Finding Nature

Nathan Robertson-Ball
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Find inspiration and guidance for the change you want to create and learn how others have achieved it in their life and work in pursuit of a more just, safe and healthier future. Nourishment for the change making class.

  1. Putting Responsibility Into Corporate Responsibility - Gerbrand Havercamp and Pauliina Murphy On The Myths of Trickle Down Sustainability

    12H AGO

    Putting Responsibility Into Corporate Responsibility - Gerbrand Havercamp and Pauliina Murphy On The Myths of Trickle Down Sustainability

    Gerbrand Haverkamp and Pauliina Murphy from the World Benchmarking Alliance join the show today. The WBA exists to assess, test and make transparent the performance of the world’s 2,000 most influential and important companies. In a neoliberal capitalist economic system, business have been and remain one of if not the most significant actors if our human civilisation is going to reverse ecological calamity, social inequities and governance failures. Famed Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, the co-creator of the notion of creating shared value, calls businesses the engine of change, and if that is indeed the case, they might need some new and different engines. But that’s why the WBA’s work is important. They shine a spotlight on the truth of these companies performance - not to look at what they say they’d do, but what they’re actually doing. And entirely unsurprisingly, it’s mostly grim and painful reading. Gerbrand and Pauliina were recently in Australia as part of a trip to present and share the results of an Australian-only benchmark they recently completed. 32 companies sit on that and the insights and takeaways are interesting, but again, not too surprising. No-one is a laggard, yet no-one is a leader. I was compelled by some work the WBA had published a couple of years ago called Corporate Accountability: Closing the Gap in Sustainable Development and reading it was a series of insights that I think explains why corporates here and abroad have not done the necessary heavy lifting to conserve and preserve ecosystems, communities and democracies. Seven succinct realities pick apart the delusion of corporate accountability in its current form - where responsibilities are not defined, actual performance remains hidden or obfuscated most of the time, while the consequences of either insufficient or poor action are not substantive enough to drive any change. We get through a lot of ground in this conversation - from this cycle of accountability to the mission of the WBA, the necessity to not just highlight best practice but reverse benchmark and platform the laggards, as well as transition of the sustainability sector from the feel good and pseudo innovation team of a decade ago to a mainstay of corporates, and accept the necessity of compliance, legal and risk management on a day to day basis. Support for today's episode comes from Reposit Power. Get $500 off your system.  Subscribe, rate & share.  Ep.111 Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 39m
  2. Transforming Capital - William Burckart And The Necessity For Systems-Level Investing

    MAR 31

    Transforming Capital - William Burckart And The Necessity For Systems-Level Investing

    William Burckart is today’s guest. Bill was recently in Sydney from New York where his list of credentials, accomplishments and titles is impressive - he’s the CEO of The Investment Integration Project, co-founder of Colourful Capital, an adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs and the Brandmyere Fellow for Impact and Sustainable Investing at Colombia University, he’s published a couple of really informative books, the most recent being ‘The Handbook of System-level Investing: How Experts Worth Trillions of Dollars are Rethinking Investing.’ As well as all of that his writing has featured in The Guardian, Forbes and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. That’s a long but necessary way of saying that in the realm of systems-level investing, there are few anywhere in the world who are both as technically astute and practically experienced as Bill. What is systems-level investing you ask? Systems-level investing - as I’ve understood from reading Bill’s books, this chat and our supper club together is when financiers - be they banks, be they investors - deliberately elevate themselves above a conventional approach to asset and client focussed lending and financing and seek to use their funds as well as their influence and other assets to address issues that create systems-level risks for any and all of their more conventional activities. Think about it like this - how successful will one investment in a farmer be if the underlying volatility in crop and yield output worsens without also investing in rapid decarbonisation and broader adaptation measures? What good is funding one resilient home in a flood prone area if the majority of the rest in that area aren’t and you see localised market risk and asset depreciation? Systems-level investing is about re-framing how finance takes account of reality and the risks problems like climate change, disinformation, inequality, ocean acidification and many more and doing what the financial services industry is supposed to do anyway - appropriately price these to send market signals and drive new types of behaviours, actions and outcomes. It’s not straight forward stuff, and many in this community lament either the unwillingness or the inability for just about all financial institutions of every size and form to do this. In this chat we get into the what some of the tangible and intangible barriers are, the limitations of sustainable and responsible investing, how to better understand the tools of systems-level investing whether you’re in finance or not, advanced user or total beginner. Much is required of many of us at this moment - and understanding how finance can and must play a role is a critical component of shifting economies and cultural norms regarding practices in the real economy. This episode isn’t just for the finance bros though, you don’t need to don a puffer vest and be sitting in Ryan’s Bar to take insights and wisdom from Bill - this is applicable to all of us who are in the game of capital. And frankly, that’s everyone, whether you like it or not. Today's episode is delivered with Reposit Power. Get $500 off your solar battery installation here.  Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 33m
  3. Surrendering Attachment and Lessons from His Holiness The Dalai Lama - Geshe Lhakdor on What Ancient Spirituality Teaches Us About This Moment

