Benefits of achieving balance

The benefits of achieving balance across these performance areas include:

Risk management

Addressing what needs to be done in the short term and prioritising action to address longer term environmental, social and governance risks

Cost efficiencies

Through reduction and more efficient use of resources

New revenue streams

From product and service innovation to support emerging social and environmental customer needs

Improved employee engagement/employer of choice

Through practices that invest in employee wellbeing and development

Strengthened reputation

Through stakeholder engagement and proven performance across financial, people, customer, shareholder, community and environmental goals

Expertise

Sarah Holden is the founder and Director of Oxygen Consulting and has more than 20 years’ experience helping organisations achieve measurable success through business sustainability.

She has worked with businesses across most sectors and industries in New Zealand, supporting the development of sustainability strategy, and implementation of practical actions to make an impact. Prior to establishing Oxygen Consulting in 2018, Sarah spent more than a decade in senior sustainability roles at Westpac and IAG, both in New Zealand and Australia.

Sarah has a PhD in environmental and marine science, is a recognised B Consultant (B Lab Australia and New Zealand’s) and a trained Carbon Auditor (Certified Carbon Auditor Training - CEP).

She is a member of the New Zealand Government’s Climate Business Advisory Group and also the international standard setting committee ISO/TC 207 SC7 - Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Management. She has previously been an Advisory Board member of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) and a representative on the Sustainable Business Council (SBC) Advisory Board. Sarah serves as a judge for the New Zealand Sustainable Business Awards.

Sarah is also member of the Institute of Directors (MInstD), Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corps, the Carbon and Energy Professionals Network (CEP), and is a volunteer in her local community fire brigade.

Gerri is the Principal Consultant at Oxygen Consulting, leveraging her deep industry knowledge and experience in our client engagements and our business development.

Prior to joining Oxygen Consulting, Gerri was the Director of Climate Change and Sustainability at EY in Wellington. At EY, Gerri led materiality assessments with PGG Wrightsons, Ballance Agrinutrients, Serko, and Argosy. In her time at Oxygen, she has led engagements with Christchurch City Holdings Ltd, Freightways, the institute of Directors, Ecocentral, Trust Horizon, the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy, Zespri, and CityCare. She currently works with the Boards of many high-profile New Zealand organisations (including the IoD itself) in delivering Board training on climate change impacts, reporting requirements, and transition planning.

Previously, she was the Head of Sustainability at Z Energy for over 8 years; leading Z’s decarbonisation pathway, climate reporting, community impact initiatives, and waste reduction activities.

Prior to Z she worked for central government for 7 years: first at the Ministry for Environment for 5 years, where she led the Carbon Neutral Public Service programme and voluntary carbon markets advice to business; and for 2.5 years at the Department of Conservation, where she led the Business and Biodiversity Offsetting CDRP Programme.

She has a Masters in International Law from the University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Waikato.

Gerri is passionate about authentic leadership, committed to bringing out the best in our people, and getting what matters done.

Kelly is a Senior Sustainability Consultant at Oxygen Consulting and is responsible for working with our clients to support their sustainability needs.

She has expertise and experience in climate-related disclosures, GHG emissions measurement and management, science-based target setting, sustainability strategy, sustainable finance, materiality assessment, and advisory.

Clients she has supported include AA Insurance, Kiwibank, OfficeMax, Freightways, Smartpay, Les Mills New Zealand, Les Mills International, Airways, Auckland International Airport, Ecoya, Marsden Maritime Holdings, Christchurch City Holdings, Ecoya, Ballantynes Department Store, NZME, Harvey Furnishings, AFT Pharmaceuticals, Callaghan Innovation, Stuff, EcoCentral, and Lyttelton Port.

She also leads Oxygen Consulting’s Insights on Aotearoa New Zealand Sustainability Professionals research, working in partnership with the Sustainable Business Council, Sustainable Business Network and Auckland University of Technology.

Kelly has a Master of Public Policy (First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland. Her research investigated the considerations New Zealand should give when designing and implementing managed retreat policy for climate change adaptation.

Kelly has completed Maurea Consulting’s Māori cultural competency programme Te Kaa and the Carbon and Energy Professionals (CEP) Identifying Carbon Reduction Opportunities training course.

She is passionate about sustainable development and ensuring a just transition to a low-emissions future.

Jack has supported our clients NZME, AFT Pharmaceuticals, Napier Port, Oji Fibre Solutions, DX Mail, Freightways, Marsden Maritime Holdings, Claymark, Tegel Foods, Trade Me, New Zealand Hotel Holdings, and Wilderness with materiality assessment, GHG emissions measurement and management, and Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards-aligned climate-related disclosures.

Previously working at Deloitte, Jack assisted various clients ranging from large public sector organsiations to small private sector companies in their business transformation, process optimisation, and operational excellence needs. In collaboration with the Sustainable Business Council and Toitū Tahua, Jack assisted with the publishing of the 2022 CFO Sustainability Snapshot Survey which provided insights gathered from New Zealand CFOs on the progress of their organisations towards a more sustainable economy, and any barriers which might limit progression.

Jack co-founded the Butterfly Fish Foundation, which is focuses on breaking down the barriers between the corporate and the scientific world and assisting both industries towards their shared goal, climate action.

Jack has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Canterbury, majoring in Operations and Supply Chain Management and has a Certificate in Science. He has completed the Carbon and Energy Professionals (CEP) Certified Carbon Auditors programme.

He is truly passionate about ocean sustainability, and the sustainability of food and agriculture

Raedon brings over four years of experience helping organisations navigate the challenges of climate change and adopt sustainable practices.

Before joining Oxygen Consulting, Raedon worked with Deloitte and Tonkin + Taylor, where he provided specialist sustainability services to clients ranging from large public sector organisations to small private enterprises. His expertise includes climate-related disclosures, climate risk management, adaptation planning, emissions inventories and reduction strategies, and sustainability assurance.

Raedon holds a Master of Environmental Science (First Class Honors), a Bachelor of Business (Management) and a Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science). His postgraduate research focuses on developing an ecological climate change risk assessment methodology, quantifying the vulnerability of northern New Zealand dotterel nesting habitats in Auckland’s regional parks to coastal inundation.

In addition, Raedon has completed the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) practitioner training, GIS Fundamentals training, and is an active volunteer marine mammal medic with Project Jonah.

Passionate about protecting and leveraging both human-made and natural environments, Raedon is dedicated to helping communities mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.