Hayley Whatarau

Background

About Hayley Whatarau

A visionary leader and strategist with two decades global experience across both public and private sectors. I have shaped strategies, influenced commercial transactions, and driven transformative change, ensuring human rights remain at the heart of business practices. My journey has evolved from hands-on advisory roles to executive leadership in human rights and responsible sourcing —where I now steer organizations toward ethical, future-focused decision-making. A trusted advisor across diverse stakeholder groups, I design and implement initiatives that create lasting impact. By embedding human rights into business strategy, I support companies to mitigate risk, enhance brand reputation, and lead with purpose in an evolving global landscape. Rooted in my indigenous heritage from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the Torres Strait, I bring a values-driven approach to leadership: • Respect as a foundation, whether engaging boardrooms or local communities; • Stewardship guiding decisions, ensuring the interconnected wellbeing of people and planet; and • Integrity-led leadership that inspires action beyond compliance to genuine accountability.