Webinar: The Future of Corporate Social Impact: Unlocking the 'S' in ESG
Event description
What does meaningful social impact disclosure really look like? Learn how to move beyond box-ticking and create change that’s visible, valuable, and verifiable.
Join our expert industry panel as we unpack the latest research on social disclosures for Australian companies, get to know the role of the Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD), and understand how you can embed double materiality at your organisation.
What we’ll explore:
- The transparency and traceability of the ‘S’ in ESG.
- Unintended results of current reporting practices.
- The emerging global trends and frameworks.
- How communities can help shape and validate corporate narratives.
Panellists
Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures, APAC representatives:
Asha Kayla, former Head of Sustainable Impact, Woolworths Group
Asha Kayla is a Sustainability and Impact leader with nearly 20 years of experience driving large-scale transformation across major businesses in Australia and the UK, including Woolworths Group, Boots, and Royal Mail. At Woolworths, she led purpose-driven strategies that embedded Net Zero, Nature Positive, and social equity outcomes into core business operations, helping to shift the organisation from compliance-driven to purpose-led.
A systems-level strategist, Asha is recognised for her ability to translate complexity into clarity, embedding sustainability into corporate culture, supply chains, and customer engagement to deliver measurable impact.
Her thought leadership is grounded in global best practice, with multiple qualifications in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge, Harvard Business School, and Oxford University.
Passionate about Gender Equity and ensuring a Just Transition for women and girls, Asha actively contributes beyond the corporate sphere. She volunteers with several non-profits and serves as a member of the Regional Working Group – Taskforce for Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD).
Nicholas Dexter, Ethical Business and Reporting, Edge Impact
Nick Dexter is Principal Consultant – Ethical Business and Reporting at Edge Impact, where he leads work on modern slavery, ethical sourcing, and sustainable procurement governance. Drawing on two decades of experience in complex operations, Nick advises ASX-listed companies, industry bodies, and government agencies on embedding the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights into strategy and practice. He is also a Director of Be Slavery Free and MillionMakers.org , contributing to international initiatives that strengthen worker voice and accountability in global supply chains.
Nick is currently undertaking a PhD in Accountability at the University of Wollongong, developing a framework grounded in the proximate, lived experiences of workers to address exploitation in the property and construction sector. He facilitates collaborative discussions and workshops that help leaders navigate complexity, maintain momentum, and deliver measurable progress on human rights, even in turbulent times.
Associate Professor Melissa Edwards, Research and Innovation Director, Centre for Social Impact, UNSW
A/P Melissa Edwards is a leading voice in sustainability and social impact research, with a 15-year track record of shaping how business and policy leaders respond to complex societal challenges. As Research and Innovation Director at UNSW CSI, Melissa led the study The State of 'S' Reporting in ESG, providing the first in-depth analysis of how ASX100 companies disclose social impact. Her research spans stakeholder capitalism, ESG disclosure, circular economy, and impact measurement, supported by collaborations across business, government, and the nonprofit sector. Melissa also serves as the inaugural Climate Action Fellow for the Australian Business Deans Council, where she leads a national action plan to embed sustainability across business schools in Australia.