Communicating Sustainability Masterclass 2026

Suzy is a communications and marketing professional who specialises in sustainability. She is Managing Director of Giles Global Ltd. With more than 20 years’ experience of working with in-house teams, corporate clients and NGOs, Suzy’s work covers brand leadership, reputation management and strategic communications. She has worked with organisations across the globe, helping them to build compelling sustainability narratives, while avoiding greenwashing and engaging their audiences with authenticity and transparency. 

Suzy chairs the UNDP/ICCO Climate Communications Task Force and is also chair of the Chartered Institute of PR’s (CIPR) ESG Network. She is also Chief Examiner for the PR Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ). 

As Chief Digital Officer at MediaWorks NZ, Matt leads the digital strategy for one of New Zealand’s most influential media companies. His mission is to future-proof digital platforms, elevate audience engagement and unlock new revenue streams through data-driven innovation, AI and immersive content experiences.

Matt was previously Managing Director, Brand Connections at Stuff, where he led a company-wide transformation that redefined commercial strategy and integrated AI technologies into content and advertising portfolios. He has also been Chief Commercial Officer at NZME.

Matt’s career spans the full media and technology ecosystem – digital platforms, print, radio, television, events, eCommerce and manufacturing – providing a uniquely broad perspective on consumer behaviour, digital ecosystems and monetisation models.  

Kath Dewar is founder and Managing Director of GoodSense ethical marketing, a Certified B Corporation. Kath is a marketer with over 30 years’ experience and a business-owner since 2001. With her team and clients, Kath is shaping marketing into a profession that serves society and nature, as well as an organisation’s stakeholders. A Fellow of the UK-based Chartered Institute of Marketing and an award winning international marketer, Kath joined the Sustainable Business Network in Aotearoa NZ in 2003.  This began the journey to meld Kath’s personal values with her professional practice, leading to the creation of the GoodSense brand in 2010. Kath is an experienced strategist, facilitator and storyteller and served on the Executive of the Waitakere Range Protection Society for ten years.

Gabrielle is a seasoned marketing strategist who enjoys bringing brands to life and solving curly business problems with clients. With 25+ years’ experience working across a range of industries and marketing disciplines, she enjoys bringing her skills and customer-centric approach to help ethical businesses flourish alongside the rest of the GoodSense team. GoodSense has been at the forefront of sustainability marketing since 2010 and became a certified B Corporation in 2022.

Gabrielle’s experience spans brand strategy, performance marketing, sustainability, communications strategy, customer experience design, martech, research and insights, sponsorship and strategic partnerships.

She’s enjoyed developing strategic partnerships, building brands and creating exceptional customer experiences for some of New Zealand and Australia’s biggest brands including: Xero, Bank of New Zealand, Optus, Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, Qantas and Vodafone New Zealand. But she is equally at home helping new or challenger brands take on their respective industry goliaths from Bell Direct (online share trading) to Figured (Agtech Saas).

Chantelle Conroy (Te Ātiawa-Taranaki) is a communicator and content creator with a background in media and inclusion.

Chantelle Conroy joined GoodSense in 2023, and brought over seven years of experience in working with community and sporting organisations, Māori organisations and iwi and on conservation projects and in the public sector.  Her previous work experience includes delivering organisational communications and inclusion / diversity advice for the Department of Conservation, and as a Press Secretary / advisor to the Green Party of Aotearoa MPs on stories, issues, policies specific to Te Mātāwaka (the Māori and Pasifika Caucus).  She has also provided digital marketing and content to GAIT, international nature-based solutions and technology provider and biolphilia specialists Green Air.

A former high performance water polo athlete, Chantelle graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelors in Law and Arts – Sociology and International Relations with Politics.  Having been the second in her family to finish high school and the first to enter University, Chantelle wants to use her education and privilege to benefit communities that need it most.

Fiona is Head of Communications & Marketing at the Sustainable Business Network. She is one of New Zealand’s most experienced communicators of sustainability, with 25 years’ experience. She was speech writer for the UK government’s chief sustainability advisor for four years and Oxford University’s first PR advisor on the environment. In NZ she has worked on sustainability communications for organisations of all sizes and at different stages of their sustainability journey since 2000. She has Honours and Masters degrees from the University of Cambridge, specialising in Environment and Development.

Phil is Communications Advisor at the Sustainable Business Network. His career in media and communications has involved him as a writer, photographer and video producer. Over the past decade he has been raising awareness of environmental issues and promoting their solutions at both local and global levels. Phil credits a rural upbringing for his connection to the land and ongoing dedication to sustainability.

Maeghan is Digital Project Manager at the Sustainable Business Network. She works in SBN's Communications and Marketing team, overseeing our website and digital marketing. She is also part of our climate and procurement work. While completing a Bachelor of Management Studies majoring in Marketing and Digital Business from the University of Waikato, Maeghan found a passion for sustainability in business that aligns with SBN's work in creating systems change. She is currently working on her Masters in Sustainable Development Goals at Massey University. In her spare time, you will find her hiking, camping or at the beach.