There are moments when you can feel a shift. Our recent thinkstep-anz team days were one of those moments.
Bringing our people together in person again was powerful. Across workshops, strategy sessions and shared meals, there was energy in the room that carried through every conversation. We challenged ideas. We tested assumptions. We shared lessons learned. We celebrated progress. And yes, we had a lot of fun along the way.
That combination of rigour, curiosity and connection is not accidental. It is who we are as thinksteppers. And it is a strength as we look ahead.
From outputs to impact
One message came through clearly across the two days: impact matters. We are strong in data, analysis and numbers. That foundation is critical. But what truly counts is what those numbers mean. The decisions they inform. The emissions they help reduce. The risks they help manage. The opportunities they unlock.
Our independent director, Simon Whitehouse, captured it well. Moving from outputs to impact is not a small shift. It changes how we prioritise, how we invest, and how we show up for our clients. The “so what” is now front of mind in how we think and act.
This matters because the context around us is changing fast. As New Zealand Trade & Enterprise Sustainability Lead Eloise Joiner shared with us, that in many sales meetings there is now a conversation on ESG requirements
Expectations are rising. Scrutiny is increasing. The relevance of credible sustainability advice continues to grow. So does the responsibility. We are ready for it.
Stepping up together
What stood out most across the team days was how clearly our people have stepped up.
In how they lead complex projects.
In how they support each other.
In how they openly share both successes and hard-won lessons.
In how they take ownership of where we are heading.
Many reflected on how much has changed since our last team days in 2024. The growth in confidence, capability and clarity of impact is tangible. More than 120 projects delivered over the past year were showcased in our “hall of fame”. Behind each project is a team committed to helping clients navigate climate risk, reduce scope 3 emissions, strengthen disclosures and embed sustainability into strategy.
Company-wide exercise at Team Days: what do you love about the work you do?
Staying above the line
Leadership was another strong theme. We were fortunate to spend time with long-time collaborator and leadership trainer Andrea Thompson from Catapult. Her session on “staying above the line” became a thread running through the entire programme.
Accountability. Ownership. Focus on outcomes. Openness and care.
These are not abstract ideas. They are daily behaviours. They shape how we work together, how we build trust with clients and partners, and how we support each other when the work gets demanding.
They are also essential if we are serious about impact.
Sailing, not drifting
Our theme for the team days was sailing together on the winds of change. It could not have been more fitting.
Change is constant in our sector. New regulations. New expectations. New data. New scrutiny. It would be easy to feel pushed by it. Instead, we are choosing to navigate it deliberately and together.
In our Three Horizons session with out resident Regenerative Futurist Phil Tate, we looked ahead at what is emerging, what is accelerating and what we need to build now to stay ahead. The momentum in the room was unmistakable. There is excitement about what lies ahead, and even more excitement about who we are becoming along the way.
Celebrating the journey
And of course, there was plenty of fun in the mix. We shared a gorgeous dinner at one long table at the Lyall Bay Surf Club, looking out over the water and taking the time to properly talk. The following evening brought a competitive MasterChef Challenge, with social cooking in teams, a little healthy rivalry and a lot of laughter. For some, the days even included a swim or two in the surf at Lyall Bay.
These moments matter. Time spent together outside structured sessions builds trust in ways that meetings cannot. It strengthens relationships across teams, creates space for informal conversations and reminds us that behind every model, report and strategy is a group of people who genuinely enjoy working together.
The wind of change is ours to steer, and our mission remains the same: to help the world succeed sustainably.
The momentum is real. And we are looking forward to what we will build next, together.
