Is the finance sector equipped for the transition to net zero?

What are the origins of ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) and what is its role today?

What is 'responsible investment' in a rapidly changing world?

How can building skills across the sector drive change?

Paul Clements-Hunt is the former head of the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, and coined the term ESG.

Professor Martina Linnenluecke is Director at UTS Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience.

Gordon Noble is Research Director at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.

Rachel Alembakis is Stewardship Manager at U Ethical Investors.

Nayanisha Samarakoon is Head of Policy and Advocacy at the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).

This event was presented by UTS Business School on 27 May 2025, in collaboration with the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) and the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures.

This episode has been lightly edited, and the audience Q&A has been left out.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.

What stories does America tell itself - and who do they serve? In this episode of Impact Talks, we launch the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Democracy Forum with acclaimed historian, author and cultural critic Sarah Churchwell. In her thought-provoking lecture, Sarah explores the national myths that have shaped the United States. She examines how narratives of freedom and opportunity often conceal histories of exclusion, inequality, and disinformation.

Following her address, Sarah is joined in conversation by celebrated author Anna Funder and economist Roy Green. Together, they reflect on the fragile state of democracy around the world and the urgent need to reimagine civic discourse, media and education in an age of misinformation.

Guests:

Sarah Churchwell

Professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities, University of London. A leading voice on American cultural and political identity, Sarah Churchwell is the author of Behold, America and The Wrath to Come. Her work examines the myths that shape national consciousness, particularly around democracy, freedom and populism.

Anna Funder

Author of Stasiland and Wifedom. Anna Funder is an award-winning writer known for her powerful investigations into truth, memory, and authoritarianism. Her latest book, Wifedom, reframes the story of George Orwell through the lens of his first wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy, shining new light on women’s erasure from political and cultural history.

Roy Green

Emeritus Professor, UTS; Chair, Port of Newcastle. An economist and innovation expert, Roy Green has advised governments, businesses, and universities on productivity, industry policy, and economic transformation. He is a passionate advocate for inclusive, sustainable growth and the role of knowledge institutions in democratic renewal.

Presented as part of the Vice-Chancellor’s Democracy Forum at the University of Technology Sydney.

This episode has been lightly edited.

Impact Talks at UTS is produced by UTS Impact Studios, with sound engineering by Alison Zhuang.

What’s in a name? In a vibrant, multicultural society like Australia, names hold deep personal, cultural, and historical meaning.

Yet too often, non-Anglo names are mispronounced, altered, or avoided—reflecting lingering colonial legacies and contributing to the marginalisation of diverse identities in workplaces, schools, and community life.

In this panel discussion, community voices, academics, and thought leaders explore how respectful name recognition can foster deeper inclusion.

The event was MCed by Susana Ng, City of Sydney Multicultural Development Officer, Sand the panel was facilitated by Dr Elaine Laforteza and Dr Zozan Balci from UTS

Dr Elaine Laforteza has a PhD in Cultural Studies. She is the Equity and Diversity Project Officer (Cultural Diversity) at the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion. She has held academic positions at Macquarie University, Charles Sturt University, and most recently in the School of Communication at UTS. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals and community media, and her book ‘The Somatechnics of Whiteness and Race’ is available through Routledge.

Elaine hosts SBS’s award-winning podcast, ‘My Bilingual Family’, and is also an emerging playwright, producing plays for various festivals in Sydney.

Dr Zozan Balci is an academic and sociolinguist in the School of Communications. An expert in life history interviewing, she excels at transforming research into powerful storytelling that resonates with a broad range of audiences.

As a passionate social justice advocate, she connects researchers and students with real-world issues for social change, earning multiple awards for her work with not-for-profits and community organisations through the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion. Her new book, ‘Erased Voices and Unspoken Heritage’ is available through Routledge.

Jie Pittman is a proud First Nations cultural educator, entrepreneur, and storyteller from the Gadigal-Darug, Murramurang/Budawang Dhurga-Yuin, Kooma, Wiradjuri, and Ngemba nations. As CEO of Jie Pittman Pty Ltd, he leads nationally recognised programs such as the 10 Elements Cultural Exchange and the Liven Deadly Program, which embed Aboriginal cultural identity and healing into education, government, and corporate spaces.

Jie brings lived experience and a deep understanding of the power of names as anchors of belonging, resilience, and intergenerational strength. His contribution to Say Our Name offers a decolonised lens on how name recognition can restore dignity, strengthen community identity, and create culturally safe spaces across schools, workplaces, and society.

Koon Lai is an executive coach and leadership facilitator with over two decades of experience with PwC. A seasoned executive, she brings deep lived...