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20-21 May 2025
MCG Melbourne

Navigating the complexities of ESG standards and compliance

About the IX ESG Summit

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With Australia’s new mandatory climate disclosure law now in effect, companies face increasing pressure to stay ahead of regulatory requirements by providing transparent ESG reporting across operations and supply chains. While the mandatory disclosure is initially focused on climate there is a clear trajectory towards expanding this to encompass nature and social disclosures, significantly increasing the challenges for reporting companies. This is the most significant change to reporting and director responsibilities in a generation, impacting not only the largest companies across the country but also thousands of SMEs.

 

Government entities must also begin reporting climate-related risks under the Commonwealth Climate Disclosure policy with large not-for-profit organisations required to disclose by 2027. All this should see measurable improvements in ESG and economic outcomes.

 

Reporting and disclosure across supply chains is resource intense and increasingly complex. Advanced tools such as AI, data analytics, and blockchain streamline ESG data collection and reporting, can support greater accuracy, efficiency and transparency across supply chains.

 

The 2nd Impact X Summit for ESG Reporting & Disclosure will gather business leaders, finance directors and sustainability practitioners to address the increasingly complex developments in sustainability disclosures. Participants will learn how to navigate these complexities to drive improved ESG and business performance.

Partners

Lead Partners

Ashurst
Asuene
SAI GLobal

Supporting Partners

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Exhibitors

Network Partners

UN PRI
UN Global Compact

2025 Speakers

Justin Williams

Justin Williams

Managing Director

Australian Accounting Standards Board and Auditing & Assurance Standards Board

Mary Delahunty

Mary Delahunty

Chief Executive Officer

Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia

Tony Goldner

Tony Goldner

Chief Executive Officer

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure

Jocelyn King

Jocelyn King

Chair

First Australians Capital

Ange Nichols

Ange Nichols

Senior Adviser, Climate Change

Insurance Council of Australia

Fiona Reynolds

Fiona Reynolds

Chair

UN Global Compact Australia

Roslyn Toms

Roslyn Toms

Group Executive Legal & Chief Risk Officer, General Counsel

nib Group

Jon Whittle

Jon Whittle

Director

CSIRO Data61

Kate Dundas

Kate Dundas

Executive Director

UN Global Compact Australia

Paolo Bevilacqua

Paolo Bevilacqua

Group Head of Sustainability

Frasers Property  

Eva Rodrigues

Eva Rodrigues

Director of Impact

Breakthrough Victoria

Anna Stewart

Anna Stewart

Head of Sustainability, Governance & Engagement

Coles

Ivor Gibbons

Ivor Gibbons

Head of Sustainability

Ausgrid

Kazuma Osaki

Kazuma Osaki

Head of Policy, Asia Pacific

UN Principles for Responsible Investment

Chris Croker

Chris Croker

Co-Chair

First Nations Clean Energy Council

Suzanne Tavill

Suzanne Tavill

Global Head of Responsible Investment

StepStone Group

Erin Kuo-Sutherland

Erin Kuo-Sutherland

Chief Sustainability Officer

Yarra Capital Management

Mathew Dunckley

Mathew Dunckley

Deputy Editor

The Age

Joe Karten

Joe Karten

Head of Sustainability and Impact

Built

Bec Arandall

Bec Arandall

ESG Reporting & Engagement Analyst

Medibank

Tim Rodsted

Tim Rodsted

Head of Sustainability

Bluescope

Jeanne Stampe

Jeanne Stampe

Lead Policy Advisor

Norges Bank Investment Management

Sally Townsend

Sally Townsend

Head of Sustainability

Blackmores

Michael Lambden

Michael Lambden

Head of Sustainable Futures

Melbourne Water

Leilani Weier

Leilani Weier

General manager, Responsible Investment & Sustainability

Rest

Miriam Kleiner

Miriam Kleiner

 Partner

Ashurst

Lisa Zembrodt

Lisa Zembrodt

Principal & Senior Director, Sustainability Business

Schneider Electric

Chris Owen

Chris Owen

Partner & ESG Group Chair

Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

Shalini Samuel

Shalini Samuel

Head of Certification

Responsible Investment Association Australasia

Elena Lambros

Elena Lambros

Partner

Ashurst

Ann Nicholson

Ann Nicholson

Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Monash University

