Welcoming Aisha Daji Punga, CEO of Toitū, to Purposely.

Aisha is an experienced leader whose career has taken her across industries and sectors, from FMCG and telecommunications to health and wellbeing. She’s led major organisations, including her time as CEO of the Starship Foundation, and now heads Toitū, one of New Zealand’s most recognised names in sustainability and environmental certification. In our conversation, she shares how clarity, connection, and purpose shape her leadership—and why she’s energised by the toughest parts of the job.

Her path to Toitū has been anything but linear. Alongside her executive leadership roles, she also ran her own consultancy. But what ultimately pulled her back into a CEO role was people. “I love being around people. I love being connected. I love teams,” she says. Consulting provided stimulation, but lacked the shared purpose and momentum that come from leading a group with a common mission. Returning to that environment was about aligning “head, heart, and soul”—the combination she says fuels her best work.

That philosophy is clear in how she leads. Progress happens when teams move together. Alignment matters more than hierarchy, and clarity is the means to get there. “You have to be clear to be kind,” she notes—a mantra that underpins how she handles everything from strategy to day-to-day conversations. Feedback from her board reinforces that clarity and decisiveness are already shaping Toitū’s direction.

From her first day, Aisha set out to listen. She spent months in conversation with clients, staff, and industry partners—not just to surface what was working, but to hear the harder truths. Those insights became the basis for resets and pivots, with a willingness to say, “this is where we need to go now.” For her, listening and alignment aren’t delays to action; they are what make action possible.

Sustainability wasn’t her specialist field, but that has never been a barrier. She’s surrounded herself with scientists and subject experts who, she says, “astound and inspire me every day.” Her role isn’t to know everything, but to connect people, scale impact, and make Toitū’s purpose resonate widely. “I don’t need to be an expert,” she says. “I need a certain level of understanding, but I don’t need to be all things to all people.”

What comes through in conversation is a style of leadership that avoids jargon and pretence. She doesn’t claim mastery of every detail; what she offers is authenticity, focus, and a commitment to the purpose at the centre of Toitū’s work. Success, for her, isn’t defined by accolades. It’s found in the energy of her team, the trust of stakeholders, and the impact Toitū can deliver in a rapidly changing world.

Looking ahead, Aisha remains grounded: listen deeply, adapt quickly, and never lose sight of purpose. It’s a simple formula, but one that offers a powerful model of leadership for complex times—clear, connected, and unapologetically purposeful.

Thank you to our sponsors Trust Investments

In this episode of Purposely Podcast, we sit down with Rod Baxter, CEO of Kings Trust Aotearoa New Zealand, to explore how the Trust is helping 17- to 30-year-olds build confidence, enterprise, and opportunity.

Rod shares:

• Why listening to young people is the starting point for meaningful change

• The challenges young people face as traditional entry-level jobs disappear

• How the Trust’s enterprise programme and Hikano seed funding scheme are sparking new ventures with a 94% survival rate

• The importance of “radical collaboration” in New Zealand’s crowded non-profit sector

• Inspiring stories of young entrepreneurs building businesses and giving back to their communities

Kings Trust Aotearoa is part of a global network with roots in The Prince’s Trust, but its approach is uniquely local—grounded in the voices, aspirations, and realities of young people across Aotearoa.

Tune in to hear Rod’s journey, his vision for youth development, and why purpose sits at the heart of lasting impact.

Tina McCafferty, CEO of Tōtara Hospice, talks with Purposely Podcast about the meaning of hospice care and the work her organisation does to support people across South and East Auckland.

Tina shares her personal journey from Glasgow to leading one of New Zealand’s most inclusive hospices. She explains why hospice care is about more than medical treatment—it’s about respecting people’s wishes and helping them live well in their final days.

She also discusses Tōtara Hospice’s role in navigating assisted dying laws, emphasising the importance of supporting people’s choices with respect and care.

Most hospice care happens in people’s homes, with thousands of visits each year. Tina highlights how connection, compassion, and respect are at the heart of their work.

The episode also covers the recent documentary Hospice Heroes, which brought honest stories from patients and families to a wider audience. Tina reflects on the impact of the show and the ongoing need for secure funding and fair pay for hospice staff.

