In this powerful episode of Sustainability Solved, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton speak with Mike Berners-Lee about the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) initiative. Mike explains how this groundbreaking project brings together top experts to communicate the urgent reality of our climate and nature emergency, and outlines how businesses can transform these challenges into opportunities. The conversation explores media misinformation, political inaction, and practical steps businesses can take to thrive in a sustainable future.

Guest

Mike Berners-Lee - Professor at Lancaster University, author, and sustainability expert focused on helping organizations respond appropriately to climate and nature emergencies.

Key Topics

1. The National Emergency Briefing initiative and its impact
2. Media's role in climate misinformation
3. Business opportunities in sustainability transitions
4. Food security and the shift to plant-rich diets
5. The importance of truth in public discourse
6. Positive tipping points in climate action

Key Quotes

1. "We're accelerating into a poly crisis at the moment, and it's about a response to that." - Mike Berners-Lee
2. "The most important thing to do is to keep the narrative, is to raise the narrative on this. We've got to make it normal to talk about this stuff as though it's a huge deal all the time." - Mike Berners-Lee
3. "We can't afford not to do it. Businesses, you need to do your own independent thinking. You need to get clear view of proper facts on this and then you need to be a bit imaginative about working out how that economic business opportunity pans out for you." - Mike Berners-Lee

Resources Mentioned

1. National Emergency Briefing website: nebriefing.org
2. People's Emergency Briefing film (available from April 7th)
3. Mike's book: "A Climate of Truth"
4. Fit for the Future business tool

Call to Action

Visit nebriefing.org to watch the nine expert briefings and learn how to host a People's Emergency Briefing event at your business after April 7th.

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National Emergency Briefing

National Emergency Briefing

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Please contact Will @ will.richardson@51tocarbonzero.com

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Will and Charlie Luxton are taking a break over the Summer to spend time with their families. We hope to bring you more episodes in early Autumn.

From bottles to biodiversity! Welcome to Sustainability Solved! In this episode, hosts Will and Charlie dive into the fascinating world of wine and sustainability with Dom De Ville from the Wine Society. First set up in 1874 by a bunch of people who wanted to pay a fair price for their booze, the Wine Society is leading the charge in tackling supply chain emissions, improving agricultural practices, and supporting winemakers across the globe. If you’re curious about Scope 3 emissions, regenerative viticulture, and innovative approaches to sustainability, this episode is for you.

Join the Sustainability Solved Hub to collaborate, ask questions, and share insights.

Problem

The wine industry faces mounting sustainability challenges:

1. Scope 3 Emissions: 94% of the Wine Society’s carbon footprint comes from their supply chain, particularly in wine production, glass bottle manufacturing, and shipping.
2. Climate Change: Extreme weather patterns, droughts, and floods are threatening vineyards worldwide.
3. Human Rights Risks: Reliance on seasonal, often migrant, labour raises ethical concerns.
4. Biodiversity Loss: Conventional farming practices, such as pesticide and herbicide use, degrade soil and ecosystems.

Solutions

1. Investing in Suppliers (Insetting):

• Instead of traditional carbon offsets, the Wine Society invests directly in its growers through a Climate and Nature Fund. This supports projects like regenerative farming and reforestation.
• Examples include hydro-seeding trials, agroforestry initiatives, and providing seed money for transitioning to regenerative viticulture.

1. Reducing Glass Bottle Emissions:

• The Wine Society collaborated with 12 retailers through the Bottle Weight Accord to reduce bottle weights by 2027, significantly lowering emissions.

1. Regenerative Agriculture:

• Encouraging natural solutions, such as planting cover crops, using sheep for natural fertilisation, and avoiding soil tillage to preserve carbon stores.

1. Collaboration:

• Active involvement in the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation to share knowledge and best practices across the industry.

1. Producers Making a Difference:

• Highlighting sustainable suppliers on their website to incentivise greener practices and reward innovation.

Results

• Direct investment of £65,000 per year into supply chain projects, supporting growers in transitioning to more sustainable practices.
• A unified industry effort to reduce glass bottle weights, potentially transforming the carbon footprint of millions of bottles annually.
• Positive relationships with suppliers, fostering long-term partnerships and encouraging sustainable innovation.

Takeaways

• Pay a Fair Price: Sustainability in supply chains requires investment and fair compensation for producers.
• Insetting Over Offsetting: Direct investment in suppliers creates measurable, on-the-ground impact while improving relationships.
• Collaboration is Key: Solving sustainability challenges requires industry-wide cooperation and shared solutions.
• Regenerative Practices Work: Nature-based approaches not only improve biodiversity but also increase resilience to climate change.

Resources

• The Wine Society: thewinesociety.com
• Sustainable Wine Roundtable: An industry forum driving collaborative change: https://swroundtable.org/
• Regenerative Viticulture Foundation: Supporting growers in adopting sustainable, regenerative practices https://www.regenerativeviticulture.org/
• Producers Making a Difference: Explore sustainable winemakers on the Wine Society’s website: https://www.thewinesociety.com/buy/wines/producers-making-a-difference/
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
• Ministry for the future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org.

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

Mentioned in this episode:

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🎯 Key Takeaways

• BNG Creates Business Certainty and Predictability
• After decades of inconsistent biodiversity requirements across local authorities, the new BNG regulations provide a standardised Excel-based metric that removes professional judgment and bias from planning decisions. This consistency allows developers to plan, cost, and budget for biodiversity requirements from day one, transforming uncertainty into strategic advantage. As Emma notes, "Developers like the predictability and certainty that comes with this metric."
• Early Engagement Minimises Costs and Maximises Opportunities
• The days of bringing ecologists in at the last minute are over. Smart developers are integrating biodiversity planning into their feasibility and master planning processes from the start, designing nature into schemes rather than retrofitting solutions. This approach not only reduces offsite requirements but can add property value and appeal to residents who increasingly want access to green spaces.
• Nature Disclosure is the Next Frontier for All Businesses
• Just as carbon reporting became mandatory, nature-related financial disclosures are on the regulatory horizon through frameworks like TNFD (Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures). Forward-thinking businesses across all sectors are preparing now, recognising that understanding and managing nature dependencies and risks will become essential for regulatory compliance, investor relations, and talent retention.

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

🌱 Start Biodiversity Planning Early

📊 Assess Your Nature Dependencies and Risks

🤝 Explore Revenue Opportunities in Nature Recovery

🛠 Tools & Resources

• Biodiversity Net Gain Metric - Government Excel spreadsheet for calculating biodiversity units
• Environment Bank - Habitat banking provider with 32 projects across 2000+ hectares
• TNFD Framework - Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
• The Guardian's TNFD Report - Practical example of nature disclosure implementation
• UK Biodiversity and Business Forum - Membership organisation providing support and guidance
• CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) - EU legislation requiring nature impact disclosure

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙 Guest

• Emma Toovey
• Chief Land and Nature Officer at Environment Bank
• Trained ecologist with 20+ years experience
• Former ecological consultant specialising in developer relations
• Expert in biodiversity net gain implementation

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

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🎯 Key Takeaways

1. Just transition requires concrete plans, not warm words

• Workers in carbon-intensive industries need clear pathways for their future, not distant promises
• People have a right to be around the table and shape their own future
• Without fairness at the centre of sustainability transitions, there will be no transition at all
• Example: Oil and gas workers in Aberdeen need specific plans, not vague assurances

2. De-industrialisation is not a viable path to net zero

• Offshoring emissions by importing steel and other materials is not a sustainable solution
• Maintaining an industrial base in the UK that complements net zero objectives is essential
• Green technologies like electric arc furnaces for steel and carbon capture must be part of the mix
• The UK should maximise domestic supply chains in renewable industries to support good jobs

3. Public services can lead the way in emission reduction

• Government can use procurement power to ensure taxpayer money is spent sustainably
• 4 million union members in public services could help drive the transition
• Leading by example in the public sector makes it easier to ask private sector to follow
• Healthcare delivery models can be reimagined for better patient outcomes and sustainability

4. Workers need to be involved in net zero planning

• Companies should draw up net zero plans in consultation with their workforce
• "Union green reps" can function like shop stewards for climate change in workplaces
• Frontline workers often have the best insights into making operations more sustainable
• Small employers in transitioning sectors need particular support

5. Flexibility and lifelong learning are key skills for the future

• Employers themselves often don't know what skills they'll need in 5 years
• Education system should prioritise adaptability over specific employer requirements
• Retraining throughout working life needs to become normalised
• UK employers invest about half the EU average in skills and need to increase this

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1. Establish workplace "green reps"

2. Develop transition plans collaboratively

3. Reimagine service delivery models

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙️ About Our Guest

Paul Nowak is the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), representing 48 unions and just short of 5.5 million workers across every sector of the UK economy. With a background growing up in Merseyside during the industrial changes of the 1980s and 1990s, Paul brings firsthand understanding of what happens when industrial transition is mismanaged. He advocates for a just transition to a sustainable economy that creates good quality employment in the long term, while ensuring workers have a voice in shaping their future.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

Mentioned in this episode:

