Planning for a just transition to a low-carbon future with Spark CEO and CLC Convenor Jolie Hodson

Like all countries globally, Aotearoa is facing a significant challenge in climate change. This requires economy-wide mitigation, to prevent the most severe impacts of a warming planet, and an equal focus on adaptation, as we adjust to the increasingly extreme weather events that are already our reality.

Jolie Hodson, CEO of Spark New Zealand, will share how the telecommunications and digital services company is thinking about planning for a just transition to a low-carbon future. She will share Spark’s views on how technology can enable climate change mitigation, and the digital infrastructure investments that will underpin this; the critical role of resilience in the infrastructure investments we make as a country; and how businesses must play a role in reducing inequalities as this transition occurs.

Chapter Zero NZ, hosted by the Institute of Directors, is the local chapter of the Climate Governance Initiative – a global network that brings together the experiences and ideas of directors from 29 chapters across 71 countries, who are all searching for ways to deliver effective climate governance for the good of their organisations, and the planet.

For practical advice, guides and tools on how to improve the climate governance capability of your boards, see the free resources at Chapter Zero New Zealand.

Jolie Hodson

Jolie Hodson is CEO and an Executive Director of Spark New Zealand. Her appointment to CEO in July 2019 followed a substantial career within Spark, leading different areas of the operating business over a six-year period. As CEO Jolie is responsible for ensuring the Company has a sound strategy and builds a team around her that is able to deliver the digital infrastructure, products and services, and innovation that supports Spark’s customers and Aotearoa to win big in a digital world.

Jolie is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, digital equity, and the role of technology in enabling Aotearoa’s transition to a low-carbon economy. She is a member of Global Women, Champions for Change and a founder of On Being Bold, and is passionate about mentoring women in business. In 2022 Jolie became the Convenor of the Climate Leaders Coalition.