401 Lorraine Finlay: Human Rights Start Close to Home

My guest this week is Lorraine Finlay - Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, and a leader committed to advancing human rights at every level. Lorraine works to ensure that human rights are not just principles on paper, but lived and experienced in our communities, workplaces, and homes, while also shaping policies and practices at a national and systemic level. This episode - recorded live amidst the hustle and bustle of Convene 2025, Social Traders’ annual conference - is the third in our Short Takes on Purpose series, created in collaboration with Social Traders, where each fortnight we explore powerful ideas and practical insights from leaders driving impact through business. You might notice a few audio discrepancies throughout this conversation (due to being live from the event), but we promise it’s worth tuning in for Lorraine’s powerful insights and reflections. Together, we explore her journey as a leader in human rights, how she balances influencing large-scale change with fostering everyday respect and fairness, and the lessons she’s learned about leadership, empathy, and recognising the progress already being made - even as more work lies ahead. 🔗 Explore more from Lorraine's work here:  https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/commission-general/human-rights-commissioner-ms-lorraine-finlay https://au.linkedin.com/in/lorrainejfinlay Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Andrew Mellody - CEO of Humble Brag, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Co-Ground, Anti-Poverty Award Winner, and a passionate social entrepreneur dedicated to creating meaningful impact. Since launching his ventures, Andrew has built organisations that combine purpose, strategy, and social impact with real-world results. Humble Brag donates 50% of its profits to fund Indigenous youth programs and international aid, while Co-Ground supports community-led development projects in the Northern Territory, Vanuatu, and the Philippines - improving access to education, employment, health, and sanitation. As a leader, Andrew focuses on scaling initiatives while staying true to their mission, values, and community-driven approach. Beyond his entrepreneurial work, he is a thoughtful strategist and storyteller, passionate about showing how business can be both impactful and purpose-led. In this episode, we explore Andrew’s journey as a social entrepreneur, the lessons he’s learned about leadership and impact, and how he balances the challenges and excitement of building enterprises that make a real difference in the world. 🔗 Explore more from Andrews's work (Humble Brag & Co-Ground) here:  https://www.co-ground.org/ https://humblebrag.au/ https://au.linkedin.com/in/andrewmellody Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Jehan Ratnatunga - VP of Strategy and Growth, and a proud co-founder of Who Gives A Crap, the purpose-driven company that makes toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels from 100% recycled or bamboo paper. Since launching in 2012, Jehan and the team have built one of Australia’s most recognisable social enterprises - one that combines humour, creativity, and sustainability with real-world impact. Who Gives A Crap donates 50% of its profits to help fund clean water and sanitation projects, while also helping to save millions of trees through their environmentally friendly products. As VP of Strategy and Growth, Jehan focuses on scaling the brand globally while staying true to its mission and playful personality. Beyond his role at Who Gives A Crap, he is an experienced storyteller and strategist, with a passion for showing how business can be both impactful and joyful. This episode is the second in our Short Takes on Purpose series, created in collaboration with Social Traders, where each fortnight we explore powerful ideas and practical insights from leaders driving impact through business. In this episode, we explore Jehan’s journey as a co-founder, how Who Gives A Crap grew from a bold crowdfunding campaign into a global household name, and the lessons he’s learned about leadership, impact, and building a brand that people truly love. 🔗 Explore more from Jehan's work and Who Gives A Crap here:  https://au.linkedin.com/in/jehan-ratnatunga-90b7394 https://au.whogivesacrap.org/pages/our-impact Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Yasmin London - CEO of The Digital Fluency Group, a leadership specialist, digital safety advocate, and former NSW Police Force officer. Yasmin has dedicated her career to empowering leaders and young people to navigate the complex digital world safely and purposefully. She has worked extensively with youth experiencing cyberbullying and mental health challenges, helping them build resilience and confidence online. At The Digital Fluency Group, Yasmin focuses on First Movers - leaders and organisations who step boldly into new opportunities, adopt innovative strategies early, and set new standards for digital leadership and impact. Beyond her CEO role, she is a sought-after coach, speaker, and mentor, guiding individuals and teams to combine technology, human skills, and purpose to drive meaningful change. In this episode, we explore Yasmin’s journey from policing to digital leadership, her work on digital safety, her First Movers approach, and how leaders can thrive in the intersection of technology and human impact. 🔗 Explore more from Yasmin's work here:  https://yasminlondon.com/ https://yasminlondon.com/first-movers-media/ Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Tara Anderson - CEO of Social Traders, a leader who is helping reshape business so that purpose and profit go hand in hand. At Social Traders, Tara works to build a thriving social enterprise sector, and supports traditional businesses to embed social value through social procurement and ESG practices. She brings international experience across social enterprise, charities, social innovation and for-purpose intermediaries in the UK, Europe and Australia. Her career spans strategy, business development, innovation, marketing, impact, and cross-sector collaboration. She’s designed and implemented organisation-wide strategies for growth and diversification, and repositioned brands to deliver greater societal benefit. This conversation with Tara also kicks off our new Short Takes on Purpose series, created in collaboration with Social Traders, where each fortnight we’ll explore powerful ideas and practical insights from leaders driving impact through business. In this episode, we explore Tara’s journey into the for-purpose sector, how Social Traders is making impact through business, and what it takes to lead with both heart and strategy in a world demanding more ethical, equitable models of enterprise. 🔗 Explore more from Tara's work here:  https://www.socialtraders.com.au/ Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Danielle Mifsud - Community Director at Humans of Purpose Academy, an extraordinary coach and advocate who plays a transformative role in the lives of our members. At the Academy, Danielle leads with compassion and vision, creating a safe and empowering space for women who have experienced domestic and family violence. She curates masterclasses with our amazing partners, equipping members with practical tools for recovery, growth, and job readiness, while also linking them with employment opportunities and networks of support. Beyond her leadership role, Danielle is a gifted coach who provides 1-to-1 guidance for Academy members. Her deep listening, encouragement, and practical strategies have helped many women rebuild confidence, reclaim their independence, and take powerful steps toward new beginnings. In this episode, we explore Danielle’s journey into coaching and community leadership, the unique vision behind Humans of Purpose Academy, and how safe, supportive environments can spark lasting transformation for survivors. 