David Woods
on Patience and Partnership
David Woods is a professional director whose board portfolio spans climate finance, impact investing and social investment. He is Acting Chair of NZ Green Investment Finance, a director of Hiringa Energy, the Social Investment Board and Brightlight NZ, and a member of the Sustainability Committee for LGFA. Before moving to New Zealand, he was Managing Director of Oikocredit International in the Netherlands. Asked for the key moment that shaped his path, he names the move itself: "Moving to Aotearoa New Zealand."
The whakataukī he offers is he waka eke noa, and it carries into how he describes the central challenge in his sector. "Sustainability requires all of us – government, private sector, and others. An unbalanced waka is difficult to paddle."
That partnership extends well beyond Aotearoa. Asked how he engages stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG, David points to the buyers at the end of the supply chain. "In many ways, our ESG journey is driven by Nestle, Unilever and the UK supermarkets. Our food export sector is so important, they are the counterparts we really need to engage with and stay engaged."
Closer to home, he sees the most important work happening at council level. "Many of the really important ones are at local level – that is where the differences can be made. Sure, we need central government to be more supportive, but it is at local level that things get done." What that requires, he says, is a real discussion about central and local funding for adaptation and resilience, "moving away from the 'we can't afford it' to 'we have to find a way'."
Patience is the second thread running through his answers. His advice to a rising change-maker is drawn from a career spent building relationships across boards and borders: "Be patient – it takes a long time to build trust, and you have to be ready to take the opportunities when they arise." He admires the same quality in others, naming "the patience and perseverance of our Maori and Pasifika populations" as the Indigenous perspective he wants people to hold in mind.
It shows up again in the flower he chooses. "A rose – simple to nurture, and with regular pruning they flourish and grow abundantly."
The seed of change he would plant is a practical one, and it cuts against the instinct to innovate first. "Get much better at copying, adapting and reusing – we do not have to reinvent everything."
On Aotearoa's superpower in creating a sustainable future, David is brief and conditional: "Its environment, if we don't ruin it."
His one takeaway for readers is to "pay more attention to planetary boundaries and the principles of the circular economy."
Read David's answers to Blooming Sustainability's full questionnaire, including the two novels that shaped his thinking this year, the events he considers must-attend, and the leader he is endorsing for a future edition.
BLOOMING Sustainability Questionnaire
Name: David Woods
Company & Title: Professional Director
Website & LinkedIn Profile: https://nz.linkedin.com/in/david-woods-6824726
* Guiding Values | Kaupapa
If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?
A rose – simple to nurture, and with regular pruning they flourish and grow abundantly.
A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:
He waka eke noa.
If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?
Be patient – it takes a long time to build trust, and you have to be ready to take the opportunities when they arise.
* Leading Change | Arataki
A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:
Moving to Aotearoa New Zealand.
What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?
Sustainability requires all of us – government, private sector, and others. An unbalanced waka is difficult to paddle.
An area you need more support with:
That would be a long list…….
An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:
The patience and perseverance of our Maori and Pasifika populations.
Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:
In many ways, our ESG journey is driven by Nestle, Unilever and the UK supermarkets. Our food export sector is so important, they’re the counterparts we really need to engage with and stay engaged.
What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?
Its environment, if we don’t ruin it.
* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki
Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:
There are quite a few, but two novels in the last year that have helped to illustrate where we’re heading if we don’t do something are Tim Winton’s “Juice”, and Ian McEwan’s “What we can know”.
Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:
Climate Change and Business Conference, London Climate Week, Innovation Zero (London).
A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:
Many of the really important ones are at local level – that’s where the differences can be made. Sure, we need central government to be more supportive, but it’s at local level that things get done – so there’s a real discussion needed about central and local funding for adaptation and resilience, moving away from the “we can’t afford it” to “ we have to find a way”.
If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?
Get much better at copying, adapting and reusing – we don’t have to reinvent everything.
The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:
Felicity Perry of Kelp Blue.
* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:
Pay more attention to planetary boundaries and the principles of the circular economy.
