The Grand Challengers Podcast Episode #44

What does a best-practice sustainability strategy look like? Discussing nature, valuation, Nordic and Aussie contrasts

Guest: Jarrod Luxton

May 20th, 2025

Episode Teaser

Introduction

“…If you’re not talking about nature at the top of your sustainability strategy, then you’ve kind missed the bus…”

Jarrod Luxton is Senior Lead at The Finnish Innovation Fund, Board Member of Finland’s Sustainable Investment Forum (finsif) and Founder of First Arrow. Jarrod ventured from the nuts and bolts of civil engineering in Melbourne Australia across to Europe in Finland, where his interest in solving sustainability issues centered around better valuation of nature, became his main focus over the course of his career. He is striving to find methods and tools for nature-positivity, provide capacity building and support the implementation of leading international frameworks and thinking in his Nordic home.

On today’s show, Jarrod and I dive deep into the economics of nature-based solutions, from different incentives and disincentives to discussing what a best practice sustainability strategy looks like in 2025! We also compare and contrast urban nature-based solutions between the Australian and Nordic landscapes and also reflect on our journeys and broadening mindsets, having both left Melbourne for Europe.

Biography

Jarrod Luxton is Senior Lead – Nature and the Economy at Sitra, The Finnish Innovation Fund, a role he has held since 2023. He is also Board Member of Finland’s Sustainable Investment Forum (finsif) and Founder of First Arrow. Jarrod holds a Bachelor in Civil Engineering from Monash University and a Masters in Water and Environmental Engineering from Aalto University. Prior to joining Sitra, Jarrod worked as a Consultant at Ramboll, E2DesignLab and EY. He identifies himself as a nature, business & finance specialist with a rich set of skills in team management & leadership, planning & strategy development, clear & compelling communication, client & stakeholder management, and international events & public speaking.

Jarrod is currently responsible for the nature, finance & corporates programme and is looking into implementing the TNFD framework for asset owners, managers, banks, and insurers, and biodiversity footprinting of the Sitra investment portfolio. Prior to this role, he was a Manager – Nordic Nature Lead at Sitra from 2022 to 2023, focusing on nature risk and dependency analysis for investment firms & insurers, leading nature strategy & capacity building efforts in the Nordics, and implementing frameworks such as TNFD, PRI, and CSRD. He also represented and advocated for member companies, served as the nature & biodiversity board lead, and planned and coordinated with Nordic Sustainable Investment Forums. Before that, from 2021 to 2022, he was a Manager – Nature-based Solutions at Sitra, involved in designing and implementing on-the-ground NbS projects, developing digital tools, creating new nature-based product services, and managing teams and external stakeholder engagement.

Resources Related to the Episode

Episode Chapters

(Chapters are embedded in the episode for quick access, click this to expand and view all chapters and time stamps)
  • 0:00 Intro
  • 1:59 Guest Intro & Nordic Summers and reconnecting via Podcast
  • 4:36 Missing Australian Rules Football (“Footy”)
  • 6:14 Jarrod’s own podcast creation journey
  • 7:29 Jarrod’s interest in ESG
  • 12:58 NBS and Terminology
  • 17:13 Valuation of NBS, Sitra and Jarrod’s perspective
  • 34:41 Finland’s Adoption of NBS – current status
  • 37:25 Green gentrification and being equitable with NbS
  • 39:55 The role of spatial data
  • 41:36 What does a best practice sustainability strategy look like in 2025
  • 48:22 Unpacking the importance and thinking of circular economy
  • 51:00 The TNFD-LEAP Framework for financing
  • 55:01 Jarrod’s current endeavours
  • 56:34 Investing in nature – are nature credits a thing?
  • 58:24 The importance of communication and Jarrod’s new company
  • 1:02:18 Q&A Start
  • 1:02:39 What does innovation mean to you?
  • 1:05:28 Key event, person, book
  • 1:08:20 Time Management
  • 1:10:43 Favourite childhood memory
  • 1:11:39 Biggest Challenge to Date
  • 1:14:02 Advice for young professionals
  • 1:15:56 What would you most like to be remembered for?
  • 1:17:35 Where can people reach you?
  • 1:18:31 Final Message
  • 1:18:46 Outro

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