Shu Setogawa

Shu Setogawa

Director of Business

ASUENE

Sam Donaldson

Sam Donaldson

Hub Sustainability Leader

Laing O’Rourke

Michael Cox

Michael Cox

Associate Principal, Sustainability Business

Schneider Electric

Lydia Hatch

Lydia Hatch

Senior Sustainability Specialist

Telstra

Semra Deniz

Semra Deniz

ESG Reporting and Social Impact Manager

CSL

Michaela Aspell

Michaela Aspell

Senior Climate Adviser

Owl Advisory by KWM

Frances Atkins

Frances Atkins

Co-Founder

Givvable

Mark Gough

Mark Gough

CEO

Capitals Coalition

Mark Rowland

Mark Rowland

Chief Collaboration Officer

ROCeteer Inc

Maggie Ball

Maggie Ball

Senior manager – Sustainability

Orica

Nick Kamper

Nick Kamper

Founder & CEO

Purpose Bureau

Glen Fry

Glen Fry

Founder

E42

Benjamin Rieck

Benjamin Rieck

Head of Supply Chain Assurance and Sustainability

Intertek Australasia

Brendan Wintle

Brendan Wintle

Director

Melbourne Biodiversity Institute

Rayne van den Berg

Rayne van den Berg

Chief Value Officer

Value Australia

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Main stage

Learn how to navigate evolving ESG reporting requirements with insights, strategies, and real-world case studies from 50+ experts.

Network & Meet

Network with more than 200 sustainability, finance, and compliance professionals from business, government, and investment sectors.

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Future focused discussions

Explore big ideas for a climate-positive future at Impact X, where visionary leaders and innovative solutions drive progress and empower action for lasting impact.

Climate solutions showcase

Connect with cutting-edge solution providers and technology innovators shaping the future of ESG reporting.

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Who attends?

A multi-stakeholder event where leaders from business, government, academia, and NGOs share ESG reporting advancements and explore collaboration to drive transparency, compliance, and impact at scale.

Business decision makers

Across key sectors from startups to the largest corporations, working together to drive transparency, accountability, and impact in ESG reporting and disclosure.

Finance & investment leaders

Banks, pension funds, investment firms, venture capital and private equity firms, asset owners, public and development finance institutions.

Government & Policy Makers

Local councils, city, state and federal government agencies setting the agenda with robust ESG policies, enhanced disclosure frameworks, and regulatory oversight.

Agenda

8:00

Arrival and registration

8:45

Acknowledgement of Country

Thane Garvey-Gannaway, Wurundjeri Elder

8:55

Opening keynotes

Kate Dundas, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Australia

Mark Rowland, Chief Collaboration Officer, ROCeteer Inc

9:15

Discussion Panel: Breaking down the latest in ESG reporting and disclosure

  • Key implications of Australia’s mandatory climate disclosure law and its expected expansion to include nature and social disclosures.

  • Challenges and opportunities in harmonising ESG reporting with international frameworks such as ISSB and TCFD.

  • Addressing the burden on SMEs and large corporations in implementing new reporting requirements effectively.


Moderator: Mathew Dunckley, Deputy Editor, The Age


Panellists: Justin Williams,Managing Director, Australian Accounting Standards Board and Auditing & Assurance Standards Board

Jeanne Stampe, Lead Policy Advisor, Norges Bank Investment Management

Jocelyn King, Chair, First Australians Capital

10:00

In conversation

10:15

Discussion panel: Building a collaborative supply chain to stay ahead in reporting and disclosure

  • Strategies for engaging suppliers and partners to ensure consistent ESG reporting across the supply chain.

  • The role of regulatory compliance vs. voluntary best practices in maintaining transparency and competitiveness.

  • How can digital solutions such as real-time tracking and supplier audits enhance supply chain ESG disclosures.


Moderator: Kate Dundas, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Australia


Panelists: Michael Lambden, Head of Sustainable Futures, Melbourne Water

Frances Atkins, Co-Founder, givvable

Maggie Ball, Senior manager – Sustainability, Orica

11:00

Morning networking break

11:30

How does AI adoption affect ESG reporting?