    MAR 24

    Surrendering Attachment and Lessons from His Holiness The Dalai Lama - Geshe Lhakdor on What Ancient Spirituality Teaches Us About This Moment

    Today’s guest was the person I needed to speak with - Geshe Lhakdor. Geshe is a Tibetan Buddhist monk who fled his homeland of Tibet when he was six years old and has committed his life to spirituality, Buddhism and service. Geshe served His Holiness the Dalai Lama as his English translator and religious assistant from 1989 until 2005, and has co-translated and co-produced several books by the Dalai Lama. As Director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, Geshe facilitates the Science for Monks program and shares his own expertise as a scholar of science and philosophy. Geshe is also trustee of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, established by His Holiness. I am very thankful to former pod guest Nadya Hutagalung for making possible this extraordinary experience as part of Geshe’s recent trip to Australia. Coincidentally meeting just five meetings from my place, spending time with him was a gift. When so much feels out of control - whether that’s global affairs through to what we can actually manage and influence on a day to day basis - spending this time with Geshe reminded me so much of the ills our world faces are the result of what he describes as the polluted mind. Fear, self centredness, greed, contempt - we all know where that leads us. I know I can’t help it myself sometimes - I want to hold a grudge, I want revenge when I feel crossed, I’d love to get exactly what I want in the maximum dosage as quickly as possible and for the least amount of effort. That’s not a recipe for living in harmony and with reciprocity with others though. Geshe Lhakdor reminded me of what works - progress over perfection, having the wisdom to know the difference between what I can and can’t control, to be as compassionate and loving as I possibly can be. It all sounds trite and soft and woo woo, but we know it intuitively. We want to belong, we want to feel connected, we want to feel safe. In this conversation we talk about the dangers of every form of attachment, the potential for liberation, what spirituality is and what ancient teachings offer us as a poignant reminders for living today. With this episode I need to offer a slight audio warning - the mysterious fizzing and splattering of the recording equipment appeared when I listened back. I’ve removed as much of it as possible while maintaining the majority of the episode, but I apologise for any listener discomfort as you go. I was really bummed to hear it myself, and as with every time this seems to suddenly occur without warning, I’ll be running a bunch of audio tests to rectify. It always sounds so simple to adopt and live by a set of spiritual principles found across all the major religions in the world. Doing it - and doing it consistently and regularly - isn’t so easy. Geshe Lhakdor is a reminder to do it today and to worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 9m
  4. Don't Look Down - Emma Camp On The State and Future of Reefs

    MAR 17

    Don't Look Down - Emma Camp On The State and Future of Reefs

    Today’s guest is Dr Emma Camp, a marine biologist who’s pioneering research into the resilience of coral reefs and their restoration. The awards and recognitions she’s already received are longer than my arm - A National Geographic Explorer, appointed a Young Leader for the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the World Economic Forum, A Time Magazine Next Generation Leader, and many more. All of the awards, the appointments and the recognitions are because of the work she has dedicated herself to in seeking to better understand reefs, the potential of preservation that could be possible by discovering and better understanding varieties of coral that may have a higher tolerance to climate change, and the way she has been able to generate interest and funding globally as part of the mission of many to save one of this planet’s most unique, precious and vulnerable ecosystems. I wanted to speak with Emma to get under the hood of what is occurring for coral and on reefs around the world due to climate change. That seemingly straight forward question resulted in this conversation which became a masterclass in coral, reef science and revealed the multitude and colliding threats humans are imposing on an underwater landscape now under serious threat and seemingly on a path to oblivion, taking the lives and livelihoods of billions of human and non-human species with them. Speaking with those working on the frontlines of climate change is always painful. The grief associated with what’s already been lost and the knowledge of what is still to disappear is evident with Emma. Above the grief though is someone of immense passion, curiosity, intellect and determination. Better than collapsing into the awfulness of species decline and ecosystem degradation, Emma models what we must all do - act. We cover plenty of ground in this chat. From a coral science 101 to begin, into the state of reefs globally and how to understand the often binary assessment of reef health, to the complexities and connectedness of the threats faced, the role and value of reefs to the planet, her research into the misfits and mutants of the coral world, the effort to preserve them and the difficulty of balancing bad news against the need to keep working. In this chat, we reference Don’t Look Up - maybe in the case of reefs, don’t look down.  Support for the show comes from: Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationSend me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 35m
  5. Collective Intelligence or Collective Stupidity - The Choice is Ours, With Sir Geoff Mulgan

