Chapter Zero news and insights

The IoD and Chapter Zero NZ endorse changes so listed boards rely on core duties and deliver more meaningful climate reporting.

Treating nature like any other critical risk means directors can plan for and avoid impacts now – before the bill comes due.

Steel, timber or concrete – whatever the material, boards must ask: what will this building become after we’re gone?

Risk isn’t about what might go wrong – it’s about making the right call when the future is unclear.

IKEA shows that you can scale globally, serve meatballs and still lead with integrity.

A pulse survey at the 2025 IoD and Chapter Zero NZ Climate Forum revealed how directors are building confidence, competence and capacity.

As boards and media go quiet on climate, directors must find new ways to communicate sustainability with clarity and credibility.

In 2025, directors and boards have an opportunity to leverage climate-focused regulations and international frameworks, turning compliance…

A devastating quake forced CLS to rethink its future, creating one of Aotearoa’s most efficient industrial laundries.

Lessons from Adaptation Futures: trust, funding and indigenous leadership.

Four leaders share how they’ve navigated early steps, built engagement and kept reporting grounded in strategy.

Nature is your supply chain’s supply chain – and it’s time to invest in your most valuable asset.

Changes announced by Minister Scott Simpson aim to make climate reporting more proportionate and support better governance.

The globally renowned Michael Kobori is coming down under to talk up sustainability.

Boards must treat nature as their most critical supplier – before the costs of neglect show up on the balance sheet.

Using board-led, science-based planning, New Zealand Rural Land Company developed a climate transition plan for long-term resilience.

Boards must ensure climate-reporting compliance, provide oversight, and manage risks such as greenwashing and liability.

You don’t need to predict every detail – but as a director, you must be prepared for the transition ahead.

Boards are under growing pressure to deliver credible climate strategies. Transition planning is where governance meets execution.

Boards that embed nature into decisions will be better placed to manage regulatory change – but what does this look like in practice?

It's not too late to act. Every step to cut emissions now makes future adaptation easier and less costly.

Boards must connect the paddock and the plan – climate change demands long-term thinking.

A new investor survey reveals growing board-level engagement with climate issues, but action and capital flow into solutions remain limited.

Aotearoa has granted personhood to rivers and maunga. Could companies be next?

Australia’s climate-reporting curve shows why oversight matters most – and how we should respond.

Directors must lead climate disclosure from duty, not just regulation, to build trust and long-term value.

Boards that lead on nature are building resilience, anticipating change and unlocking new value.

Solar, AI and low-carbon design – Summerset’s board is backing innovation to lead aged care into a climate-resilient future.

Kennie Tsui CMInstD and Kiri Hannifin help lead Aotearoa’s energy shift—from skies to steam—to shape our smarter future.

Daniel Street urges directors to prioritise climate governance – and not be paralysed by fear of litigation.

Directors should act now to mitigate harsher regulation and reputational risk later.

Directors in New Zealand and Australia must now govern financially material nature risks – and ensure boards respond appropriately.

Most global firms are doubling down on climate action. New Zealand boards must keep pace or risk falling behind.

Clean-up costs are mounting. Prevention is clear. Boards must act now to protect value, credibility and long-term resilience.

Tourism’s climate reckoning shows how adaptation builds trust – or loses it.

Christchurch Airport shows climate leadership is possible – even in hard-to-abate sectors – with strong governance and partnerships.

Climate change is one of the most significant risks boards will face, but also one of the greatest opportunities for leadership.

Boards that embed nature into strategy and risk are better placed to handle volatility and evolving regulations.

The lower unit costs of self-generated electricity will save your business money, if you do it right.

Directors who ignore climate, nature or human rights risks may overlook serious threats to capital, continuity and competitiveness.

Freight, ethics, cyber, reputation – directors must lead with foresight, not just react when critical links start to fail.

Directors should prioritise transition planning as a strategic asset – not just a disclosure task.

Directors must align leadership, systems and incentives to shape behaviour and enable climate action through effective governance.

Real change in construction starts early. Boards must govern emissions and circularity from the design stage – not just set targets.

Former Minister for Climate Change outlines global, environmental and tech forces shaping board decisions in the decade ahead.

Regulation or market pressure? Both can impact how reporting is delivered.

The latest environmental report urges boards to use climate data for practical oversight, adaptation planning and governance action.

In a polarised world, language can drive or derail your climate agenda. Directors need to speak the language of value, not just virtue.

We talk about building for the future – but how often do we engage with the people who will actually live in it?