🔗 Explore more from Danielle's work and our Academy here:  https://www.humansofpurpose.com/academy Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Luan Lawrenson-Woods - women’s health advocate and host of the Regarding Me podcast, which helps women build the confidence and tools to self-advocate in their healthcare. At 46, Luan received a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the course of her life. Her experience navigating the health system inspired her to create Rewritten Me, Australia’s first podcast on post-mastectomy reconstruction, and later Regarding Me, where she shares her Six Self-Advocacy Steps alongside expert interviews and lived stories. Her story has been featured on Nine News and The Today Show, and she is building platforms that ensure women are heard, informed, and empowered in decisions about their bodies and health. In this episode, we explore Luan’s journey from personal health crisis to public advocate, why self-advocacy is vital for women navigating complex systems, and how sharing her story has inspired a movement for change. 🔗 Explore more from Luan and her work here:  https://www.luanlawriewoods.com.au/ Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Claire O’Rourke - campaigner, communicator, and author of Together We Can, a book that shines a light on everyday Australians taking action on climate change. Claire is dedicated to helping people and communities respond to the climate crisis with hope, courage, and practical solutions. She is currently the CEO at the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN) and has held leadership roles with Solar Citizens and the Every Australian Counts campaign, driving grassroots action and national conversations that create meaningful change. Her work draws on more than two decades of experience in journalism, communications, and social change, spanning Australia and overseas. Through her storytelling, writing, and advocacy, Claire helps people see that climate action isn’t just possible - it’s already happening all around us. In this episode, we explore what it takes to build a hopeful movement for change, how ordinary people can find their place in tackling the climate crisis, and Claire’s journey from journalism to becoming a national voice for climate solutions. 🔗 Explore more from Claire and her work here:  https://www.aegn.org.au/ https://claireorourke.com/ Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Dr Hannah Tonkin - lawyer, international human rights advocate, and the inaugural NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner. Dr Tonkin took up the role in February 2023 and now leads efforts across the NSW government to strengthen responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence. Her work focuses on fostering collaboration between government, non-government organisations, and the broader community, ensuring victim-survivors have a meaningful voice in shaping policy and programs. Prior to this appointment, she worked as an international human rights lawyer with the United Nations, served as Director of Disability Rights at the Australian Human Rights Commission, and practiced as a barrister in London and Adelaide. She also brings exceptional academic credentials, holding a PhD in International Law and a master’s in civil law from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, along with law and science honours degrees from the University of Adelaide. In this episode, we explore whole-of-government leadership in reducing gendered and family violence, how human rights principles can inform safety policy, and Dr Tonkin’s journey from international advocacy to becoming NSW’s foremost advocate for women’s safety. 🔗 Explore more from Dr Hannah and her work here:  https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/legal-and-justice/our-commissioners/womens-safety-commissioner.html Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.

My guest this week is Laura O’Reilly – entrepreneur, disability sector innovator, and co-founder of Hireup, Fighting Chance, and Avenue, three groundbreaking ventures transforming opportunities for people with disability across Australia. Laura has dedicated her career to creating solutions inspired by the experiences of her brother Shane – building the kinds of services and opportunities that would benefit him, and in turn, countless others. Her work is fuelled by a family united in purpose, each contributing their strengths to create positive, lasting change for people with disability. Drawing on her background in law, advocacy, and social enterprise, Laura has built organisations that challenge the status quo and centre the voices and needs of people with disability. Through relentless advocacy and creative problem-solving, she and her family have shown what’s possible when love, determination, and vision come together. In this episode, we explore how personal experience can spark powerful social innovation, the importance of designing services that enable people to live full and self-directed lives, and why Laura believes community-led solutions are the key to lasting change. 🔗 Explore more from Laura and her work here:  Fighting Chance: https://fightingchance.org.au/about-us/ Hireup: https://hireup.com.au/ Avenue: https://avenuecoworking.org.au/ Growing Your Business and Impact Talk to us today about how we can grow your capacity to level up your business and impact with our fully trained and managed outsourced marketing solutions - delivered by our digital heroes armed with good strategy, the latest tech and big smiles.  Learn more at humansofpurpose.com Promotional Partnerships Like what we are serving up on Humans of Purpose? Our promotional campaigns have delivered great marketing and sales outcomes and ROI for our partners to date.  Whether you're seeking a 1-month, 2-month or season sponsorship, follow the flow below to become a partner before we run out of our remaining promotional slots.  Click Here to learn more about collaborating on a custom campaign package. Ready to partner? Just complete this short Partner Enquiry Form and we'll be in touch. Gold Membership Want a premium listening experience that directly supports us to keep making the podcast?  Join current members Michael, Pravati, Noel, Kathy, Andrew 1, Andrew 2, Chris, Nikki, Margaret, Ben, Misha, Sarah and Geoff and enjoy our range of member benefits:  Premium dedicated podcast feed Removal of all three ads per episode Early access to all episodes Full transcripts of all episodes Brokered intros to all podcast guests Ask me anything page access To take up this great offer, just head to our Gold Member page today. CREDITS Music intro and outro on this podcast was written and performed by Keyo Rhodes, with Harrison McGregor on drums and percussion. Sound engineering and mastering by Lachlan McGregor.