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Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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🎯 Key Takeaways

1. Making sustainability relatable to everyday life

• Sustainability solutions need to connect to people's daily realities and aspirations
• Starting with people's needs (saving money, time, health goals) makes sustainability accessible
• At IKEA, sustainability was reframed as "creating a better everyday life with lower climate impact"
• Most organisations still fail to ground big existential challenges in people's daily experiences

2. Food and transportation offer the biggest impact opportunities

• Together they represent 60-70% of our climate and ecological impact
• We don't need high-tech solutions like lab-grown meat or flying cars
• Better design of neighbourhoods reduces car dependence
• More plant-based, less wasteful meals make a substantial difference
• These integrate with necessary everyday activities rather than becoming "extra tasks"

3. Joy deserves more attention as a sustainability metric

• Sustainability is often framed as difficult, worthy, and problem-focused, which isn't motivating
• Living sustainably should enhance quality of life - health, social connection, agency, place connection
• There's science showing these factors contribute to happiness and health
• A "joy matrix" could help accelerate sustainability adoption
• People are drawn to positive outcomes more than problem-solving

4. There's no silver bullet - action is what matters

• While we discuss theoretical perfect solutions, we're wasting time
• "Do everything everywhere all at once" is the pragmatic approach
• Focus on high-impact areas that people interact with frequently
• Prioritise solutions that also provide immediate benefits

5. Sustainable placemaking goes beyond efficient buildings

• Human Nature Places uses bio-based building materials
• Designs incorporate active travel (walking, biking) and car sharing
• Community food systems integrate growing spaces and canteens
• Looking at total lifestyle carbon footprint, not just operational building emissions

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1. Prioritise food and transportation changes

2. Frame sustainability through personal benefits

3. Add joy and social connection to sustainability initiatives

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙️ About Our Guest

Joanna Yarrow helps run Human Nature Places, a property development company that designs, builds, and manages neighborhoods that make sustainable living easier. With a background shaped by growing up in a woodland in Sussex with environmentally conscious parents in the 1970s, Joanna has dedicated her career to making sustainability accessible and appealing to mainstream audiences. She previously spent seven years leading sustainability initiatives at IKEA, where she helped integrate environmental considerations into everyday product design and business operations.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

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🎯 Key Takeaways

1. It's not just the cost, but how we see costs

• We tend to view sustainability as a burden rather than risk mitigation
• Poor accounting practices fail to consider whole system value
• What appears as a cost to one business may be value to another in the supply chain
• Example: Housing retrofit costs are viewed as a burden rather than as societal savings

2. Convergent thinking is the most valuable business skill for the future

• We've moved from multidisciplinary to interdisciplinary and now need convergent thinking
• Current education creates divergent thinkers who operate in silos
• Universities are restructuring around global problems rather than traditional disciplines
• Holistic perspectives are essential to extract economic value from sustainability

3. The sustainability movement started too late

• Materials like rubber, iron, steel, and cement were invented centuries before sustainability was considered
• We've "had years to do rubbish" and now face urgent pressure to fix it
• The delay makes the challenge harder, though opportunities still exist to catch up

4. We need a metric for planetary impact on human productivity

• Current metrics focus on human impact on planet, not how planetary degradation affects people
• A "Gbemi scale" would measure how environmental changes affect individuals
• People connect more with health impacts than abstract concepts like sea level rise
• Linking sustainability to personal productivity could be a game-changer for business adoption

5. Businesses need safe spaces to discuss implementation challenges

• Sustainability rhetoric vs. business reality creates a significant disconnect
• Companies put on a show of knowing what they're doing when many don't
• CSO teams often operate separately from core business functions
• Executives lack time to integrate sustainability into existing responsibilities

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1. Adopt whole-system accounting practices in your organisation

2. Create cross-functional sustainability teams

3. Connect environmental metrics to human impacts

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙️ About Our Guest

Dr. Gbemi Oluleye is a lecturer at the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, where she leads research activities focused on making sustainable transitions affordable for industry and the manufacturing sector. She translates her research into executive education programs for chief sustainability officers and sustainability leads, helping them implement strategies in cost-effective ways. Gbemi also teaches Masters students at Imperial on creating sustainable futures, focusing on both the economics and innovation required to drive change.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

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Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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🎯 Key Takeaways

1. Regeneration before sustainability

• Andy challenges the term "sustainability" itself, arguing we shouldn't just sustain everything at its current level
• First regenerate natural systems and accelerate restoration, then sustain them
• The Eden Project itself exemplifies this approach - transforming barren clay pits into thriving ecosystems

2. Global Eden Projects are expanding the model worldwide

• Eden Project China opening June 2025
• 65,000-hectare restoration project in Costa Rica transforming slash-and-burn farming to sustainable cacao production
• New UK Eden Project sites planned for Morecambe and Dundee with unique local connections

3. Confidence and optimism are essential business skills

• Having confidence to make decisions with incomplete information (80% is enough)
• Optimism allows better framing and solving of problems
• Willingness to embrace failure as part of the innovation process

4. Nature has no waste - and neither should we

• Everything in nature is repurposed as part of a system
• Human systems create unnecessary byproducts and waste
• Circular economy principles should be applied to all new projects

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1. Focus on soil health in your garden or community

2. Involve diverse perspectives in decision-making

3. Try circular economy practices in your next project

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙️ About Our Guest

Andy Jasper is the CEO of the Eden Project, a role he took up six months prior to this interview. With a background as Director of Gardens and Parklands for the National Trust and Director of the Investment Program for the Royal Horticultural Society, Andy has had what he describes as "one of the best careers in the world, working in gardens, traveling around the world, and helping make botanic gardens more beautiful and greener places." He previously worked at Eden as Head of Research and Evaluation, giving him deep insight into the organisation's operations and impact.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

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🎯 Key Takeaways

1. The power of connecting the right people

• Some of the biggest sustainability breakthroughs happen when people who've never been in the same room start talking
• Example: The Wales Obesity Alliance has no food companies involved, showing a critical disconnect
• Bringing diverse stakeholders together can lead to "massive quick shifts" in solving complex problems

2. Short-term funding creates short-term thinking

• 75% of environmental funding in the UK is for one year or less
• This creates a "death spiral" where organisations are trained to think small and certain
• Shifting to longer-term funding (3+ years) would encourage more expansive thinking and innovation

3. Breakthrough businesses are ready to scale

• High-potential, high-impact businesses are already developing solutions that could transform entire industries
• Example: A company making powdered egg replacement from fungi that could eliminate 300 million tons of chicken feed annually
• These possibilities exist now but aren't talked about enough

4. Curiosity and embracing uncertainty are essential skills

• The ability to lean into uncertainty rather than shy away from it will be increasingly valuable
• Teaching this mindset to children creates flexibility and openness to new solutions
• Relationships will become more valued than material possessions in a post-growth world

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1. Switch your pension to ethical investments

2. Talk about positive changes you want to see

3. Build your sustainability tribe

🛠️ Tools & Resources

Books:

• "Hospicing Modernity" by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira - A powerful exploration of transitioning beyond modern society

Organizations:

• Unreasonable - An impact accelerator bringing together high-potential sustainability businesses
• The Path - Ethical financial planning and pension provider
• Do Good Faster - Andy's organization that helps businesses find and repurpose lost money for sustainability initiatives

Projects:

• Hard as Nails - Project to engage men in conversations about toxic masculinity

🎙️ About Our Guest

Andy Middleton has been an early pioneer in the B Corp movement in the UK. He founded TYF, an adventure and education company in Wales, and now runs multiple social impact initiatives including Do Good Faster. Andy's work focuses on accelerating sustainability solutions through business, education, and place-based change.

💚 Help us make the show better!

Share your feedback at podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

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🎯 Key Takeaways

• The Power of Industry Collaboration
• Breaking sustainability barriers often requires collective action across an entire industry. By working with peers and competitors on common environmental challenges, businesses can create standardised tools, share best practices, and solve systemic issues impossible to tackle alone. As Sebastian notes, "There are some problems that people can come together on, problems that they can't solve on their own."
• Target, Measure, Act: A Framework for Progress
• Successful sustainability collaboration hinges on clear goals and consistent measurement. By setting shared targets, agreeing on common metrics, and tracking progress together, industry-wide initiatives avoid getting sidetracked by competing methodologies. This approach has enabled Sky to reduce their absolute emissions by 17% since 2018 and provides smaller organisations with proven tools they couldn't develop independently.
• Balancing Competition and Collaboration
• The most effective industry initiatives clearly define where companies work together and where they compete. As Sebastian explains, "identify where collaborative action will really make a difference, and where competition might get you there faster." This carefully structured approach avoids legal pitfalls while encouraging innovation in areas where competition serves the greater good.

