People, planet, progress
Mark Paterson works at the nexus of sustainability, strategic foresight and system change, enabling people, industries and organisations to shape the future.
AgriFutures Australia
Growing the future of Australian coffee
Mark facilitated the co-design of the Australian coffee industry’s first research program, a collaboration between scientists and industry, based on the sector’s RD&E Plan 2025-2030, in 2025.
Fish-LIGHT
Gearing up for sustainable inshore fisheries
In 2026, Mark leads communications for fisheries research investigating the interactions between low-impact commercial fishing gears and protected marine animals in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Exploring the futures capability of Australia
Mark is co-investigator of a national study of how leaders and organisations engage with uncertainty, align strategy with values and build future-facing capabilities.
Dairy Australia
Nutritious food for a healthier world
For over a decade, Mark worked as a facilitator and advisor for the design of the first sustainability framework in Australian agriculture, the globally recognised, award-winning Australian Dairy Sustainability Framework
University of Queensland
Meeting the challenge of global change
Mark was founding Communications Director at the Global Change Institute, a multi-disciplinary hub exploring ways to meet the challenges presented by climate change, population change and technological innovation.
The World Bank
Empowering communities to shape their future
Mark was team leader for communications and behaviour change on the Capturing Coral Reef & Related Ecosystem Services technical support project, working with coastal communities, businesses and policymakers in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Global ESG Monitor
A world-first measure in ESG transparency
Mark was co-founder of a leading measure of transparency in sustainability reporting that ranked companies on stock exchanges in Europe, the United States and Australia, based on their disclosures.
Fisheries R&D Corporation
Switching behaviours to save vulnerable species
Mark was a member of the behavioural research team that created the award-winning Switch Your Fish social marketing campaign that reduced fishing pressure on vulnerable species in Queensland.
Family Business Australia
Securing prosperity for families in business
Mark led consultation and co-design for the 2030 Strategic Outlook – a blueprint for realising the vision of the Board, executives, members and stakeholders of Family Business Australia & New Zealand.