Expanding horizons
Florence Arke is passionate about bringing people with diverse perspectives together to overcome shared challenges. She now channels this drive by connecting business with the environment.
While studying economics and starting her career in finance, Florence found herself wrestling with a fundamental question: in a world of finite resources, how can our environment go undervalued by so many?
The disconnect between economic theory and real-world environmental outcomes drove her to find a career that could bridge this gap.
Deloitte Netherlands provided that very opportunity. Working alongside sustainability experts she supported clients on European ESG regulation implementations, planning for environmental impacts and integrating these insights into strategies and risk management. As Deloitte’s secondee representative, Florence contributed to the early development of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), a market-led global framework helping businesses report and manage their relation with nature. She makes this practical by supporting first-mover organisations with comprehensive nature impacts and dependencies heatmapping and analysis to identify and prioritise nature risks and opportunities.
Working with Louise and the New Zealand team has been eye-opening. Immersing myself in Aotearoa’s unique landscape has challenged me to think differently and truly appreciate the value of nature in business and everyday life.
- Florence Arke, Sustainability & Climate manager
Climate change and biodiversity loss are global challenges demanding collective, cross-border solutions. The Deloitte global network fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing across countries and industries, including sustainability, where experts unite to create meaningful environmental impact, including in New Zealand. Inspired by this genuine commitment and willingness to collaborate, Florence connected with Louise Aitken, Sustainability & Climate partner at Deloitte New Zealand. Sharing a passion for environmental solutions, Florence jumped at the opportunity to expand her expertise beyond Europe.
In November 2024, Florence joined the Strategy, Risk and Transactions team in Deloitte New Zealand, bringing international perspectives to local sustainability initiatives. On her way to Aotearoa, she attended COP16 in Colombia with several other Deloitte representatives, and actively participated via presentations, and panel discussions on the evolving climate reporting landscape. In particular, she presented key insights from a report co-published with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI).
Since moving to New Zealand, Florence has sought to understand the intersect between Aotearoa’s unique environment and the local economy. By exploring the land, and getting to know people, she gained deeper insight into how the economy thrives, which is grounded in the country's natural assets and geographical features. In a country where nature is deeply embedded in the national identity, Florence sees a lot of opportunity to reposition the environment at the forefront of business thinking, helping drive long-term success as a result. She is especially excited to learn and be inspired by Te Ao Māori and the foundational role Te Taiao has within the Māori world view.
New Zealand’s approach to nature is in many ways inspiring. The experience and knowledge Florence brings will inspire individuals and organisations to look beyond the compliancy checkboxes at the innovative opportunities that are presented when we value our environment. Through secondments like hers, we collectively strengthen our expertise, deepen cross-border collaboration, and reinforce our role as a global leader in sustainability solutions.