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1️⃣Join Your Industry's Sustainability Initiative

2️⃣ Implement the "Target, Measure, Act" Approach

3️⃣ Share Your Sustainability Journey Transparently

🛠 Tools & Resources

• Ad Net Zero - Industry initiative for sustainability in advertising
• "Sustainable Advertising" book by Matt Bourne and Sebastian Munden
• Sky Zero Footprint Fund - £2 million fund for sustainable advertising
• WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) - NGO working on circular economy initiatives
• Kyoto @ Sohoplace

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙 Guests

Sebastian Munden

• Connect: Chair of AdNet Zero
• Chair of WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme)
• Former CEO of Unilever UK and Ireland
• Co-author of "Sustainable Advertising"

Fiona Ball

• Connect: Group Director for Bigger Picture and Sustainability at Sky
• Lead for Sky Zero campaign
• Pioneer in media industry sustainability initiatives

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click 'Got a Coupon' and enter code 'PODCAST' to claim a 20% discount.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

Mentioned in this episode:

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Book a call with me now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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🎯 Key Takeaways

The Business Case for Environmental Leadership

• Political gridlock on environmental issues is creating opportunities for proactive businesses. Companies taking initiative on sustainability are seeing increased customer loyalty, stronger employee engagement, and better positioning for inevitable future regulations. As Roz notes, "Young people going into work want to do something that feels purpose-led."

Community-Driven Solutions Are Gaining Power

• With government action limited, local initiatives and business-community partnerships are becoming crucial drivers of environmental progress. From tool-sharing schemes to community fridges, organisations finding ways to support local sustainability efforts are building valuable goodwill and resilience.

Preparing for Future Regulation

• While the Climate and Nature Bill faced setbacks, similar measures are likely to return. Smart businesses are getting ahead by implementing environmental strategies now, rather than scrambling to comply later. As one law firm noted, clients without sustainability plans are increasingly seen as high-risk investments.

⚡ Quick Wins & Actionable Steps

1️⃣ Map Your Environmental Risk and Opportunity

• Time commitment: 2-3 hours
• Resource needed: Compare Your Footprint software (20% discount with code 'PODCAST')
• Success indicator: Clear understanding of your biggest environmental impacts and opportunities

2️⃣ Build Local Sustainability Partnerships

• Time commitment: 4-6 hours monthly
• Resource needed: Local business networks and community groups
• Success indicator: At least one active community environmental partnership established

3️⃣ Develop a Regulation-Ready Strategy

• Time commitment: 1-2 days
• Resource needed: Current environmental standards and industry benchmarks
• Success indicator: Environmental action plan that exceeds minimum compliance levels

❓ Got a question?

Ask us and we'll try our best to answer it in the show!

podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org

🔄 Share Your Impact

Help build our community of practice:

• Let us know how you implemented these actions
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🎙 Guest

• Roz Savage MP - Liberal Democrat MP for South Cotswolds
• Connect: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5352/contact

🛠 Tools & Resources

• "The Ocean in a Drop" - Book by Roz Savage exploring why humans struggle to address environmental challenges
• Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester - Mentioned as a hub for agricultural knowledge sharing
• Better Business Act - Referenced in discussion of business-led environmental initiatives
• B Corp Certification - Highlighted as an example of business sustainability leadership
• Leaders Pledge for Nature - International agreement mentioned in discussion of environmental commitments
• Global Biodiversity Framework - Referenced environmental agreement

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click 'Got a Coupon' and enter code 'PODCAST' to claim discount.

👫 Credits

• Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton
• Production: Soundquake
• Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner
• Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

💚 Help us make the show better! Share your feedback

Rate and review us on your favourite podcast platform

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

Apply now

Apply now

Book a call with me now

🎯 Key Takeaways:

Infrastructure Transition

• Fleet electrification is a major challenge for large organisations but critical for meeting net zero targets
• Openreach is successfully converting their massive van fleet to EVs by tackling infrastructure, behaviour change, and practical challenges simultaneously

Stakeholder Engagement

• Success requires buy-in across all levels, from field engineers to finance
• Openreach uses different messaging for different audiences - from clean air benefits for those with asthmatic children to ESG requirements for raising capital

Supplier Integration

• Net zero goals require transformation across the entire supply chain
• Openreach embeds carbon reduction requirements in supplier contracts and shares best practices across their network

⚡ Quick Wins (Next 24 Hours):

Action 1: Map your sustainability messaging [30 mins]

Resource needed: Stakeholder mapping template

Success indicator: Different value propositions identified for key stakeholder groups

Action 2: Audit supplier contracts [2 hours]

Resource needed: Current supplier agreements

Success indicator: Opportunities identified to embed sustainability requirements

Action 3: Identify potential sustainability champions [1 hour]

Resource needed: Employee roster and team structure

Success indicator: List of employees who demonstrate both business acumen and sustainability interest, representing different departments/levels

❓ Got a question?

We’re here to help you with your sustainability problems. Submit a question for the show here

🔄 Share Your Impact:

Help build our community of practice:

• Let us know how you implemented these actions: podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org
• Submit your case study
• Join our Sustainability Solved Hub

🛠 Tools & Resources:

Reading Recommendations:

• Material World by Ed Conway - Deep dive into the raw materials shaping our future
• How to Get Big Things Done by Bent Flyverberg and Dan Gardner

🎙 Guest:

Abby Chicken

Head of Sustainability, Openreach

Connect: LinkedIn

Organisation: Openreach

🏢 Green Element Group

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click 'Got a Coupon' and enter code 'PODCAST' to claim discount.

👫 Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

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Case Study Format

Problem

The wine industry faces mounting sustainability challenges:

1. Scope 3 Emissions: 94% of the Wine Society's carbon footprint comes from their supply chain, particularly in wine production, glass bottle manufacturing, and shipping.
2. Climate Change: Extreme weather patterns, droughts, and floods are threatening vineyards worldwide.
3. Human Rights Risks: Reliance on seasonal, often migrant, labour raises ethical concerns.
4. Biodiversity Loss: Conventional farming practices, such as pesticide and herbicide use, degrade soil and ecosystems.

Solutions

Investing in Suppliers (Insetting):

• Instead of traditional carbon offsets, the Wine Society invests directly in their growers through a Climate and Nature Fund. This supports projects like regenerative farming and reforestation.
• Examples include hydro-seeding trials, agroforestry initiatives, and providing seed money for transitioning to regenerative viticulture.

Reducing Glass Bottle Emissions:

• The Wine Society collaborated with 12 retailers through the Bottle Weight Accord to reduce bottle weights by 2027, significantly lowering emissions.

Regenerative Agriculture:

• Encouraging natural solutions, such as planting cover crops, using sheep for natural fertilisation, and avoiding soil tillage to preserve carbon stores.

Collaboration:

• Active involvement in the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation to share knowledge and best practices across the industry.

Producers Making a Difference:

• Highlighting sustainable suppliers on their website to incentivise greener practices and reward innovation.

Results

• Direct investment of £65,000 per year into supply chain projects, supporting growers in transitioning to more sustainable practices.
• A unified industry effort to reduce glass bottle weights, potentially transforming the carbon footprint of millions of bottles annually.
• Positive relationships with suppliers, fostering long-term partnerships and encouraging sustainable innovation.

Takeaways

• Pay a Fair Price: Sustainability in supply chains requires investment and fair compensation for producers.
• Insetting Over Offsetting: Direct investment in suppliers creates measurable, on-the-ground impact while improving relationships.
• Collaboration is Key: Solving sustainability challenges requires industry-wide cooperation and shared solutions.
• Regenerative Practices Work: Nature-based approaches not only improve biodiversity but also increase resilience to climate change.

Resources

• The Wine Society: thewinesociety.com
• Sustainable Wine Roundtable: An industry forum driving collaborative change: https://swroundtable.org/
• Regenerative Viticulture Foundation: Supporting growers in adopting sustainable, regenerative practices https://www.regenerativeviticulture.org/
• Producers Making a Difference: Explore sustainable winemakers on the Wine Society's website: https://www.thewinesociety.com/buy/wines/producers-making-a-difference/
• Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
• Ministry for the future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org.

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply now

Book a call with me now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Problem

Digital emissions, often overlooked, contribute 4% of global carbon emissions, surpassing the aviation sector. Organisations frequently underestimate their digital footprint, focusing instead on areas like travel. This lack of awareness results in inefficient websites, high electricity usage from data centres, and excessive consumption of new tech.

Solutions

Optimising Websites:

• Build lightweight websites using lean code to minimise energy usage.
• Audit and reduce resource-heavy elements like autoplay videos, large images, and redundant scripts.
• Adopt green hosting providers powered by renewable energy.

Promoting Awareness:

• Use tools like the Website Carbon Calculator to measure digital impact.
• Encourage transparency about digital emissions in board-level discussions.

Extending Equipment Lifespan:

• Repair and refurbish devices instead of replacing them.
• Purchase refurbished technology and prioritise products with high repairability scores.

Innovative Cooling for Data Centres:

• Explore creative solutions like reusing data centre heat for community swimming pools or industrial applications.

Results

• Wholegrain Digital reduced one client’s website emissions by 94% through creative pixelation and optimisation techniques.
• Organisations like the UK Green Building Council have embraced these practices, integrating sustainability into their core operations and communications.
• Businesses are now reporting digital emissions at board level, leading to greater accountability and alignment with sustainability goals.

