is an experienced CEO, Board Director, and Change Agent with 30 years of global experience working in leading blue-chip organizations such as Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Procter & Gamble. Most recently, she was the Global Chief Transformation at Unilever, designing and deliver value creating change initiatives across the enterprise with a focus on organisational design, performance culture & portfolio optimisation. Prior to this appointment, Nicky was CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand and Global CEO of luxury retailer, T2 Tea.

Nicky also serves on a few Boards - Chair of the University of Technology’s Industry Advisory Board; Chair of Global Sisters, Non-Executive Director for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and NED on Moose Toys Advisory Board. She is known for building competitive advantage in business by being a force for good; simultaneously delivering economic, environmental and social outcomes and in 2022 was awarded CEO of the Year by CEO Magazine for consistent delivery of business outcomes whilst spearheading transformative ESG programs - bringing together profit & purpose.

Siobhan Toohill is a Sustainability advisor having established and led sustainability functions in listed finance and property over the past 20 years. As the first chief sustainability officer at a major Australian bank, she was responsible for Westpac’s sustainability strategy, as well as policy and action on climate change including net zero transition planning, natural capital and human rights. Siobhan has led a wide range of initiatives, including customer vulnerability (including problem gambling), Indigenous engagement, child safeguarding, strategic philanthropy and social impact and is currently a trusted advisor to business and government through a range of governance roles.

John Lydon is Co-Chair of Australian Climate Leaders’ Coalition, a member of the NSW Net Zero and Clean Economy Board, Chair of Generation Australia, and serves as an Industry Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney Business School. Previously he was the Managing Partner of McKinsey Australia & New Zealand, holding several roles across the global Firm. John also served as Economic Commissioner of Greater Cities Commission from 2021-2023.

Professor Martina Linnenluecke is an internationally recognised scholar who conducts research on the strategic and financial implications of corporate adaptation and resilience to global environmental change, with a specific focus on the impacts of climate change. Professor Linnenluecke is the Director of the UTS Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience where she leads an interdisciplinary team of experts undertaking work on climate adaptation and resilience, decarbonisation, sustainable finance, climate analytics, metrics, targets and disclosure, and well as climate policy responses.

We'd love to have you join us.

If you would like any further details of this event, please contact events@uts.edu.au

To see all events happening at Climate Action Week Sydney 2025 CLICK HERE