Directors across all sectors face growing pressure to meet evolving climate governance expectations.
With tightening regulations and rising stakeholder demands, climate risk and opportunity are now central to strategic decision-making.
Join us at the 2025 Climate Governance Forum to gain the clarity and practical tools you need to lead with confidence—balancing sustainability, profitability, and reputation in an increasingly complex climate landscape.
If you can't join us in-person, register to attend online here.
The Institute of Directors has released the third annual Chapter Zero New Zealand Impact Report, reflecting on progress made in supporting directors to lead on climate governance and identifying opportunities to deepen that impact across Aotearoa boardrooms.
Boards have a golden opportunity – to reimagine governance, rewire value and shape the next economic chapter.
Chapter Zero New Zealand is the home of climate change governance at the Institute of Directors and is the New Zealand Chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative (CGI).
It's free to become a Chapter Zero Supporter, and you'll receive a bi-monthly newsletter with access to events, news, toolkits and resources to increase your climate change governance skills and knowledge.
Grand Millennium, Auckland
'The old world is dying and the new world struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters' – Antonio Gramsci
Our climate transition is facing some significant headwinds, domestically and globally. These headwinds are perhaps not unexpected given the nature and scale of transition that is necessary to both meet our decarbonisation ambitions and adapt to the impacts of climate change that are already locked in.
These headwinds are also understandable if we consider the nature of change through the lens of the three horizons strategic framework and the mid-horizon bridge between the current and future state.
During this session, we will explore the nature of these headwinds, our current transitional ‘mid-horizon’ phase, and provide some key lessons and tools that can help Boards and Directors navigate through Gramsci’s ‘ time of monsters’.
As climate impacts accelerate, directors are being called to lead not just with compliance in mind, but with clarity, courage, and a long-term view. In this keynote, Matt Whineray—Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Finance and a key member of the Ministry for the Environment’s adaptation reference group—offers a powerful, forward-looking perspective on the changing landscape of climate governance.
Matt will explore what boards need to understand about emerging adaptation frameworks, the future of climate-related investment and finance, and the shifts in governance approaches needed to keep pace. Drawing on experience at the nexus of climate strategy, capital markets, and government policy, he’ll challenge directors to think beyond risk, towards opportunity and resilience.
Grounded in real-world insight and tailored for today’s boardrooms, this session is essential for directors looking to embed climate into strategic decision-making and lead their organisations through the green transition.
New Zealand is sitting on a powerful opportunity—literally. In this fast-paced, high-impact session, Kennie Tsui, Chief Executive of Geothermal NZ, will spotlight the cutting-edge developments positioning geothermal energy at the heart of Aotearoa’s low-emissions future.
With its unique ability to provide baseload renewable energy and decarbonise heat-intensive industries, geothermal is a strategic asset in our climate response. Kennie will unpack where innovation is happening—from green heat to critical minerals—and how boards can think differently about geothermal’s role in delivering climate resilience and commercial opportunity.
In just 15 minutes, this session delivers essential insight into one of New Zealand’s most promising pathways to sustainable energy leadership.
How are boards really grappling with climate risk and opportunity in the boardroom today? In this candid fireside chat, experienced director Abby Foote joins MC Gerri Ward for a conversation grounded in the realities of governance practice.
Abby brings a wealth of experience across sectors navigating transition, regulation, and stakeholder pressure. She’ll share reflections on what effective climate governance looks like in practice—how directors can lead with purpose, where the pressure points lie, and what she’s learned from being part of boards facing real-world climate decisions.
Expect a practical, honest, and insightful discussion designed to inspire action, encourage reflection, and equip directors to lead with confidence as climate becomes a standing item at every board table.
New Zealand’s economy is nature-dependent. From freshwater, to fertile soils, to the export premiums we earn from being ‘clean and green’. But nature loss is fast becoming a governance blind spot.
In this high-impact session, Izzy Fenwick shows how nature is commercial; affecting insurance, asset values, supply chains and market access. With real-world examples and razor-sharp insights, she’ll challenge directors to see ecosystem decline not just as an ESG issue, but a material exposure.
Because governing nature isn’t about charity, it’s about future-proofing strategy, resilience, and long-term value.
This session will explore the evolving legal and fiduciary duties of directors in the context of climate change and nature-related risk. It should examine how existing directors’ duties — particularly those relating to care, diligence, and acting in good faith in the best interests of the company — extend to foreseeable environmental risks, including climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. The presentation should address emerging expectations around disclosure, risk oversight, and long-term value creation, as well as how climate and nature intersect with financial materiality, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory developments. Key areas to cover include the scope of liability for inaction or greenwashing, the board’s role in risk oversight and due diligence, and how directors can demonstrate informed, proactive engagement with environmental governance within their duties.
“Hot pies, cool planet: Climate choices in the boardroom”
Step into the Delicious Foods boardroom to tackle climate risks, green growth, and governance under pressure. Can this pie company cook up a climate-smart strategy?
In this hands-on, interactive session, you’ll step into the mock boardroom of Delicious Foods NZ Ltd, a fast-growing FMCG company navigating the strategic implications of climate change.
As a mock board director, you’ll assess climate-related risks and opportunities—from decarbonising operations to launching low-emissions products, adapting to supply chain disruption, and responding to investor expectations.
Air New Zealand is preparing to launch its first all-electric aircraft in 2026. In this 15-minute session, Kiri Hannifin, Chief Sustainability Officer at Air New Zealand, shares what the project means for emissions, innovation and regional New Zealand.
Hear how the airline is approaching climate transition in one of Aotearoa’s hardest-to-abate sectors – and what directors need to know.
As we wrap up the Climate Governance Forum, we look to the future—one that’s electric, ambitious, and brimming with opportunity. In this energising closing keynote, Mike Casey—founder of Rewiring Aotearoa and zero-emissions farming trailblazer—invites directors to reimagine what’s possible when we electrify everything.
Rewiring Aotearoa is on a mission to supercharge New Zealand’s climate response by replacing fossil fuels with clean, electrified systems across homes, businesses, and farms. Drawing on his own experience electrifying his Central Otago orchard and leading a national movement for systems change, Mike will spotlight the massive opportunities in front of us—from cutting costs and emissions to unlocking economic resilience.
This keynote is a powerful call to action for directors. Mike will challenge governance leaders to step into their role as enablers of bold, future-focused decisions—decisions that can accelerate innovation, shift markets, and help Aotearoa realise the full potential of electrification.
Chapter Zero New Zealand
Chapter Zero New Zealand is proudly supported by four Foundation Partners who help contribute to our purpose of mobilising, connecting, educating and equipping directors to effectively govern New Zealand organisations on their response to climate change.
Anthem is an integrated communications and marketing agency dedicated to helping organisations find their most powerful voice. As its official communications partner, Anthem amplifies Chapter Zero’s efforts to make climate a boardroom priority.
Dentons is part of the world’s largest global law firm and a leading law firm in New Zealand. A firm that embraces change and has unparalleled access to legal expertise in more than 80 countries. Find out more
Hobson Leavy is an executive search company that passionately believes Leaders Matter™. Proudly NZ-owned and operated but with truly global reach, they focus on CEO, NED, executive level appointments and partners in professional services. Find out more
Locally owned, KPMG New Zealand provides audit, tax and business advisory services for a range of clients – from privately owned businesses through to corporates, public sector and not-for-profits. Find out more