Cost of living, climate action, trust and leadership—this year’s Better Futures report is a wake-up call for boards in a polycrisis.

As climate change disrupts sport across New Zealand, boards ensure adaptation strategies do not deepen existing inequalities.

Boards have a golden opportunity – to reimagine governance, rewire value and shape the next economic chapter.

New research shows how the effects of climate-related risks are being reflected in financial statements.

The need for business to take a broader and more integrated view of capital has become even stronger.

Not long ago a sustainable future felt like a shared destination. Climate action was trending, and the business case for purpose-led brands…

Climate Minister Simon Watts expects investment in climate action to generate economic benefits.

The devastating wildfires in California have once again placed climate-related risks at the forefront of discussions in boardrooms…

In a world shaped by climate risks, nature-based solutions are not only environmentally beneficial but financially sound investments.

Considering sustainability builds long-term value and is a legal duty of directors, yet many boards still struggle to be proactive.

Recently, particularly in the US, there has been a rising legal and policy backlash against investors using environmental, social and…

The regulatory and litigation landscape for climate governance is shifting at an unprecedented pace. For directors, understanding the risks…

A strategic approach with a focus on one factor at a time has begun paying off in terms of carbon emissions reductions.

Chapter Zero New Zealand made a submission on proposed changes to the climate-related disclosures regime.

Understanding greenhouse gas accounting can help boards find a competitive edge.

As organisations face growing pressure to integrate climate-related objectives into their core strategies and deliver on climate…

As I pen this article, my partner is at our local Vehicle Testing New Zealand facility, diligently overseeing the process of obtaining a…

The circular economy can help unlock economic growth by reducing waste, optimising resource usage and creating new business models.

Cutting our climate impact—and helping others do so—guides all we do, says Channel Infrastructure chair James Miller.

The debate on plastics focuses on cutting use, but this narrow view ignores the urgent need to curb fossil-fuel-based plastic production.

Top three 2025 climate agenda items for the boardroom.

AI’s capabilities have the potential to mitigate climate risks and foster sustainability.

Strategies to help NFPs integrate climate considerations without overextending capacity.

Unlocking opportunities requires climate governance that is proactive, informed and courageous.

Effective climate governance could give you a competitive edge.

Scheduling regular reviews and rehearsals that stress-test a climate crisis communications plan can help organisations reduce the risk of…

New Zealand’s climate disclosure standards appear to be hindering the very transparency they are meant to promote.

Wellington Zoo board ‘walks the talk’ as it adds digital sustainability to its net-zero certification. 

Directors need to understand the higher expectations and standards required to do business.

New Zealand businesses are taking climate change far more seriously than many elected leaders, says outgoing Climate Change Commissioner…

As we prepare for year two of mandatory climate reporting, lessons from the first year highlight areas of both opportunity and challenge. 

NEW YORK, Project Syndicate – Elections are supposed to clarify policy uncertainties, and on the economic front, Donald Trump’s victory…

Global moves to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping could make New Zealand “an expensive place to send ships” and add to…

When anticipating the climate of the future, remember the lessons of Michael J Fox.

Directors are urged to move more quickly than the Government on climate governance.

New Zealand businesses need to face up to a range of “unpalatable environmental realities”,  Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment…

In response to feedback, the External Reporting Board Te Kāwai Ārahi Pūrongo Mōwaho (XRB) released a consultation document and exposure…

Assumptions are a core part of normal life that help us to act and react at pace – but they can also get in our way and stymie innovation.

The goal is long-term resilience of both infrastructure and businesses, and the climate competitiveness of our economy.

A clearly articulated purpose can help shape long-term business sustainability.

Climate change reporting is challenging, but provides a unique opportunity for boards to add value.

Oliver Bruce MInstD sees a golden opportunity for New Zealand to develop and export technologies that reduce emissions worldwide.

The countdown to climate reporting in Australia has started.

A new podbite series explores the evolution of climate disclosures.

A national climate adaptation framework could clarify the risks, and support accessible for recovery, due to severe weather events.

Directors have a huge role to play in reducing carbon emissions if we are all to avoid dire consequences.

Scope 3 supply-chain emissions are hard to track and manage, but understanding them can deliver real benefits.

How can boards prioritise economic resilience while creating a climate strategy that will have a positive impact on the environment?

The chair/CEO relationship is a critical partnership that is crucial to an effective, well-functioning board.

Boards can “effect the change required”, Minister of Climate Change Simon Watts tells almost 400 leading directors.

The key to a successful, politically sustainable climate policy is to ensure the benefits precede the costs.