Sustainability is the crimson flower of the pōhutukawa tree. It blooms across Aotearoa, igniting awe and reverence for the natural world. But it’s not just the flower that holds meaning—it’s the tree itself. Resilient, adaptable, and deeply rooted, the pōhutukawa thrives in the harshest coastal conditions, standing as a living symbol of sustainability. For John*, this is the essence of his journey: flourishing against the odds, standing firm in his purpose, and nurturing the world around him.

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“Only those who attempt the absurd… will achieve the impossible.” M.C. Escher’s words have been a guiding force for John. They remind him that real change—especially in sustainability—often feels like an impossible climb. But those who dare to attempt it are the ones who make the biggest impact.

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That belief was solidified years ago when John came across a study on the Mariana and Kermadec Trenches—the deepest points of our oceans. Scientists found toxin levels that were, in their words, “off the scale.” The realization hit hard: no part of our world is untouched by human activity. “I remember my head spinning,” he recalls. “These places should be pristine but I realised that no part of our world is safe.” It was a moment of reckoning—one that solidified his commitment to making an impact through his work at Pathfinder.

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John knows that driving change in ethical investing comes with challenges. One of the biggest? The persistent belief that ethical investing comes at the cost of financial returns. “Many argue that this must involve some sort of trade-off between being ethical and making money,” he explains. “But they’re not binary choices. At Pathfinder, we exist to challenge and disprove that bias. We believe in generating individual wealth and collective well-being by investing ethically.”

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He takes inspiration from Indigenous worldviews, particularly the idea that we have not inherited the Earth from our ancestors—we are borrowing it from our children. This perspective shifts everything, according to John. “It sets a high duty of care as kaitiaki and an obligation to be future-thinking, not transactional, in how we approach people, planet and ecosystems.”

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But how do you bring people along on the journey? For John, the key to engaging stakeholders in conversations is understanding their priorities. “Discussing what is the right thing to do for our communities, environment, ecosystems and future generations will not sway all investors or business leaders,” he acknowledges. “If they are basing decisions around financial metrics and shareholder value, then they will only truly engage on ESG if they understand financial impacts.”

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Take action with John’s insights from Blooming Sustainability: “Clarity of your purpose will be critical to keeping going when people question or doubt you,” he says. “You need to be able to articulate that passion and purpose – this is the spark and inspiration for others to join you.”

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BLOOMING  Sustainability Questionnaire

Name: John Berry

Company & Title: Pathfinder Asset Management Limited, CEO and Co-Founder

Website & LinkedIn Profile: Ethical KiwiSaver & Investment Funds | Pathfinder Asset Management

https://nz.linkedin.com/in/john-berry-a98a6914

 

* Guiding Values | Kaupapa 

If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?  

Sustainability would be the crimson flower of the pohutukawa tree. It flowers throughout the country bringing a sense of awe and joy for nature. The tree that grows the flower is also amazing. The pohutukawa tree is incredibly resilient and can survive difficult terrain and challenging conditions. Its adaptability and resilience is a living example of flourishing and sustainability.

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A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:  

“Only those who attempt the absurd… will achieve the impossible” M.C. Escher (creator of ‘impossible art’)

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If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?  

Be clear on why you do what you do. If the answer is that you want to change the world or communities for the better, then hold that belief close. Clarity of your purpose will be critical to keeping going when people question or doubt you, and when it gets hard to get things done. The importance of your ‘why’ will give you energy and keep you going.

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You need to have personal passion for your ‘why’ to keep you going. But you also need to be able to articulate that passion and purpose - this is the spark and inspiration for others to join you.

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* Leading Change | Arataki

A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:  

A number of years ago, I read about a study of the Mariana Trench and the Kermadec Trench, the two deepest parts of the ocean. They are so deep that if you upended Mount Everest and placed it in the ocean, there is still another 2 kilometers to go to reach the deepest point. Scientists tested about 20 places, and described the levels of the man-made toxins they were searching for as ‘off the scale’. I remember my head spinning as I read this. The penny dropped that not only are we impacting the peaks of Earth with climate change, but also the deepest and most inaccessible parts of the ocean. These places should be pristine but I realised that no part of our world is safe. That was the moment I knew I needed to do more and have more impact through our work at Pathfinder.