This conversation offers insight into the challenges and rewards of leading a hospice and shows why Tina believes hospice care deserves greater recognition and support in New Zealand.

Listen to the episode: purposelypodcast.com
Learn more about Tōtara Hospice: totarahospice.co.nz

James Stewart, CEO of Home Capital Partners, joins Purposely Podcast to talk about housing, purpose-driven leadership, and creating pathways to home ownership in Aotearoa New Zealand.

James shares how his team at Home Capital is working to address one of the country’s most urgent social issues: access to safe, secure, and affordable homes. The conversation explores the full housing continuum—from social housing to affordable rentals and ownership—and the real-world impact of helping families find stability and hope.

James reflects on his personal journey, including formative experiences in Christchurch and international development, and how his faith and values now shape his leadership. He also speaks to the importance of balancing financial sustainability with mission, building strong partnerships, and designing housing models that serve communities long-term.

Themes discussed:

• The link between housing, health, and opportunity

• Purpose and profit: why both matter

• Faith and values in leadership

• The power of patient capital and long-term thinking

• Building homes, building hope

Learn more about Home Capital Partners:
https://homecapital.co.nz

Live from Changing Face of Philanthropy event in Auckland July

This episode explores how corporate foundations can move beyond brand-building into genuine community impact. Ezekiel Raui shares how One NZ Foundation is unlocking corporate resources—from access to elite sports environments to financial expertise—for the benefit of community partners.

He unpacks the “healthy tension” between purpose and profit, and how internal company culture plays a crucial role in sustaining philanthropic focus—even through economic pressure.

Key insight? Real partnership isn’t transactional—it’s relational. Charities should align with funders who share their values, rather than chasing every opportunity. And, looking ahead, Ezekiel offers a bold alternative to traditional philanthropy: community-owned businesses with profits flowing back to the people, permanently.

Big idea: Philanthropy at its best is not about giving back—it’s about sharing power.

In this episode of Purposely Podcast – People Inspired By Purpose, host Mark Longbottom is joined by Sydney Straver, founder and CEO of &BLOOM Sustainability, a values-led business supporting organisations on their sustainability journey.

Sydney launched &BLOOM just two years ago in Aotearoa New Zealand with a clear belief: that business can and should create positive outcomes beyond profit. Since then, she’s been building a purpose-driven consultancy shaped by community, reflection, and a commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Sydney shares how early support from friends and family helped her take the leap into entrepreneurship, and how she later sought professional mentoring and leadership training to grow the business in a more structured, intentional way.

She talks about:

• The realities of starting a values-led business from the ground up

• Her evolving leadership style and learning journey

• &BLOOM’s ambitions to work across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific

• The importance of capability building and fair, inclusive approaches to sustainability

• Why she believes values must guide both her business decisions and personal lifestyle

Sydney also reflects on how her thinking has shifted over time—from questioning her own habits to embracing change through experience and conversation.

&BLOOM is still early in its journey, but Sydney’s approach is thoughtful and grounded. She’s building a business that grows at a sustainable pace, with purpose at the centre of every decision.

Listen now to hear how Sydney is helping others ‘ride the green wave’—and why she believes sustainability should be both inclusive and actionable.

👉 Visit &BLOOM Sustainability: https://www.bloomsustainability.co

Thanks to our sponsors Trust Investments

https://trustinvestments.co.nz/

Purposely SHORT with Lani Evans MNZM

What if communities made the funding decisions that affect them?

In this SHORT episode, Lani Evans unpacks the power of participatory philanthropy—more simply, community-led giving—and why it offers a better way to fund impact and build long-term trust.

Key insights from Lani:

• Participatory philanthropy shifts power to where it matters most

• Community-led processes can reduce competition and build mutual aid

• Trust and transparency can replace traditional reporting

• When communities are trusted, they collaborate—not compete

“We’ve taught ourselves to behave competitively. But we can unlearn it.”

This short conversation challenges the traditional model of philanthropy and offers an inspiring alternative rooted in trust, generosity, and community strength.

Welcoming Arian Ataie and Dion McDougall to the Purposely Podcast—two of the driving forces behind dmtr, a volunteer-led organisation working to end hunger by backing local solutions to food system challenges.

Arian and Dion come from different parts of the world and different professional backgrounds, but they share a clear goal: to support the people and ideas creating long-term change in communities facing food insecurity. They believe that real progress comes not from top-down aid, but from empowering local entrepreneurs and changemakers with the tools, funding, and support they need to thrive.

Their work through dmtr brings together global finance experience and grassroots insight. Arian draws on a mix of frontline experience in food banks and international research into hunger tech. Dion focuses on open data, systems change, and practical innovation at the community level. Together, they’ve created a model that blends financial know-how with a deep commitment to social impact.

dmtr is still in its early stages—run entirely by volunteers—but the ambition is big. Arian and Dion hope to grow the organisation to a point where it can employ staff and expand its reach, helping more social enterprises and food innovators around the world.

Running a global organisation from different time zones isn’t easy. Arian is now based in the UK and Dion in Jordan, with limited crossover in their working hours. But they’ve built a rhythm that works—making steady progress independently and meeting regularly to check in, share updates, and keep each other moving forward.

They also co-host the Social AgTech Podcast, where they talk with others working at the intersection of agriculture, technology, and social impact. It’s become a key part of their mission—educating, connecting, and shining a light on people and projects tackling hunger in new and creative ways.

Throughout the episode, Arian and Dion spoke openly about the personal side of this work. For Arian, it’s been a chance to reconnect with inspiring people from his past and build new relationships through shared purpose. For Dion, it’s been a reminder that there are many others out there trying to build a fairer, more sustainable world—and that finding them is a reward in itself.

Their story is about more than just ending hunger. It’s about collaboration, trust, and building something meaningful from the ground up. Even with a small team and limited resources, Arian and Dion are proving that thoughtful, community-focused work can have a real impact.

🎧 Listen to the episode now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks to our sponsor, Trust Investments NZ.

#SocialImpact #FoodSystems #EndHunger #SocialAgTech #Innovation #Philanthropy #Podcast #PurposeDriven

Purposely SHORT with Martin Rohner
Executive Director, Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV)

What if your bank did more than just hold your money?

In this SHORT, Martin explains how values-based banks differ from the mainstream—and why intentional, community-grounded finance matters now more than ever.

From microfinance in the Global South to renewable energy in the North, he makes the case for finance that puts purpose before profit—and why that doesn’t mean sacrificing performance.

“We’re not trying to be values-based for competitiveness. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do—and that’s what gives us strength in the market.”

🎧 Listen to the full Purposely Short episode and learn why the future of banking may look a lot more like its past.

#BankingOnValues #FinanceForGood #PurposeDrivenFinance #MartinRohner #PurposelyPodcast #GABV #ImpactBanking

The Changing Face of Philanthropy – Impact Lunch Highlights

In this special live-recorded episode of Purposely, we take you inside our recent Impact Lunch at The Grid in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, where 50 PLUS leaders from across Aotearoa’s charity, philanthropy, and investment sectors came together to explore the future of giving.

Host Mark Longbottom is joined by three returning guests—Lani Evans MNZM, Ezekiel (Zeek) Raui, and Izzy Horrocks—for a thought-provoking and wide-ranging conversation on the evolving landscape of philanthropy in Aotearoa. From community-led approaches to corporate and venture philanthropy, this kōrero unpacks the challenges, opportunities, and bold ideas shaping how we give.

We also hear a powerful mihi and welcome from Dale Corlett, CEO of Script to Screen, who grounds the conversation in te ao Māori values and reminds us that true impact starts with people and relationships.

In this episode:

• Corporate foundations as true community partners

• What it takes to grow and fund social innovation

• The power of participatory philanthropy and shifting decision-making to communities

  Honest reflections on competition, collaboration, and redefining success in the sector

  Venture philanthropy

Featured Guests:

• Lani Evans MNZM – Co-Founder of Fundsorter

• Ezekiel Raui – Head of the One New Zealand Foundation

• Izzy Horrocks – CEO and Co-Founder, Aotearoa Lifecourse Fund

• Dale Corlett – CEO, Script to Screen

Supported by:
This episode and event were proudly supported by Trust Management NZ and Trust Investments NZ.

🔗 Follow Purposely
Never miss an episode—subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite app. Visit purposelypodcast.com for more inspiring conversations with people leading with purpose.