Judene Edgar
on Governance as the Most Underrated Lever for Change
There is a particular kind of leadership that does not announce itself - it works quietly through systems, boards and long-term thinking, planting conditions for change that others will one day inhabit. Judene Edgar has spent her career in that space. As Principal Advisor for Governance Leadership at the Institute of Directors New Zealand and Chapter Zero New Zealand Lead, she sits at the intersection of climate action and the boardroom, making the case that governance isn't peripheral to sustainability - it is, in many ways, its most powerful engine.
If you ask Judene what sustainability looks like in her life, she reaches for the pōhutukawa. "Deeply rooted, resilient and able to weather challenging conditions while continuing to grow and provide shelter for others," she says. It's an image that holds both her vocation and her values: the long view, the commitment to stewardship, the understanding that meaningful change is slow and rarely witnessed by those who begin it. Her guiding quote - "plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit" - says much the same thing, more plainly.
The thread that runs through her work traces back to a period of volunteering in South Africa, helping establish a community garden to support local food security. The experience gave her something she has never quite put down: a direct connection to the people affected by decisions, and a deepened understanding of how leadership, governance and policy settings can either enable or constrain what communities are capable of. "The experience reinforced the importance of staying connected to the people affected by decisions, while recognising the role that governance and systems change play in creating lasting impact."
That dual awareness - grassroots reality alongside systemic lever - shapes how she approaches the biggest challenge she sees in her sector today. Boards, she observes, are being asked to navigate climate, nature, technology, workforce and geopolitical pressures simultaneously, all while managing short-term demands. The risk is that sustainability becomes another agenda item rather than an expression of good governance itself. "The challenge is helping organisations make that shift."
Chapter Zero New Zealand is one of the vehicles for that shift. The initiative - which Judene leads - supports directors to engage seriously with climate risk and long-term thinking. It may be, she notes with a quiet pride, something of a best-kept secret: its resources, webinars and insights are free and open to all directors, regardless of IoD membership. The work is less about creating new content than it is about changing the frame through which boards see their own responsibilities.
Underpinning her philosophy is a concept she returns to repeatedly: Tūpuna Pono - being a good ancestor. "It reminds us to think beyond the immediate and consider how today's decisions shape the experiences and opportunities for future generations." It's a framing that sits comfortably alongside the governance lens, asking not just what a board decides but for whom, and across what timeframe.
When it comes to stakeholder engagement, her instinct is simple and deliberate: start by listening. "Conversations are always about the audience, not the speaker." And if she could plant one seed of lasting change, it would be the recognition that governance is among the most important levers we have - that better governance creates conditions for better decisions, stronger organisations and more resilient communities.
Read Judene's answers to the Blooming Sustainability questionnaire to explore her perspective on Aotearoa's collaborative superpower, the thinking of Dr Tony Ward that reshaped her understanding of Te Ao Māori, and why she believes diverse voices in decision-making aren't just good ethics - they're good governance.
BLOOMING Sustainability Questionnaire
Name: Judene Edgar
Company & Title:
Principal Advisor – Governance Leadership and Chapter Zero New Zealand Lead, Institute of Directors New Zealand
Website & LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/judeneedgar/
https://www.iod.org.nz/chapter-zero-new-zealand
https://www.linkedin.com/company/chapterzeronewzealand/
* Guiding Values | Kaupapa
If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?
It would be a pōhutukawa. Deeply rooted, resilient and able to weather challenging conditions while continuing to grow and provide shelter for others. What nurtures it is a long-term perspective, a commitment to stewardship, and recognition that meaningful change takes time.
A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:
"Plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
To me, that captures the essence of both sustainability and governance. The most important decisions are often those whose benefits may not be realised during our own tenure but which create lasting value for those who follow.
If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?
Keep a learning mindset and remain open to different perspectives, challenge and change. Find mentors, sponsors and people who will back you, challenge your thinking and help you grow. None of us succeeds alone, and having people who believe in you and encourage you to take opportunities and rise to challenges can make all the difference.
* Leading Change | Arataki
A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:
A key moment in my journey was volunteering in South Africa. Working alongside local communities, including helping establish a community garden to support food security and resilience, gave me firsthand appreciation of the power of grassroots action. At the same time, it highlighted how leadership, governance and policy settings can either enable or constrain long-term progress. The experience reinforced the importance of staying connected to the people affected by decisions, while recognising the role that governance and systems change play in creating lasting impact.
What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?
The biggest challenge is navigating complexity. Boards are being asked to respond to climate, nature, technology, workforce and geopolitical issues at the same time, while balancing short-term pressures with long-term value creation. Sustainability is most effective when it is viewed not as a separate agenda, but as part of good governance and stewardship. The challenge is helping organisations make that shift.
An area you need more support with:
We need broader pathways into governance and stronger governance capability. We also need to ensure a wider range of voices, experiences and perspectives are represented in decision-making if we're going to navigate increasingly complex environmental, social and economic challenges.
An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:
Tūpuna Pono – being a good ancestor. It reminds us to think beyond the immediate and consider how today's decisions shape the experiences and opportunities for future generations.
Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:
Start by listening. Understanding what matters most to different stakeholders helps identify common ground and create more meaningful conversations about long-term value and impact. Conversations are always about the audience, not the speaker.
What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?
Our ability to connect people and ideas. New Zealand is small enough to bring together diverse perspectives and work collaboratively across sectors. When we focus on being additive rather than competitive, we can achieve far more collectively than any one organisation or individual could alone.
* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki
Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:
Dr Tony Ward's Waiariki Lecture (around 2010) profoundly shaped my thinking. It deepened my appreciation of Te Ao Māori perspectives on relationships, interconnectedness and responsibility, and challenged some of my assumptions about knowledge, power and progress. It helped me understand sustainability not as a standalone issue, but as a reflection of how we relate to people, place and future generations.
Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:
Any event featuring Alec Tang, Izzy Fenwick or Florence Van Dyke. They consistently bring fresh thinking, challenge assumptions and inspire people to think differently, and positively, about the future.
A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:
Chapter Zero New Zealand. It helps boards think beyond immediate pressures and consider the long-term consequences of today's decisions. At its heart, sustainability is about stewardship, resilience, and long-term thinking. Perhaps its best-kept secret is that its resources, webinars and insights are free and available to all directors, whether they are IoD members or not.
If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?
That governance is recognised as one of the most important levers for positive change. Better governance creates the conditions for better decisions, stronger organisations and more resilient communities.
The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:
Justine Gilliland, Abby Foote, Laurissa Cooney
* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:
Take time to reflect on one decision you've made recently. Ask yourself: What did I learn? What would I do differently? What assumptions did I bring to that decision? What might it mean in ten years' time? Reflection is one of the most powerful tools we have for learning, growth, and making better decisions for ourselves, our organisations and future generations.