    MAR 10

    Collective Intelligence or Collective Stupidity - The Choice is Ours, With Sir Geoff Mulgan

    Today’s guest is someone who’s seen just about everything though, and is also the first person on the show with a knighthood - Sir Geoff Mulgan. Geoff is one of those people who’s seemingly done it all across government, academia, the public sector and the private sector. His knighthood was awarded for services to the creative economy, which downplays the significance and influence of his work over the last four decades. From defining the UK government’s leading climate reduction strategy 25 years ago to running Nesta and building a lexicon and discipline around social innovation to funds management and investment to publishing book after book after book. I spent a lot of time engaging with Geoff’s thinking and work back in my own social innovation days and what he did and delivered with Nesta was and remains a lighthouse of practice and ambition I still pursue and apply on a daily basis. Beyond the roles and achievements, Geoff describes himself as someone who’s curious about how the world works and works to improve it. Geoff’s breadth of expertise and the significance of the roles he’s had gives him what I think is a legitimate and timely perspective on what seems to be the most pressing need our society faces - re-aligning the value drivers, incentives and ultimately actions of what he calls the poetry, prose and plumbing of how our world works. As I said at the top, what isn’t a wicked problem and progressively degrading issue at the moment? The thread is us, the structures and systems we engage in everyday, the mis-alignment of incentives, of timeframes, and ultimately, an inability to imagine better futures where we feel like we are acting as custodians in a chain of time. We cover everything from collective intelligence to a digital right to truth, what good strategy is and how connecting to a deeper meaning of existence is a necessary component of addressing everything, everywhere all at once. Support for the show comes from: Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationFor all things Finding Nature, check us out.  Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 12m
  6. Steve Martin on How Influence Works and Change Really Happens

    MAR 3

    Steve Martin on How Influence Works and Change Really Happens

    Steve Martin is one of the world’s foremost experts on influence, persuasion and how change happens. Maybe I could have just read his research and books and acted on them instead of this elaborate rous, but that wouldn’t have been as fun. Steve’s books have sold over 1.5 million copies, he’s a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller and his work has been featured in publications like the Harvard Business Review, Financial Times and New York Times. He’s a titan in the field of behavioural science where he is a Visiting Professor at Colombia University and guest lecturer at the London School of Economics and Harvard. At a time when much change is needed - from action on climate change to mens attitudes to women to systems of democratic governance - Steve’s expertise is invaluable. I’ve come to believe that the role of the sustainability manager is first and foremost chief influencer. Knowledge and expertise on the array of topics our work attempts to address is a necessity to get in the door for a role in the first place - well, it should be anyway. Beyond the subject matter expertise though lies applying its relevance in myriad organisational contexts is what leads to value creation. To work out not only the idea and put it in a powerpoint with some graphs and figures and tables, but then to smooth the way with other people to bring it to life. Sounds so simple in practice, but as I’m sure every person listening out there knows, it rarely goes that way. Steve’s work has shone a light on the well meaning but ultimately flawed approaches I’ve taken to change management - and of course they are, I've never been trained in change management, in influence, in stakeholder management. But when it’s the most vital part of my job, and likely yours too, where do we turn to for expertise? Well, Steve is about the best in the world at helping us all to start building this capability. We cover lots in this chat - from the vocabulary of influence, persuasion and change, to examples from his life where tactics have been successful, the limitations of nudging for real change, communicating in an information saturated environment and probably the most valuable insight I took from his work - that to encourage change in others is ultimately a request to give something up, to lose something, and how our perception of loss and aversion to sacrifice are enormous blockers in the pursuit of the outcomes we’re looking for either as individuals on a daily basis through to large organisations with the power and prestige to make a real difference. Support for the show comes from: Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationFor all things Finding Nature, check us out.  Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 21m
  7. Providing Sanctuary - Nicole Yade On Supporting Women During Australia's Men's Violence Perpetration Crisis

    FEB 24

    Providing Sanctuary - Nicole Yade On Supporting Women During Australia's Men's Violence Perpetration Crisis

