2023: Woke to Climate Disclosures

Before we say haere rā good bye to 2023, we’d like to say a sincere ‘thank you’ to all the green superheroes in tech suits who have engaged with us to connect, promote and advance sustainability in finance. 

So, it turns out 2023 was the year climate disclosures in finance became the latest story for the industry. Those who missed the memo had to jump on the bandwagon quickly. 

Events where sustainability was the rockstar included our inaugural FinTechNZ Hui Taumata in Auckland where sustainability themes crashed the party, stole the spotlight, and left with the goodie bags. 

We also partnered with the AI Forum and threw a shindig at the University of Canterbury to show finance folks how to cut down on resource-heavy tasks while keeping the Government happy. With over 250 registrations, our event was so lit that even Dr. Rod Carr was impressed. ANZ, ESP, and Cogo joined the party, discussing AI’s magical touch on the finance sector’s environmental and social vibes.

Thanks to ANZ, at next year’s FinTechNZ Hui Taumata, we’ll have a session that will have speakers spilling the beans on how AI can make financing and sustainability decisions easier.

Wrapping Our Heads Around E and S Challenges:

Wrapping our heads around how to support increased sustainability activity in finance was like deciphering the Da Vinci code of data and tech challenges for sustainable finance. We wanted recommendations that don’t put you to sleep – like prioritising actions and snazzy FinTech opportunities for a greener world. We’ve got a list of ideas. We’ve drafted some fancy Terms of Reference and now we’re sipping coffee with potential sponsors. Keen for coffee? Contact our caffeine wizard, Jason.

NZTech Sustainability Sub-Board: the superhero of sustainability governance:

NZTech represents more than 120,000 people employed in our tech sector. The NZTech Sustainability Sub-Board is the superhero of sustainability governance – they ensure the tech communities’ green and social goals are aligned. They’ve already aced their latest ESG report, and next year, we might be able to spice it up with some financial asset-safeguarding and sustainable finance jazz.

Climate Tech Roadmap shenanigans with the Avengers:

NZ Tech (who are practically pen pals with government agencies) also led the development of the Climate Tech Roadmap proposal. 

After our co-chairs (Mitchell and Leeanna) had a rendezvous with the Centre of Sustainable Finance (CSF), we discovered CSF wanted in, so we joined forces to crash the Climate Tech Roadmap party. Mitchell and Leeanna set up a Roundtable Hui, with attendees so important they could form a new Avengers team. Break-out sessions? Check. Corporate ESG data talk? Double-check. It was like a Marvel movie but for climate heroes. Picture representatives in suits, a secret society meeting, plotting climate action. The theme was ‘Data and Digital as Key Enablers’, which included discussions on the requirement for a taxonomy, action 3.2: design and develop risk and resilience and climate adaptation information portals from the National Adaptation Plan (yep, we’re that important) and establishing an innovation sandbox. 

And the new Government has already been briefed on these shenanigans so we can’t wait for next year to get stuck in.

In the meantime:

Eat, sleep and get amongst it while you have a safe and happy sun-filled break, and we look forward to seeing you next year!If you would like to know more about Sustainable Finance, follow our working group activity here.