Auckland, New Zealand – January 21, 2025 – Toitū Envirocare, Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading climate and environmental certification body, has announced the appointment of Aisha Daji Punga as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 17, 2025.


Based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Punga brings an impressive track record of purpose-driven leadership, including roles as Managing Director at impactFULLco, Chief Executive of the Starship Foundation and senior positions at Frucor NZ, Vodafone NZ, and Tip Top Ice Cream.


Kirsty Campbell, Chair of the Board, said: “Aisha is a bold and purposeful leader with deep passion for a thriving Aotearoa, sustainable impact and transformative growth. She has a proven ability to drive high performance while igniting positive cultures, advocacy and great stakeholder relationships. The Board is confident Aisha will guide Toitū Envirocare into the future, ensuring we continue to grow sustainably, achieve our mission, and drive meaningful change.”


Dr Richard Gordon, Interim Chief Executive Officer, commented: “Toitū Envirocare’s mission is to empower organisations to take climate and environmental action, contributing to New Zealand’s response to climate change. Aisha’s leadership will be pivotal as we embark on the next phase of our journey, ensuring we remain at the forefront of sustainability and certification.”


Punga brings extensive expertise in marketing, sales, innovation and business strategy. She began her career in FMCG, advancing through various roles at Vodafone New Zealand, and spent over a decade at Frucor Beverages, where she held executive roles in marketing, sales, logistics, and as Future Ventures Director. In 2016, Punga built on her purpose-driven approach by taking on the role of CEO at the Starship Foundation, where she further advanced her focus on creating meaningful impact. During her tenure, she led the organisation through a transformative period, improving its financial performance, culture, external engagement, and overall impact. In recent years, Punga has focused on blending purpose and profit through her consultancy, impactFULLco, helping individuals and organisations navigate balancing their for purpose and for profit goals for long term sustainability and impact.


Aisha Daji Punga said: “What drew me to Toitū Envirocare is the alignment with my personal purpose, values and the prospect of helping organisations shift their impact on the climate and environment from negative to positive, at pace. “With a passion for the environment and regeneration, I’m excited and extremely motivated by the opportunity to lead in advancing our nation’s sustainability agenda, and I’m equally committed to ensuring our clients see tangible value—both environmentally and commercially. By bringing a strong customer focus and commercial perspective, I’m excited to lead Toitū in delivering even greater impact and support for organisations on their sustainability journey.”