Jon Whittle, Director, CSIRO Data61

12:00

Contentious ESG claims in Australia and beyond and how to avoid being on the wrong end of ESG litigation

  • Update on the latest ESG claims including greenwashing, climate change, biodiversity and human rights

  • Trends we are seeing in other key jurisdictions and how those cases might impact Australia

  • Tips on how to avoid being on the wrong end of an ESG claim


Chris Owen, Partner & ESG Group Chair, Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

12:10

Networking Session

12:30

Lunch

1:30

Disclosure case study: Mandatory Climate Disclosure: Implementation and insights from the insurance sector

Ange Nichols, Senior Adviser, Climate Change, Insurance Council of Australia

1.45

Discussion panel: Sustainability disclosures in practice: the journey so far and preparing for the future

  • How have early adopters approached ESG reporting and disclosure, and what lessons can be drawn from their strategies, challenges, and impact?

  • What organisational changes are needed to meet the expectations of Australia’s new mandatory disclosure regime under ASRS?

  • What will it take to lead as ASRS expands — with rising expectations around nature, social risks, and integrated sustainability performance?


Moderator: Mark Rowland, Chief Collaboration Officer, ROCeteer Inc

Michaela Aspell, Senior Climate Adviser, Owl Advisory by KWM

Semra Deniz, ESG Reporting and Social Impact Manager, CSL

Ivor Gibbons, Head of Sustainability, Ausgrid

2:30

Case Study: How the World's most sustainable business does its Reporting & Disclosure?

Lisa Zembrodt, Principal & Senior Director, Sustainability Business, Schneider Electric

Michael Cox, Associate Principal, Sustainability Business, Schneider Electric

2:45

From Intention to Impact: Lifting the Bar on Modern Slavery Reporting

  • Learn why many modern slavery statements fail to reflect actual risk, and how inaccurate supplier scoping and limited visibility beyond Tier 1 contribute to misleading disclosures.

  • Understand how to segment suppliers and apply fit-for-purpose assessments—enabling more accurate risk identification and reporting

  • Discover how deeper supplier engagement, ongoing collaboration, and a partnership approach to continuous improvement can drive real change and position your business as a leader in ethical supply chains


Benjamin Rieck, Head of Supply Chain Assurance and Sustainability, Intertek Australasia

2:55

Afternoon networking break

3:30

Leveraging data, AI and other technologies to meet evolving reporting and disclosure requirements

  • How to ensure data integrity, reliability, and comparability in ESG reporting.

  • The role of big data and predictive analytics in identifying ESG risks and opportunities.

  • Ensuring regulatory compliance and cybersecurity in ESG data management.

Prof. Ann Nicholson, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University


Panelist: Lydia Hatch, Senior Sustainability Specialist, Telstra

Nick Kamper, Founder & CEO, Purpose Bureau

4:15

Connecting Climate Disclosure Requirements and Business Performances

  • How businesses can use climate disclosures to their advantage in making long term strategies

  • Why sustainability will be beneficial for business performances

  • How to best achieve climate reporting with efficiency


Shu Setogawa, Director of Sales & Business Development, ASUENE

4:30

Discussion panel: From reporting to action: How ESG reporting and disclosure can accelerate progress and deliver better business outcomes

  • Moving beyond compliance to embed ESG into corporate strategy and decision-making.

  • How companies can leverage ESG reporting to drive operational efficiencies and innovation.

  • Measuring the real impact of ESG initiatives and demonstrating tangible business value.


Moderator: Fiona Reynolds, UN Global Compact Australia


Panelists: Bec Arandall, ESG Reporting & Engagement Analyst, Medibank

Tim Rodsted, Head of Sustainability, Bluescope

Anna Stewart, Head of Sustainability Governance & Engagement, Coles

Elena Lambros, Partner, Ashurst

5:10

Global Updates on ESG Disclosure

  • Key developments in ISSB adoption in key global markets and the implications for Australian businesses.

  • Global trends in nature and biodiversity reporting and their expected regulatory trajectory.

  • Key developments in social impact-related risk disclosures


Tony Goldner, Chief Executive Officer, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures

Mark Gough, CEO, Capitals Coalition (Virtual presentation)

5:40

Close of Day 1

5:45

Evening networking reception

Acknowledgement of Country

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We respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise their rich cultures and connections to land, sea and community. Together, we commit to building a sustainable future together.

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