Takeaways

• Awareness is Key: Educate teams about the impact of digital emissions and their role in reducing them.
• Start Small, Think Big: Begin with low-hanging fruits like using dark mode, adjusting video quality, and switching to green hosting.
• Leverage Tools: Utilise resources like the Digital Declutter Toolkit to identify actionable changes.
• Continuous Maintenance: Regularly review and optimise websites and digital processes to sustain long-term benefits.

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Mentions and Resources

• Possible by Chris Goodall
• The Ministry for the Future
• Sustainable Web Design by Tom Greenwood
• UKGBC.ORG
• Deep Green
• Greenpeace, Click, Clean
• Tom Greenwood Substack

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org.

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Book a call with me now

Apply now

Problem

Soundquake initially operated as a generalist audio production company, taking on various projects without a focus or direction. This approach resulted in a lack of purpose, excessive travel, economic instability, and an unsustainable business model that conflicted with the founders' personal values, especially as they became more environmentally conscious.

Solutions

• Client Selection: The company began working exclusively with clients aligned with sustainability values, turning down projects that didn’t fit this criteria.
• Remote Work: They closed their Cardiff office and moved to remote working, reducing the need for travel and office-related emissions.
• Sustainable Procurement: Opted for high-quality, second-hand equipment to minimise electronic waste.
• Niche Focus: Specialised in purpose-driven podcasts, allowing them to become a go-to provider for other purpose-driven people.

Results

• Greater Alignment: The business is now fully aligned with the founders’ values, leading to deeper fulfilment and motivation.
• New Market Opportunities: Focusing on sustainability has attracted more suitable clients and opened up new business prospects.
• Environmental Impact Reduction: Remote work significantly lowered travel emissions, and using second-hand equipment helped decrease electronic waste.

Takeaways

• Align Business with Values: Choose clients and projects that reflect your organisation’s mission for a more meaningful impact.
• Niche Specialisation Drives Success: Focusing on a specific area can unlock unique opportunities and differentiate your brand.
• Saying No Can Lead to Better Opportunities: Declining projects that don’t align with your mission can open doors to more suitable and impactful work.
• Adopt Flexible, Sustainable Practices: Remote work and sustainable purchasing can improve both environmental impact and business efficiency.

Mentions & Resources:

• Hook Norton Community Land Trust
• The Ministry for the Future
• Clean Creatives
• SDG Action Manager

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Business Declares, a network inspiring businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. Learn more at Business Declares.

Credits

Hosts: Will Richardson, Charlie Luxton

Production: Soundquake

Exec-Producer: Sam Hamilton-Turner

Producer: Jake Lee-Savage

For questions or feedback, email us at podcast@sustainabilitysolved.org.

Tune in next time for more stories on sustainability and business innovation!

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Book a call with me now

Hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton are joined by special guests David Birkbeck, Managing Director of Design for Homes, and Richard Williams, Development Manager at VELUX.

They dive into the highlights from the 2024 Housing Design Awards, the UK’s longest-running awards program celebrating excellence in housing design. Discover how this year’s winning projects are pushing the boundaries of sustainability and community engagement. 

Sustainability in Housing

• Sustainability is now a core aspect of housing design, evolving beyond energy efficiency to include goals like biodiversity and biophilic design, which foster a deeper connection to nature.
• David Birkbeck explains how architectural awards are setting higher standards for daylight, outdoor spaces, and overall liveability, shaping industry practices.

Innovative Housing Projects 

• The Blenheim Estate’s Hill Rise development exemplifies a model that minimises car use and integrates green spaces, creating more pedestrian-friendly streets.
• A new project in Lewes focuses on shared mobility hubs to reduce individual car ownership and improve community spaces.
• Richard highlights the Alkerden Gateway project’s adaptable living spaces and the Appleby Blue Almshouses’ blend of outdoor spaces with community living for seniors.

Environmental Impact and Design Innovations

• Richard discusses the “Living Spaces” project’s success in lowering embodied carbon by using alternative materials and notes Denmark and the Netherlands as leaders in this approach.
• Velux reinvests 90% of its profits into health and environmental research, demonstrating a strong commitment to healthier living environments.

Future of Housing Innovation

• Innovative designs from smaller developers are increasingly being adopted by larger firms, showing a growing acceptance of high-quality, efficient housing solutions.
• Richard and David highlight the rising focus on mental health in housing design, emphasising the benefits of daylight and environmental quality as shown in recent award-winning projects.

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount. 

A big thank you to our sponsors!

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply now

Book a call with me now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Each year, the industry uses around 20 million pallets, yet only 10% are recovered or reused. The rest end up in landfills, contributing to significant waste and environmental damage.  

Joining the discussion is Paul Lewis, Founder of Pallet Loop, who is on a mission to transform how pallets are used, tracked, and reused in construction. Paul shares how his innovative approach is set to tackle this issue.  

Key Highlights: 

The Pallet Loop Initiative: 

• Discover how Pallet Loop is pioneering the first reusable, trackable, and returnable pallet specifically for construction, potentially cutting pallet-related emissions by 40%.  
• Paul compares the construction industry to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, where reuse rates reach 98%.  
• Learn about the deposit-based model inspired by Germany and Norway’s bottle recycling schemes, designed to maintain the value of pallets.  
• Explore the innovative logistics system Pallet Loop has developed, featuring Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to efficiently recover pallets.  

Economic and Environmental Impact:  

• Paul reveals shocking statistics: 6000 acres of forestry are felled annually to produce single-use pallets for construction.  
• Hear how poor design contributes to waste and how Pallet Loop promotes standardisation from the outset to combat this issue.  
• Understand how Pallet Loop not only reduces waste and carbon emissions but also offers a cost-effective solution for the supply chain.  
• Paul discusses how Pallet Loop has helped suppliers like British Gypsum meet their Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) goals, addressing Scope 3 emissions without increasing cost for clients.  

Overcoming Industry Resistance:  

• The discussion highlights the challenges of persuading a traditionally change-resistant industry to adopt sustainable practices, often hindered by economic pressures and procurement processes. 
• Paul outlines his vision to overcome these barriers by extending reuse principles throughout the entire construction supply chain, with plans to expand the loop system to include other materials like cement bags and bulk packaging. 

Resources:  

Pallet Loop  

British Gypsum  

Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMGC) Industry 

Germany’s bottle recycling system 

Norway’s recycling program 

RFID technology  

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub.  

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.  

A big thank you to our sponsors!  

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.  

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.  

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares  

Mentioned in this episode:

Book a call with me now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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In this episode, we delve into the transformative world of football sustainability.  

We explore the Football Sustainability Index, a groundbreaking initiative assessing clubs on their environmental impact, equality standards, financial sustainability, and community engagement.  

Joining us is Niall Couper from Fair Game, a volunteer-driven organisation dedicated to transforming the governance of football to ensure the sport contributes positively to its communities and operates sustainable. This episode uncovers the current challenges and vision for football’s sustainable future. 

What is the Football Sustainability Index? 

• The index assesses football clubs on environmental impact, equality standards, financial sustainability, and community engagement.  
• Football clubs are not just teams. They are community hubs offering services like dementia groups, walking football, food banks, and environmental programs. 

Current Challenges in Football: 

• The football culture often prioritises short-term gains through high player wages over long-term community investments. 
• The Premier League generates £3.19 billion annually, with most funds directed towards player wages, leaving minimal support for lower league clubs. 
• Example: For every £1,000 a Premier League club earns, only 15 pence goes to lower league clubs. Increasing this to £22 would greatly enhance community services. 

Long-Term Vision for Football: 

• Encouraging clubs to adopt long-term thinking can strengthen community ties and create a more sustainable football ecosystem. 
• Clubs like AFC Wimbledon and Lincoln City exemplify how a long-term approach can yield both social and financial benefits. 

Regulatory Framework and Financial Instability: 

• The football governance bill proposes an independent regulator to oversee financial distributions and ensure clubs meet sustainability criteria. 
• Since 2000, 64 clubs have gone into administration, with 58% of clubs in the top four divisions being technically insolvent. 

ESG and Equal Pay in Football: 

• Niall highlights Dale Vince’s Green Code initiative promoting sustainability in football. Will discusses the holistic approach, including veganism, at Forest Green Rovers. 
• Niall suggests rewarding clubs adhering to sustainable practices to drive cultural change. 
• Niall emphasises the need for financial incentives for clubs excelling in sustainability and advocates integrating the Green Code into a broader sustainability index. 
• Niall covers Scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions tracking and the importance of long-term thinking in football management. 
• The podcast concludes by discussing Fair Game’s efforts to create an index for clubs based on sustainability, social impact, and financial stability. 

Resources: 

Football Sustainability Index 

Fair Game 

Dale Vince’s Green Code 

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With a strong corporate retail background and a deep passion for sustainability, Charlotte is on a mission to revolutionise the bottled water industry by integrating purpose with profit. Tune in to discover how she and Belu Water are transforming how we consume water! 

