the opportunities of sustainability in business

Driving innovation and impact.

Unlock hidden opportunities while meeting client and market expectations.

I work with owners and leaders of small to medium businesses ($20-$100million) under regulatory, market, or operational pressure, often in financial services, private equity, logistics, agriculture, FMCG, retail, business services and hard-to-abate sectors who need insight, clarity, and actionable solutions that others can’t see.

I help my clients identify opportunities for innovation and impact through sustainability (ESG) principles to improve profitability, enhance customer engagement and reputation, and access new markets.

I work with leaders, helping them understand the intersection of mandatory climate reporting, sustainability and ESG principles with their company's purpose and priorities. With a focus on turning complexity into clarity, businesses can make confident, value-generating decisions quickly.

What is impact?

Corporate Social Responsibility. Sustainability. ESG. Climate Action.

We’ve all seen the terms, but what do they really mean? Technically, and academically, they’re all a bit different.

But who cares?

In reality, you’ve got a business to run. Sales to make. Budgets to keep. Costs to control. People to pay. Employees to find and manage. You’ve got more things on your plate than a hungry man at a buffet!

Here’s what it boils down to.

Your business impacts on the world around you. What you do, make, produce, or sell, and the way you go about that affects the communities and environments you touch. Not only that, the world around you impacts on your business.

Understanding this better, and getting involved in the outcomes, is impact.

Impact outcomes can mean less waste, less cost, better profitability, better recruitment outcomes, better employees, better customers, better relationships, better suppliers, better reputation, better innovation, better products, better profits.

Better business.

Work with me

My rapid turn around program takes companies from laggard to publication ready, without slowing down the rest of the business.

Mandatory Climate Related Disclosures

Climate related financial disclosures are now mandatory for larger businesses. In the next three years, over 7,000 Australian companies will be required to report on the impact of climate change on their business.

While reporting is not a requirement for business with revenue under $50million p.a. it’s important they are able to play where the ball is going.

Watch this Ticker News interview for my thoughts.

Greg Liddell | Impact Frameworks

“I had the pleasure of working with Kate McHugh during our time together at Suncorp, where she consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to deliver on complex, multi-stakeholder projects.

Kate brings both intellectual depth and practical execution to her work; a rare combination that enables her to translate ambitious sustainability and climate agendas into tangible outcomes. Kate has a deep understanding of the risks and opportunities presented by climate change and broader sustainability issues. She combines this with strong technical expertise in impact frameworks and reporting, helping the business navigate evolving expectations with clarity and confidence...”
Kunal Gupta | Executive Upskilling

“I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Kate at AXR to deliver joint sessions on ESG and Sustainability. These sessions have consistently stood out, receiving excellent feedback from our CFO network for their informative, engaging, and highly relevant content.

Kate is a true specialist in this space; her passion and commercial acumen set her apart from the typical “tick-the-box” approach. She goes beyond compliance, genuinely supporting companies to create meaningful and lasting impact in this crucial market segment. Kate’s expertise and commitment make her a standout consultant you can trust.”
John Minns | Exec. Engagement

"A strategic thinker, with strong project management capability, Kate's diverse leadership skills enable her to drive performance through sustainability initiatives, deliver influential advice to senior sector leaders, and manage complex change initiatives.

She is prepared to strongly advocate for a position she believes in, provide direct and honest feedback, and negotiate positive outcomes for stakeholders. These attributes were vital to the delivery of the Strata Futures initiative and enabled our partnership to produce a one of a kind roadmap for change in the national strata sector."
Andrew White | Climate Reporting

"Kate McHugh is a positive force in the challenging world of sustainable business. In the 10 years that I’ve known Kate, I’ve been fortunate enough to witness and benefit from the proactively delivered sustainability-focused outcomes and solutions that have been adopted by businesses on the back of her hard work.

I’ve witnessed how Kate navigates complex organisations and stakeholders with a level of care, respect and candour. And I’ve witnessed Kate bring together people and build communities of practice and interest. But what has always impressed me most, is how I’ve seen Kate continually step up, and step in when the times get tough and others are looking to find the quickest and easiest exit."