Every crisis requires courageous leadership, the climate crisis needs climate courage.
Jo Taranto is a fifth-generation farmer's daughter turned environmental strategist and a pioneer in climate courage activation. Growing up on her family's farm in Tenterfield, NSW, she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of the 1990s drought on her family and community, an experience that shaped her lifelong understanding of our interconnected relationship with the natural world.
Her career is as distinctive as it is diverse. Trained as an Occupational Therapist, graduating with Honours from the University of Queensland in 2004, Jo has worked internationally in mental health, community development and rehabilitation. After completing a Diploma in Health Safety and Environment in 2009, she spent over a decade in corporate health and safety, working with clients including Victoria Police and serving as National Safety Manager for a private aged care provider.
In 2018, Jo co-founded Good for the Hood, a social enterprise consultancy building more connected and sustainable communities across Australia, earning a Citizen of the Year nomination and a Volunteer Group of the Year award along the way.
Today, as co-host of Channel 10's Planet Shapers and having partnered with over 200 organisations, Jo is transforming how leaders approach climate responsibility. She helps them move from compartmentalisation to courage, from extraction to restoration, integrating environmental strategy not as a burden but as a genuine competitive advantage.
Her unique background is her secret weapon. Few people can speak to the intersection of land, community, corporate systems and climate with the authority, authenticity and conviction that Jo brings to every room.
Talking Points
Activating Climate Courage in Leadership
For leaders ready to future-proof their business and their legacy.Activating Climate Courage in Leadership
In a world where climate change can feel overwhelming, leaders often struggle to turn good intentions into tangible impact. Jo Taranto transforms that uncertainty into strategic courage. Drawing on her lived experience growing up on a drought-stricken
fifth-generation farm and her work with over 200 organisations, Jo guides leaders to see environmental strategy not as a burden, but as a competitive
advantage.
In this engaging and empowering keynote, Jo will show you how to step beyond industrial legacy thinking, unlock the Leadership Transformation Arc, and activate the courage to make decisions that restore rather than extract.
You’ll leave with the clarity, conviction, and practical steps to integrate regenerative thinking into your leadership, creating meaningful impact for your organisation and the industries you serve.
Key Outcomes:
* Recognise and replace outdated extraction-based business models
* Discover how climate strategy can be your next competitive edge
* Apply the Leadership Transformation Arc to become an industry change catalyst
* Build regenerative business models that inspire teams and transform sectors
Why Climate Courage is your Competitive Edge
A Keynote for future-focused businesses ready to outperform the past.Why Climate Courage is your Competitive Edge
Sustainability isn’t a marketing campaign, it’s a strategic lever that can future-proof your organisation. In this results-driven session, Jo shares the Three Pillars of Climate Leadership that turn cautious leaders into confident change-makers.
Jo’s unique background, from corporate health and safety to founding an award-winning social enterprise, gives her an unmatched ability to translate climate complexity into actionable strategy.
She’ll show you how to stop treating environmental action as optional, and start embedding it into the DNA of your organisation so deeply that your competitors can’t keep pace.
Key Outcomes:
* Shift from seeing sustainability as a cost to seeing it as a driver of growth
* Master the Three Pillars of Climate Leadership: Steward Mindset, Strategic Courage, Regenerative Impact
* Lead with certainty in a time of environmental uncertainty
* Measure success by what you restore, not just what you extract
The Regenerative Leader
For leaders struggling to make ESG meaningful in their business.The Regenerative Leader
The future belongs to leaders who restore more than they take. Jo Taranto has dedicated her career to helping corporate leaders stop compartmentalising
climate action and start leading systemic change.
From her roots on a family farm to co-founding Good for the Hood and hosting Planet Shapers, Jo has seen firsthand how courageous leadership can transform
communities and industries.
In this keynote, she introduces the Climate Courage Compass — a four-part framework that aligns Purpose, Strategy, Action, and Legacy. You’ll discover
how to reconnect with your role as a steward, create regenerative systems, and spark ripple effects that turn your industry from extraction-focused to restoration-led.
Key Outcomes:
* Break free from outdated views of nature as just a resource
* Navigate the Climate Courage Compass for aligned, purpose-driven leadership
* Create regenerative systems that turn environmental responsibility into competitive
advantage
* Leave with the tools to lead change that transforms both your organisation and your sector
MC & Host
Jo Taranto is a dynamic Master of Ceremonies known for bringing energy, clarity and connection to complex conversations. Jo combines technical insight with a people-first approach. Jo is a trusted MC for high-profile events and conferences, including the Australian Circular Economy Forum, the Australian Pacific Circular Economy Dialogue, and the opening of Sydney Climate Action Week. As co-host of Channel 10’s Planet Shapers, she brings broadcast-level professionalism to the stage, seamlessly guiding audiences, elevating discussion, and ensuring events run with impact and purpose.
MC & Host
Video
Jo Taranto | Environmental Strategist & Climate Courage Activator for Leaders - Speaking Reel | Saxton Speakers
Jo has been an exceptional contributor serving as host of the Opening of Sydney Climate Action Week, 2025. Her depth of knowledge in sustainability and climate communication, combined with h ... keep reading Climate Action Foundation (CAWSYD)
Jo is an absolute delight to work with. She was warm, knowledgeable and we had exceptional feedback from event attendees. I would highly recommend Jo to anyone looking for a speaker who pairs both expertise and empathy.
Jo is one of Australia’s leading circular economy educators and has hosted the last three annual Australian Circular Economy Forums and the Australian Pacific Circular Economy Dialogue bringing together world leaders from the APAC region. Jo brings an engaging and accessible communication style that makes her an asset in both strategic and public facing roles.
Working with Jo was a joy. She brought a positive, can-do attitude to everything we asked of her while being extremely professional throughout, making her a valued team member. In facilitating our sustainability event, Jo fulfilled the brief to bring energy to the room and keep the audience engaged while she also moderated several panels with ease. Jo made our event memorable for all the right reasons.
We had the great privilege of having Jo Taranto host our official opening of a new advanced manufacturing facility in Toowoomba Queensland, the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. We look forward to a long working relationship with Jo.
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