    Today’s guest is Nicole Yade and this episode is about another crisis in Australia - the perpetration of violence, abuse and coercion by men towards women. Nicole is the CEO of the Women’s and Girls Emergency Centre - a literal refuge for those getting away from dangerous and hostile home environments in search of support, safety and sanctuary. The statistics and situation for what girls and women experience in their homes from their partners, fathers, brothers and other loved ones is shocking and sickening. In this country 1 in 4 girls and women over 15 have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner. A woman is killed every five days by a partner in this country. And unless it’s a very concentrated group of men who are committing this across multiple relationships, it’s fair to assume the rate of men perpetrating this violence is high too. I spent six months working on a large corporates domestic violence and financial abuse strategy back in 2018, and to this day remains the most harrowing professional experience that I’ve had. Nicole does this everyday, as does her team and as do hundreds and thousands of other people - mostly women - to offer the abused and coerced and traumatised support in a society that chronically under funds appropriate responses and simple refuses to undertake common sense and necessary reforms. Just from this one conversation it was entirely apparent how remarkable Nicole is, not only for the work she does, yet that is a large part of it, but for her own story, her own life transitions and the way she has supported those traumatised by violence over her 30 year career. We cover a lot in this conversation, and I think it’s essential listening. Women probably don’t need to hear much of what Nicole shares here, but men do. I know there a lot of good men out there who listen to this, and my ask with this episode is to get through it despite the awkwardness, the discomfort or because of a ‘it’s not me’ perpetrating violence. To heal men and to drastically reduce the harms our gender is responsible for, we need you, we need more men to hear Nicole, to hear her story and to take up a baton of responsibility to not just know about the problem but to do something about it in our lives. Responsibility starts and ends with us, each of us everyday. What’s been attempted and what governments are offering is inadequate, and I think it’s our duty to step up and do more where we can and how we can to make a difference. Support for the show comes from: Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationAltiorem - get 25% off your annual subscription with code findingnature25Jamberoo Mountain Farm Tiny Home - get Hot Tub Sunset Package for free when you add Finding Nature to booking comments.Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 45m
  8. Without Reality It Falls To Pieces - Nina Jankowicz On The Path From Disinformation To Autocracy

    FEB 17

    Without Reality It Falls To Pieces - Nina Jankowicz On The Path From Disinformation To Autocracy

    Hi out there, how goes it? My name is Nathan Robertson-Ball and welcome to the finding nature podcast. Today is a huge episode and one I’ve been excited to share with this audience for months. Nina Jankowicz is one of the world’s leading authorities on disinformation and democratisation - and what a time to be having this conversation. Nina was recently in Australia and after having the privilege to speak with her for the first time in 2024 getting to do so again was a thrill. Nina’s own career charts well beyond this moment of political, social, moral and cultural crisis we seem happy to slip further and further into. As a Fulbright Scholar her work and research focussed on how Russia organised and deployed mis and disinformation across many parts of Europe through the late 2000s and early 2010s, before undertaking a huge operation in the lead up to the 2016 US election. Her first book - How to Lose The Information War is both one of the best and worst books I’ve ever read - I no longer see the world the same way having read it - simply, it pierced the trust and confidence I had in what was real. And when everything could be fake to me, and when everything could be fake to you, and my truth is this and your truth is that, how do we do anything together? At a time when we’re bombarded with the impacts of simultaneous crises occurring now, how are we meant to address any of them if none of us have a shared set of facts and a common understanding of reality? The answer - what’s happening here and around the world every day. It’s hard not to feel dispirited about a tonne of different issues and challenges right now. Both here in Australia where mainstream media institutions seem intent on platforming anti-reality and far right politicians on a daily basis, where protest has been met with unprecedented police violence, where coal mines keep getting approved, and to where a lot of this chat focuses - the USA, which is difficult to comprehend and sad to observe from afar. Nina is a valiant. Courageous and wise beyond her years. What she knows, we all need to know. Links to check out and support Nina's work: American Sunlight ProjectThe Wayfinder - Nina's SubstackAmerican Sunlight Project SubstackHow to Lose The Information War - Russia, Fake News, and the Future of ConflictHow to Be a Woman Online: Surviving Abuse and Harassment and How to Fight BackSupport for the show comes from: Reposit Power - get $500 off your installationAltiorem - get 25% off your annual subscription with code findingnature25Jamberoo Mountain Farm Tiny Home - get Hot Tub Sunset Package for free when you add Finding Nature to booking comments.Send me a message Thanks for listening. Follow Finding Nature on Instagram

    1h 49m
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About

Find inspiration and guidance for the change you want to create and learn how others have achieved it in their life and work in pursuit of a more just, safe and healthier future. Nourishment for the change making class.

Information

  • Creator
    Nathan Robertson-Ball
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Finding Nature
  • Show Website
    Finding Nature

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