Key Highlights: 

• Charlotte discusses Belu’s unique co-leadership model, where two CEOs with different skill sets collaborate to enhance the company’s performance. 
• Belu started with the belief that businesses can help solve global problems. Charlotte shares the company’s journey from its inception by Reed Paget, to becoming a leading social enterprise committed to sustainability. 
• Every decision at Belu is filtered through the lens of environmental impact, ensuring that sustainability remains a core value. 
• Charlotte delves into Belu’s partnership with WaterAid, which provides unrestricted funds to support critical water and sanitation projects globally. Charlotte recounts a visit to Malawi, witnessing the life-changing impact of clean water access in rural communities. 
• Belu’s expansion to Hong Kong and Singapore is discussed, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of scaling a purpose-driven business internationally. 
• Charlie raises the discussion of the carbon footprint of bottled water compared to tap water. Charlotte acknowledges the environmental impact of bottled water but explains the practical challenges in the hospitality sector where bottled water remains crucial. 
• The growing adoption of filtration systems in restaurants and hotels is explored, providing a sustainable alternative to bottled water. 
• Charlotte explains her dissatisfaction with the carbon offset markets, which led Belue to focus on supporting nature-based solutions and biodiversity projects in the UK instead. 

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. 

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount. 

A big thank you to our sponsors! 

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. 

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change. 

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares 

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Fellow B Corp Full Circle Funerals stands at the forefront of this evolution by reframing funerals within the realm of health and social care. By prioritising holistic support and sustainability, Sarah challenges the conventional transactional approach of traditional funeral services.  

The episode underscores the evolving landscape of funeral services, where sustainability is becoming integral to end-of-life planning and commemoration. 

Highlights:  

• With approximately 600,000 funerals arranged annually in the UK, Sarah sheds light on the environmental impact of traditional flame cremations and explores alternative options like electric cremators and natural burials.  
• The conversation extends to personal choices in funeral arrangements and the importance of discussing end-of-life wishes with loved ones.  
• Sarah’s book, Funerals Your Way, provides a resource for individuals to navigate their options and make informed decisions aligned with sustainability principles. Use code FYW25OFF for 25% off your copy here.  
• Through crowdfunding, Sarah initiated a groundbreaking study evaluating the environmental impact of different committal methods, including burial and cremation. Beyond carbon emissions, the study also considers factors like land usage, water consumption, space utilisation, and biodiversity.  
• Sarah highlights the benefits of natural burial, which involves shallow depth and biodegradable materials as potentially the most environmentally friendly option.  
• The conversation touches on the response of the funeral industry to sustainability efforts, with Sarah acknowledging the challenges of mobilising a diverse sector without regulatory guidance.   
• Will and Charlie share their personal experiences and perspectives, with Will discussing his decision to opt for a wicker basket burial for his father and reflects on the environmental impact of funeral practices.  

Resources: 

Full Circle Funerals 

Funerals Your Way by Sarah Jones – use code FYW25OFF for 25% off! 

Greener Funerals Research  

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. 

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount. 

A big thank you to our sponsors! 

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. 

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change. 

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares 

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply now

Book a call with me now

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Title: Exploring Careers in Sustainability In this episode, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton explore the booming landscape of sustainability careers, a sector that has witnessed huge growth in the UK job market. With sustainability-focused roles accounting for 1/3 of UK job postings, the industry has become a focal point for professionals looking to make positive environmental impact. To delve into this topic, we are joined by Serrol Osman, Director of Verdant Search, a renowned firm specialising in Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) and sustainability recruitment. Together, they unpack the evolving dynamics of the industry and provide invaluable insights, advice, and strategies for individuals looking to transition into sustainability careers.

1. Market Dynamics and Industry Disruption:

· Serrol reflects on the rapid growth of sustainability careers up to 2022, noting a slowdown due to global economic factors.

· The discussion covers shifts in salary structures, challenges in accommodating rising costs, and talent shortages at mid-level positions.

· Despite uncertainties, Serrol predicts continued growth driven by regulatory changes and corporate sustainability initiatives.

2. Confusion and Evolution in Job Descriptions:

· The podcast addresses confusion in job descriptions amidst the fast-paced evolution of sustainability roles.

· Serrol discusses challenges in finding the right talent, inconsistent salaries, and the need for clear job definitions to streamline recruitment processes.

3. Demand for Purpose-Led Companies:

· Both hosts emphasise candidates' desire to work for purpose-driven companies.

· Serrol underscores the importance of aligning company values with employee aspirations for enhanced retention and growth.

4. Evolution of Recruitment Profiles:

· Serrol predicts that, like digital transformation, specialised sustainability roles will be integrated into traditional business operations.

· The discussion highlights the role of sustainability leadership and reporting structures in driving meaningful organisational change.

5. AI and Future Job Trends:

· Serrol offers insights into AI's potential impact on green jobs, predicting shifts in productivity and new roles in design, research, and policy.

· Serrol stresses the significance of soft skills and emerging opportunities within the sustainability domain.

6. Advice for Aspiring Professionals:

· Serrol advises aspiring professionals to assess their skill sets and explore opportunities in education, voluntary sectors, and current companies.

· The discussion emphasises starting with broad sustainability concepts before specialisation and the value of diverse skill sets, including communication and adaptability.

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

A big thank you to our sponsors!

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply to become an Ambassador today!

Earn extra income while being part of a growing community accelerating the sustainable future we all need.

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Why did Stuart Goldsmith decide to make jokes about Climate Change? 

• Stuart talks about spending 10 years as a street performer and his increasing feeling of ‘eco-dread’. He acted on this feeling by writing and performing comedy about Climate Change. 
• Stuart talks about the challenges of performing material about the Climate Crisis to audiences. 

How does Climate Change comedy compare to activism? 

• Charlie asks Stuart whether this was a form of activism. Stuart has attended Extinction Rebellion protests and a Just Stop Oil meeting. He respects their commitment but didn’t feel like these were his normal social group. 
• Will highlights when we tackle a new way of sending a message, it is a kind of activism. Will compares it to when he worked in sustainability in the early days of his career.     
• Stuart talks about his journey writing jokes on the Climate Crisis and soliciting climate confessions from the audience. But tries to go further and influence his more famous comedy friends to include the topic in their material. 
• Stuart wants his audiences to feel more comfortable starting a conversion about Climate Change with friends.  
• Stuart also shares a joke about flying business class. 

How does Stuart gather research? 

• Stuart talks about taking part in Climate Fresk, a workshop designed to teach the fundamental science behind Climate Change, and also playing EN-ROADS, an online simulator with the ability to test and explore cross-sector climate solutions. 
• Will and Stuart discuss the impact of flying that’s both negative and positive to society.  
• Stuart talks about interviewing people for his podcast, The Comedian’s Comedian, using one example of a global sustainability person for a huge US investment bank talking about Climate Change, politics, and Trump. This interviewee stressed that capital money has decided that [Climate Change] is real, so we can’t pretend it’s not real.  
• Charlie offers the example of Trump supporting the reopening of coal mines, but none opened because no-one would invest in them. 
• Stuart raises climate justice, and the fact people are already running for their lives. He asks what will humanity look like in the future? 
• Charlie responds by quoting James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis, where he recorded that if we hit an increase if 5-5 degrees above pre-industrial levels we could go from 8 billion people down to 1.5 billion living in the far North and far South.  

What’s the worst thing Stuart jokes about? 

• Stuart doesn’t communicate how horrible a topic is to his audience, or they will stop listening. He thinks we need to safeguard our mental health.  
• Stuart talks about being a parent and offers a ‘worst thing’ joke related to his fellow playground dad’s kids.  

Audience demographics and narrative 

• Will asks Stuart about the type of audience he usually attracts. Stuart says it depends where he’s performing but usually white middle-class. If he was a 20-something Tik Tok sensation it would be different.  
• Stuart talks about the conversations he has with his audience after the show, like when vegans ask him why he hasn’t told everyone to go vegan.  
• Stuart likes to attract people from all sorts of backgrounds, ethnicities, and diversities onto his podcast. 
• Charlie and Stuart discuss how to change the narrative of telling people not to do x,y,z because of Climate Change to the benefits to a society by becoming more sustainable.  
• Stuart mentions George Marshall’s book Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change (climateoutreach.org). 
• Stuart mentions Sandra Steingraber’s save the world’ symphony quote. 

What top things should we do to act on Climate Change? 

• Will asks people to change their bank account and get an ethical pension fund.  
• Charlie says change energy supplier and Will follows with energy efficiency in the home.  
• Stuart mentions he used the Cheese Project, who offer thermal imaging surveys to locate draughts in your home.  

Resources: 

Comedian & Speaker Stuart Goldsmith | United Kingdom 

Climate | Stuart Goldsmith 

Podcast | Stuart Goldsmith 

Climate Fresk 

EN-ROADS 

James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis 

Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change (climateoutreach.org) 

Cheese Project 

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. 

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount. 

A big thank you to our sponsors! 

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. 

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change. 

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares 

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The problem

· Charlie asked Ian what the planning system is doing to respond to climate change challenges and pressures around development.

