Pursuing Impact - Kate Turner On The Twists And Turns In A Career Seeking Change

Now today’s episode is with Kate Turner. Kate is a recognised leader here and abroad in the world of responsible investment, sustainable finance and ESG data, not to mention an all round great person who hikes, triathlons, meditates, parents and in general is pursuing ways to be helpful and service-oriented. I’ve known Kate a few years now, and having her on the show was a great pleasure. Kate has over twenty years of professional experience across environmental and climate law, developing market renewable energy and carbon product origination, ESG data services and responsible investment. She’s worked across multiple sectors, and is currently serving as the Chair of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia.

I related to a lot of Kate’s personal stories of what drove her to go into environmental law in the first place and a career of choices seeking to find places to make an impact, as well as how to parent in a world seemingly inundated with horror, destruction and deviance. In this chat we get through plenty - from working across markets to develop real projects generating real impact prior to the ESG data verification dilemma, the difficult balancing act between laborious ESG data processes and the need to make a real difference, the shifting investor landscape of the past few years, the differences between the value drivers for action on climate change compared to modern slavery, and the need to build bridges, cooperate and make possible the future we want by building the relational fabric and institutional capacity to withstand the change we want to bring about.

We end the chat talking about our own experiences of parenthood in this moment. What to share and how to share it with small kids, the importance of a nature loving indoctrination program from a young age, and also how personal practices and professional support are things we all need to do this work and withstand the heartache of pain and suffering in this world.

Kate is one of the most thoughtful sustainability practitioners in Australia, so to spend a little time and enjoy and learn from her perspectives were valuable, and I know you’ll get lots from listening to her.

Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram