Listen in to Ian Leader, Social Impact Pioneer, cross-sector strategist and founder of Local Works. Ian shares his experience in building partnerships that really work, between business, community and government. With more than 25 years of experience working across New Zealand’s business, charity, education, philanthropy and local government sectors, Ian has become one of the country’s leading voices on collaboration, systems change and social impact brokering. Remember that, social impact broker … a vital role so often over looked.
From pioneering employee volunteering initiatives in the 1990s to designing purpose-driven community investment strategies and place-based partnerships, Ian has spent his career helping organisations move beyond traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) and towards genuine shared value creation.
In this conversation, Ian shares why he believes “communities are jigsaws,” complex ecosystems made up of interconnected people, organisations and cultures, and why businesses must stop thinking about “giving back” and instead start actively participating as part of the community itself.
We explore:
- The evolution of CSR, corporate citizenship and conscious business
Why impact brokers are essential for successful partnerships and systems change - How businesses can build trust with communities and create authentic social impact
- The shift from scarcity thinking to abundance and collaboration
- Why employee volunteering and community engagement should be embedded into business strategy
- What First Nations and Māori approaches to business can teach us about sustainability, purpose and long-term thinking
- How social impact leaders can bridge the gap between intention and execution
Ian also reflects on working in some of New Zealand’s most vibrant and challenged communities, where he learned that “work isn’t always the priority,” and why understanding people’s lived realities is critical for organisations that want to create lasting impact.
Packed with practical insights, systems thinking, real-world examples and unforgettable quotes, this episode is a masterclass in collaborative leadership, social innovation and the future of business as a force for good.
Whether you work in sustainability, ESG, CSR, philanthropy, social enterprise, community development or purpose-led business, this conversation will challenge how you think about partnerships, power and the role organisations play in society.
Discover why the future of impact depends on learning how to work together.
Links:
Ian’s podcast CSR Aotearoa: Agents of Change
Local Works
Local Works Resources
More info about Hunter Lovins
The Partnering Initiative
And if you liked this, try: What Real Sustainability Integration Looks Like in Business, with Fernanda Facchini, Natura