· Ian is frustrated at the planning system. Trying to do something different and better is a challenge. It gets closer scrutiny and there is more bureaucracy.

· National Government and housebuilders are focused on volume, not sustainability. They are more interested in avoiding a housing crisis, than a climate crisis.

Environmental impact

· Ian reports that every time a new house is built it generates over one hundred tons of carbon emissions (CO2), plus the use of the house will emit carbon. The total carbon budget for Oxfordshire’s five local authorities is 26.3m tonnes of CO2 by 2050. With their plan to build 100,000 new homes in the next 10 years, they will use between 80-100% of that budget on new housing alone.

· Sustainability regulations are dumbed down to keep volumes up. It is a choice between the quantity or the quality of housing. Ian explains that we can have both.

· Charlie asks Ian if we can build our way out of a housing crisis and why does volume win Government votes.

· Ian explains that we are living longer, there are smaller households and spare housing is not where employment is concentrated, hence why the Southeast is the focus of housebuilding.

A planning system fit for our future

· Ian wants a new national planning policy that is fit for the future and focuses on more important areas such as energy, carbon, wildlife, biodiversity, and community.

· Greencore’s mission is to move the house building industry from an unsustainable to sustainable model answering questions such as can you lock up more carbon than you emit? Can you generate more energy than you use? Can you improve wildlife and biodiversity? · Ian talks about how Greencore works to the One Planet Living framework. It is building places where people want to live and can live sustainably, can live happily and healthily.

· Charlie and Ian discuss the issue of landowner wealth and a need to involve the local community to ensure they benefit.

Are greener houses more expensive? · Will talks about how Cardiff University proved that an environmentally friendly home could be more affordable than a normal home.

· Ian reports that there are some higher costs when building sustainably at a smaller scale. However, these costs will come down when building at volume.

· Charlie offers an example of one of his affordable housing projects and how lower running costs could be included in rent and mortgage agreements.

· Ian talks about the idea of houses built to encourage zero energy bills and the problems with this not being valued by residents.

The problem with parking space

· Ian is concerned about housing schemes being dominated by parking and car ownership. He sees a future where we make more use of shared sustainable transport and offer examples of where this is happening. Decisions also need to be made around green space vs car parking space.

· Charlie and Will discuss the pros and cons of electric car sharing in housing projects.

How to innovate faster

· Ian talks about how economics will drive innovation in this space faster. One way is to reduce stamp duty on low-carbon homes which would drive demand, supply, and legislation.

· Will and Charlie discuss getting a better mortgage for a low-carbon home, and Charlie uses the Ecology Building Society as an example.

· Governor of the Bank of England [Mark Carney] announced at COP26 in Glasgow said that there $130 trillion of institutional money now committed to net zero.

· The conclusion from Ian is that the market and economics will drive change, not legislation.

---

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from a 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click ‘Got a Coupon’ and enter code ‘PODCAST‘ to claim discount.

---

A big thank you to our sponsors!

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

Mentioned in this episode:

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Starting 2024 with Sustainability: 

• Will and Charlie anticipate significant sustainability topics for the year, emphasising the urgency of addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. 
• Will advocates for proactive climate action rather than waiting for legislative mandates. 

Charlie’s Sustainability Journey: 

• Charlie shares his early environmental interest, stemming from childhood experiences in Australia. His sustainability journey began with a realisation about the environmental impact of logging in the rainforest. 
• Discussing his transition from TV hosting to sustainability, architecture, and history, Charlie highlights his recent project “The Great British Restoration Challenge” focused on converting non-houses into homes. 

Sustainable Architecture: 

• The conversation centres on integrating sustainability into architectural projects as a foundational aspect. 
• Charlie emphasises the importance of taking risks in sustainable practices, often testing innovative ideas on personal projects before implementing them for clients. 
• Both Will and Charlie discuss the significance of embodied carbon modelling in architectural projects. 
• Charlie expresses his excitement in AI’s role in optimising buildings, focusing on structure, servicing, thermal design, and orientation. 

Embracing All Aspects of Sustainability 

• Both Will and Charlie share some diverse sustainability initiatives they have witnessed over the years, highlighting the importance of storytelling in showcasing complex sustainability scenarios. 
• Will discusses an audit of an Eon site with diverse perspectives of environmental activism, while Charlie recalls an industrial symbiosis network in Denmark involving a coal-fired station, plasterboard production, and a fish farm. 

Political Shifts and Media Challenges 

• The hosts provide insights into political shifts, particularly in the US, and discuss potential impacts on sustainability. 
• Charlie expresses concerns about the media prioritising clickable headlines over fact-checking, shaping public opinion on sustainability. 

Green Element Group is an environmental management consultancy offering a range of bespoke sustainability services, products, and resources to accelerate the just transition to a stable climate. The Group consists of Green Element Limited, Compare Your Footprint Limited, and Sustainability Solved Podcast and Resource Hub. 

Find out more about Green Element Group here and benefit from 20% discount on the first year of subscription to Compare Your Footprint, the highest quality carbon footprint software for your organisation. When registering, click 'Got a Coupon' and enter code 'PODCAST' to claim discount. 

A big thank you to our sponsors! 

Business Declares: 

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. 

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change. 

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares 

Mentioned in this episode:

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Interested businesses can easily join the Carbon Accounting Alliance by filling out a quick form. The process is open and accessible, aiming to create a supportive community without any current costs involved.

Highlights:

Carbon Accounting 101:

·     Andrew simplifies carbon accounting, likening it to financial accounting – but with carbon instead of money! He explains the process of measuring carbon, the significance of carbon factors, and provides insights into achieving net-zero.

·     Andrew discusses the Alliance’s primary objectives including policy alignment, standards, technical coherence, and communications to drive positive change.

·     As of last month, the Carbon Accounting Alliance had measured a staggering 587,000,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and reported 6,000,000 tonnes of reductions.

Challenges and Solutions for Carbon Accounting:

• Andrew delves into data collection as a barrier for organisations looking to manage their carbon footprint. He discusses governmental policy recommendations and initiatives like Project Perseus for seamless and automated data gathering.
• The UK government has shown genuine interest in the Alliance’s proposals, signalling a potential bridge between business-led action and policy change.
• The Carbon Accounting Alliance plans to streamline data collection, analysis, and assurance using technologies like open banking but for carbon data.

Collaboration is Key:

• Andrew drives home the importance of collaboration in the industry and creating a safe space for professionals to connect, collaborate, and share experiences openly.
• For the Carbon Accounting Alliance, success in the next 12 months relies on collaboration, influencing policy makers, and engaging with standards like ISO and net-zero guidelines to drive change.

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency. 

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change. 

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares 

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Brewing Process and Impact:

-       Unlike wine filtration, beer filtration faces unique challenges due to its scale, volume, and sensitivity as a product.

-       The conversation highlights the staggering waste generated by filtration processes in the brewing industry, estimated to reach tens of millions of tonnes.

-       Traditional beer filtration using Diatomaceous Earth (DE), a fossilised algae, produces substantial waste, rendering it unfit for recycling or reuse, particularly problematic for large breweries.

Sustainability Challenges and Progress in Brewing:

-       Roland discusses the industry’s movement away from DE filtration toward membrane-based filtration, which significantly curbs waste production by over 90%, leading to substantial water savings and reductions in carbon footprint.

-       Advancements in brewing technology have notably slashed water usage by up to 80% from previous decades.

Future of Sustainable Brewing:

-       Brewing companies are increasingly adopting robust sustainability programmes aimed at minimising waste, enhancing operational efficiency, and prioritising environmentally friendly production processes.

-       Consumer preferences, particular amongst the younger demographic, are driving companies to embrace eco-friendly technologies, aligning with evolving market demands.

-       Roland explains how attention is also being directed toward addressing the environmental impact of packaging, including efforts to lightweight materials, explore reusable packaging options, and consider more sustainable transportation methods.

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

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Welcome to a special episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast!

In this episode, we introduce a brand-new co-host, Charlie Luxton, an architectural designer and TV presenter well-known for his passion for the built environmental and sustainability, as seen on Homes By The Sea and Building The Dream. 

With COP28 just around the corner, we’ve invited guests with strong opinions to discuss one of the most significant events in the sustainability calendar. Our first guest is Georgia Elliot-Smith, environmental activist and the founder and managing director of sustainability consultancy Element Four. Joining us is Emma Littlewood, Strategy Director at Green Element Group, and creator of the comprehensive carbon footprinting platform, Compare Your Footprint. 

Tune in as we dive deep into the inner workings of COP28, explore the impact of industry and capitalism, and discuss the prospects of revitalising this pivotal event for a sustainable future.

This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.

Join Business Declares as a member to get help on accelerating your action on net-zero targets and on nature targets for your business from the network. Find out more here: Business Declares

Highlights: 

COP28 Explained

• Our guests delve into what COP is, its evolution, how the agenda is developed, and key sustainability milestones like the Rio Summit in 1992, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement in 2015. 
• Georgia shares her experience as an observer at COP, telling all about the ‘green zone’ for businesses and public, and the ‘blue zone’ – the heart of negotiations. 