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What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector? 

The biggest challenge is a lack of belief that you can invest ethically and still make good financial returns. Many argue that this must involve some sort of trade-off between being ethical and making money. But they are not binary choices.

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Our role at Pathfinder is to challenge and disprove that bias. We have embedded this in our mission - to generate individual wealth and collective well-being by investing ethically.

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An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:  

The thinking that we didn’t inherit our world from our ancestors, but borrowed it from our children, is embedded in the perspective of many indigenous peoples around the world. It sets a high duty of care as kaitiaki and an obligation to be future-thinking, not transactional, in how we approach people, planet and ecosystems.

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Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:  

Different stakeholders have different perspectives on ESG. In my line of work, I engage often with investors, shareholders and business leaders. Discussing what is the right thing to do for our communities, environment, ecosystems and future generations will not sway all investors or business leaders. If they are basing decisions around financial metrics and shareholder value, then they will only truly engage on ESG if they need to understand financial impacts.

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The first response then is to talk about the time horizon - the longer the time horizon, the wider range of risks and considerations that become relevant. Not looking after staff, being reckless in relation to environmental risks, or running a business with input from only a few similar-thinking leaders will all have long-term financial impacts. They can trash brand value, undermine customer loyalty and it may mean the most talented staff leave. These, in turn, impact profits and shareholder value. Suddenly ESG is more engaging for a stakeholder focused on financial impact.

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But it’s not uplifting that sometimes the only language that gets traction is the language of money.

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What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?  

Our people and communities. In a very polarisated and increasingly divided world, there remains something special about New Zealand and our people. We are not perfect but are (compared to the rest of the world) pretty cohesive, fair and full of innovative ideas and solutions. It is a powerful combination.

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​ * Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki

Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:  

Three key books:

• In the 1980s my father gave me “Gaia” by James Lovelock which explains how Earth functions as a single organism. It framed my thinking for the decades ahead.

• “Getting to why” by Simon Sinek is a great read for honing your thinking around your life and purpose.

• “How to be Perfect” by Michael Schur helps with frameworks for philosophy around making good decisions, which for me is applied in how we invest and how we do business.

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In terms of a course, the ‘Leadership in Sustainable Business’ Course by Sustainable Business Network was incredibly influential for me. It helped sharpen my thinking and long-term plan for Pathfinder, and for making change through how we invest. I needed that course to not only test ideas but also to counter the negativity I was facing elsewhere.

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Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend: 

I try to attend one regional sustainability event a year somewhere in NZ. In 2024 it was Climate Action Marlborough, and in 2023 it was the WAO Summit in Wanaka. There is so much knowledge, action and innovation shared at these locally-organised events.

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A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:  

https://www.rewiring.nz/ - founded by Mike Casey - incredibly ambitious and can turn the dial on NZ’s emissions.

https://thegoodregistry.com/ – The Good Registry - founded by Christine Langdon - a convenient way to change personal gifts or corporate gifts into something meaningful. No more bottles of wine for clients or as thanks to speakers at a conference - a Good Registry gift card works just fine.

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If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?

We have 3 easy ways all of us can make change in our communities and our world:

1. how we spend our time (mentoring, volunteering)

2. how we spend our money (conscious consumerism)

3. how we invest our money (we can avoid harm and do good with how we invest)

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The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:

• Sasha Lockley - Money SweetSpot

• Anya Satyanand - Ember Innovations (and Pathfinder’s Ethics and Investment Committee)

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* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:

Check MindfulMoney.nz to see where your KiwiSaver is invested. You may, for example, find you are invested in weapons, animal testing, oil companies or human rights violations. How do you feel about that, and do you need to make a change to be more in line with your values?