Oil and Gas at COP28:

• Emma exposes the staggering subsidies offered to the oil and gas industry and their involvement in COP28. 
• Concerns are raised about this year’s COP28 host, the UAE, and their connections to the oil and gas industry. 
• Georgia reveals that the UK have given £20 billion more to fossil fuels than renewables post Paris Agreement. 

Reviving COP:

• We discuss how the merging of industry and governments is problematic in climate discussions, with our guests pushing for strict rules to limit corporate influence at COP. 
• The guest’s desire for COP28 to fail to pave the way for a more effective future is expressed. 
• Emma emphasises the critical outcome of COP28 to be immediate end to oil and gas exploration and a binding global deal to phase out fossil fuels. 

Resources:

COP28

Element Four 

Compare Your Footprint

Rio Summit 1992 

Kyoto Protocol 

Paris Agreement 

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Today we are joined by two guests who are taking very different approaches to sustainable housing. Carl Gish is from Aro Homes, a US startup looking to replace existing dilapidated housing stock with new energy-efficient homes built off-site to Passivhaus standards. Marion Baeli is an architect, author, and board director of UK Passivhaus Trust. She has written about residential retrofits, and as a partner of Studio PDP, she worked on Princedale Road, the first Victorian residential retrofit in the UK to be certified in the Passivhaus Standard.

Highlights:

Retrofitting existing homes vs. creating new sustainable homes

· Marion explains how retrofitting existing homes addresses inefficiency, reduces energy demand, and supports the transition away from fossil fuels.

· Carl highlights the benefits of building new sustainable homes, including eliminating constraints associated with retrofitting.

· Carl emphasises the importance of constructing environmentally sound homes, given that around 23% of global carbon emissions come from single-family homes.

The net-zero challenge: balancing energy and emissions

· Achieving net-zero status for homes involves reducing embodied carbon, improving energy efficiency, and harnessing renewable energy sources.

· Both guests discuss the need for a unified approach to net-zero construction.

Cost considerations: retrofit vs. new construction

· Carl highlights how new constriction can offer efficiency advantages and cost savings.

· Marion discusses how step-by-step retrofitting is an option to spread costs over time and align with budgets.

· Marion emphasises the need for government policies and financial incentives to drive retrofitting initiatives on a larger scale.

Behavioural barriers and new technology

· Both guests highlight the importance of addressing behaviour as a barrier to retrofitting and the need to motivate homeowners to undergo disruptive home improvements.

· Carl introduces the concept of hydraloop technology, which recycles water in homes to reduce water wastage.

Resources: Passivhaus Standard Aro Homes Studio PDP Princedale Road; first Victorian residential retrofit in the UK Climate Change Committee Hydraloop Technology

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Story:

Welcome to an exciting episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast, where our spotlight falls on an industry renowned for creativity and innovation: the music industry. The music industry has the power and influence to make huge strides in the environmental movement, but who is responsible for leading the change?

Our guests today have certainly struck a chord in the music industry for their leadership in sustainability: Lewis Jamieson, co-founder of Music Declares Emergency (MDE) and Hannah Cox, founder of Better Not Stop and author of the “More Than Music” report on sustainability at music festivals.

Together we explore how the music industry, artists, labels, fans, and governments hold key roles in steering the industry towards a more eco-conscious path.

This episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast is sponsored by Good Citizens.

Good Citizens is an eyewear brand like no other. Born to untrash the planet of single-use plastic. Good Citizens turns a discarded single-use plastic bottle into a pair of 100% recycled frames. It took them 752 days & 2500+ failed attempts to perfect the first pair of sunglasses. Even more unique, the modular system means you can repair each part in seconds. So, if your dog munches on them, it’s all fixable.

Use this discount code GREEN20 to get $20AUD off and help untrash the planet.

Highlights: · Lewis sheds light on the motivations behind Music Declares Emergency, an initiative uniting artists, labels, and fans to address climate challenges. · Hannah, founder of Better Not Stop, discusses the “More Than Music” report on sustainability at music festivals. She explains her inspiration and the challenges music festivals face in adopting sustainable practices. · Lewis and Hannah discuss Coldplay’s groundbreaking eco-friendly world tour. They highlight the significance of Coldplay’s efforts in advancing discussion around sustainability in the music industry.

· The conversation delves into the idea of virtual concerts as a potential solution to reduce carbon emissions.

· Lewis candidly discusses the challenges of securing funding for climate-related initiatives in the music industry. He emphasises the lack of commitment to sustainable causes.

· Music festivals often take place in remote areas, posing challenges for government-driven public transport improvements. Lewis and Hannah discuss solutions to these challenges.

· Sustainability is more than just a cost: Hannah highlights the advantages of adopting sustainable frameworks and what to include.

· Spotlight on trailblazers making a significant impact on sustainability within the music industry like EarthPercent, Vision 2025, and Blue Dot Festival.

· Uncover the concept of “Climate Shadow”, revealing that individual actions extend beyond personal consumer choices.

Resources: Music Declares Emergency Better Not Stop More Than Music Report Coldplay’s eco-friendly tour Kendall Calling Festival EarthPercent Vision 2025 Green Events Code Blue Dot Festival

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Join us in this month’s episode of our podcast as we delve into Australia’s role in tackling climate change and its unique sustainability challenges. Our special guests Dr. Mary Stewart and Arvind Sharma are renowned sustainability experts in Australia, bringing their valuable insights to the conversation. Dr. Mary Stewart is the CEO of Energetics, Australia’s leading specialist consultancy in energy and carbon management, and Arvind Sharma is the Executive Director and ESG and Sustainability Lead for Rennie Advisory. This episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast is sponsored by Good Citizens.

Good Citizens is an eyewear brand like no other. Born to untrash the planet of single-use plastic. Good Citizens turns a discarded single-use plastic bottle into a pair of 100% recycled frames. It took them 752 days & 2500+ failed attempts to perfect the first pair of sunglasses. Even more unique, the modular system means you can repair each part in seconds. So, if your dog munches on them, it’s all fixable.

Use this discount code GREEN20 to get $20AUD off and help untrash the planet.

Highlights: - Mary emphasises the vast potential of the circular economy in Australia, with a focus on resource recovery, utilising recycled materials, effective waste management, and transitioning to renewable energy resources.

- Australia’s distinct location and vulnerability to climate change posts unique sustainability challenges, coupled with the fragility of ecosystems that support its natural biodiversity. - Arvind sheds light on Australia’s revised sustainability targets under the Paris Agreement; it is evident that Australia is currently falling short of aligning with the 1.5°C pathway outlined by the IPCC.

- Mary and Arvind delve into how Australia has responded to the significant rise in electricity prices, with many companies opting for Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to manage

their energy price risks.

- We explore the sustainability skills gap as a significant barrier hindering the accelerated implementation of sustainability goals in Australia.

- Through their expertise, Mary and Arvind shed light on how Australia’s experiences can serve as valuable lessons for the rest of the world. They emphasise the importance of not blindly following others but instead tailoring sustainability approaches to fit specific countries.

- Australia has made impressive progress in embracing new energy sources and the rapid pace at which investments have been made; something the rest of the world can look to for inspiration.

Resources: Energetics Rennie Advisory Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) The Paris Agreement Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) Australia Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) A Short Guide to the Circular Economy

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In this episode, our host Will Richardson explores the question: are you ever too small to make a difference? To shed light on this topic, he is joined by two experts who assist SMEs on their sustainability journeys: Sarah Whale, Managing Director of Profit Impact, and Andy Hawkins, Chief People, Planet, and Purpose Officer at Business on Purpose.  

This episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast is sponsored by Good Citizens.   

Good Citizens is an eyewear brand like no other. Born to untrash the planet of single-use plastic.  Good Citizens turns a discarded single-use plastic bottle into a pair of 100% recycled frames. It took them 752 days & 2500+ failed attempts to perfect the first pair of sunglasses. Even more unique, the modular system means you can repair each part in seconds. So, if your dog munches on them, it’s all fixable. 

Use this discount code GREEN20 to get $20AUD off and help untrash the planet.  

Highlights: 

• Sarah and Andy both share the belief that no business is too small to make a difference. 
• Sarah emphasises that it starts with individuals and their actions, regardless of whether they belong to a big corporation or work independently. 
• Andy illustrates this by using an analogy of playing football without a goalkeeper, where even individual contributions add up to make a significant difference. He cites historical figures like Nelson Mandela and Florence Nightingale who made a tremendous impact despite being part of a bigger system.  
• Many business owners find it challenging to make sustainability a top priority. Sarah and Andy agree that time restraints, prioritisation, and limited resources are common challenges for SMEs.  
• Will points out that some businesses may consider financial constraints as a reason for not prioritising sustainability, however engaging in sustainable practices can strengthen a business’s financial position.  
• Andy adds that B Corps have reported positive financial outcomes, trading at 28% above GDP. He plans to conduct research to further investigate these benefits and explore the barriers that prevent businesses from measuring and improving their social and environmental impact.  

Resources: 

Profit Impact 

Business on Purpose 

B Corp Certification: Benefits and Requirements 

B Lab Global 

Innovate UK 

John Brown (Don’t Cry Wolf) 

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In the midst of a global economic downturn, sustainable businesses need to grow and innovate to survive in uncertain times. But just how easy is it to get investment? The EU recently announced the Green Deal industrial plan, aiming to fast track Net-Zero projects in Europe, making 250 billion euros available for greening industry. Alongside this, the US Inflation Reduction Act also includes a $369 billion package for clean energy projects, and there have been calls for a similar scheme to boost businesses in the UK.

Can UK businesses take advantage of the rush to go green? And if so, how? To help us answer this question, we are joined by Jon Dishotsky, an investment partner at Giant Ventures who builds and backs purpose-driven companies, and Wiktor Warchałowski, CEO and founder of Airly, who supply real-time air quality data for governments and businesses. This episode of the Sustainability Solved Podcast is sponsored by Good Citizens.

Good Citizens is an eyewear brand like no other. Born to untrash the planet of single-use plastic. Good Citizens turns a discarded single-use plastic bottle into a pair of 100% recycled frames. It took them 752 days & 2500+ failed attempts to perfect the first pair of sunglasses. Even more unique, the modular system means you can repair each part in seconds. So, if your dog munches on them, it’s all fixable.

Use this discount code GREEN20 to get $20AUD off and help untrash the planet.

Highlights:

· More capital has been raised in the last 12-24 months than ever before by investors, however the pace of investment into companies has slowed down significantly.

· Wiktor tells us about his experience going through the investment process, and the multitude of benefits it has brought to his company.

· We discuss what types of questions are asked by investors and if this differed across various investment bodies. For Wiktor, his team built an FAQ list to be prepared for their next investment meeting as they noticed a reoccurring theme amongst questions.

· Jon gives us a detailed insight into the question: how much money should a business ask to have invested in them?

· We look at how investment can put pressure on companies to scale too quickly, consequently having negative impacts on the organisation’s progression.

· “Capital does not help you innovate”; Jon shares his findings from a study that shows that companies that raised less than $100 million outperformed their peers who raised 5x more, meaning they continued to innovate significantly over a long period of time.

· Wiktor discusses the importance of working with investors that align with your organisation’s values and goals.

· Jon and Wiktor share some eye-opening and raw advice about building a business, gaining investment, and prioritizing innovation.

Resources: The Inflation Reduction Act Green Deal Industrial Plan Giant Ventures Airly Sustainability Solved

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Many of us dream of shaking up the existing capitalistic consumer model, and positively contributing to the people involved, but is the business model sustainable? In this podcast, we discuss the challenges and lessons learned on the journey to become a sustainable business.

Highlights

• Shelley and Rob share their learnings from running a sustainable business and provide fantastic advice for current and future sustainable business owners. 
• Rob shares with us the detrimental effects that the cost-of-living crisis had on Presca Sportswear, and the stark difference to their position this time last year. 
• Frog Bikes is celebrating its 10th birthday; Shelley tells us the challenges the business has faced over the years and changes they have made to their business model to navigate the hurdles.
• We consider whether it is easier or more difficult for sustainable organisations to achieve funding and support.
• Shelley and Rob share their views on whether ethical supply chains are more expensive and slower in nature.
• A Product Life Cycle Analysis is a process that measures the environmental impact of a commercial product, accounting for all stages of the product's life cycle. We discuss the accessibility of conducting a product life cycle analysis for smaller organisations and how Rob and Shelley navigated reducing the environmental impacts of their products.  
• Shelley explains how positive consumer experience encouraged Frog Bikes to work directly with cycling shops instead of selling online. 
• Frog Bikes and Presca Sportswear embedded circular processes into their business models; Presca offered clothing repairs, and Frog Bikes offered warranties and MOTs for second-hand bikes. 

Resources

• A Short Guide to Product Life Cycle Analyses 
• Frog Bikes 
• Ever Given Cargo Ship
• Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI)

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We are joined by Stephen Jenkinson, a consultant who uses applied psychology to help people like landowners, property developers, councils, and national parks to influence where dog walkers go and what they do. Stephen specialises in how to promote the good things about dog ownership and dog walking whilst minimising any adverse effects on other people, wildlife, or farm animals.  

Highlights: 

• Studies from the past 20 years have highlighted the positives of dog ownership, from better physical and mental health, to being more sociable.  
• Stephen identified a gap in the market, realising that no one was talking about dog welfare and environmental welfare collectively.  
• Stephen’s work is funded by organisations like the Kennel Club, the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare, and training. Their objective is to ensure dogs live healthy and happy lives whilst educating people on how to be responsible owners.  
• One of the biggest environmental concerns with ownership is dog waste; not disposing of this in the correct manner can impact the natural environment (such as change in soil properties) and makes the natural environment increasingly unpleasant especially for those with mobility impairment using wheelchairs, prams, or any mode of transport with wheels.  
• Stephen reveals that dog waste can go in most landfill waste bins, something that studies have shown more than 60% of dog owners are not aware of.  
• Signage is incredibly important when it comes to dog waste bins; making clear where and how to dispose of dog waste can reduce the unpleasant impact on the environment.   
• Making the switch to dog waste bags derived from corn-starch will ensure that your dog waste is completely compostable.  
• With many returning to the office full time, commercial and professional dog walkers are being hired to look after dogs when their owners are at work.  
• Stephen tells us about a project he worked on with Scottish Natural Heritage where he ran workshops for dog owners and commercial dog walkers, highlighting the environmental issues linked to dog walking and how to overcome this.  

Resources: 

Rights of Way Act  

One Health 

Kennel Club  

Natural England Forestry Commission 

Scottish Natural Heritage  

Forest National Park Authority 

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Half of the world’s population lives in cities and that number is expected to increase to 70% in 2050. As pressure on city space continues to rise, we are increasingly building upwards for our office spaces and homes, meaning we need efficient vertical transportation that doesn’t cost the earth.  

We are joined by Dr Paula Casares, Global Head of ESG at TK Elevator, and Mark Bashford, director of The Lift Consultancy, who explain the improvements made in the development of elevators to reduce their energy usage and environmental impact. 

Highlights 

• Mark estimates that approximately 70% of the lifts in the UK market are using older technology and are therefore not energy efficient.  
• Elevators transport over 1 million people every day and can account for up to 10% of the energy consumption of a building. 
• Paula’s company launched a project to become the first ever organisation to retrofit an existing elevator to achieve net-zero energy.  
• Mark tells us about destination dispatch, a system where everyone going to the same floor gets in the same lift to decrease the number of stops the elevator must make, therefore reducing energy usage.  
• The elevator industry has responded to the growing need for sustainable solutions by developing elevator models that consume less energy. Additionally, new elevators are using less materials to make its construction lighter. 
• Paula explains how sustainability and digitalisation are no longer separate entities, and how TK Elevator views digitalisation as one level further in its reduction of its carbon footprint. 

Resources  

TK Elevator 

The Lift Consultancy 

EOX: TK Elevator’s new eco-efficient and digitally native elevator platform 

The World’s Cities in 2016 

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Let’s talk about paper – a product we all use in our businesses, no matter the size or speciality. Paper use in office spaces is declining but, in the UK, we still use 9.9 million tonnes of paper every year, with every tonne of fresh pulp requiring the felling of 24 trees.

In this podcast, we explore the idea of trees being removed from the production of paper entirely and the positive environmental impact this would have. We are joined by the fantastic Adam Huttly, founder of Red Inc, a sustainable office supplies company that has teamed up with Envopap, the world’s first eco-friendly and commercially viable pulp-free paper.

Highlights

· Adam founded Red Inc in 2008 with a vision: to be a disruptor in the paper industry and rewrite the rules. He wanted to create a low-impact business that was designed to innovate, create value, and make a positive difference.

· Red Inc has seen exponential growth from corporate companies targeting organisations in their supply chain to understand net-zero strategies and be aligned to science-based targets.

· Adam tells us how Covid-19 impacted the office products industry, and how being a transactional and traditional ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ industry led to its downfall during the pandemic.

· Red Inc partnered with EnvoPAP to acquire EnvoCOPY, a paper created using a reclaimed waste product called bagasse which is a by-product of sugarcane farming. EnvoPAP have taken the by-product that would normally be burned or put in landfill and turned this into pulp to make paper.

· In 2016/2017, Red Inc started a campaign called ‘Fight Bright White’ to raise awareness to clients that insisted on using bright white paper to portray their business in a certain way, in turn rejecting eco-friendly alternatives.

· Adam explains that many organisations in the office products industry don’t know where to start on their environmental journey, let alone help their clients do their sustainability reporting. Red Inc is way ahead of the curve and passionate about continuing to rewrite the script on sustainability for office products.

Resources Red Inc EnvoPAP EnvoCopy B Corp Recycling Facts

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According to research by booking.com, 42% of people said that recent news about climate change had influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices. More than half (57%) said they wanted to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months!

In this episode of 'Sustainability Solved', we're discussing eco-friendly holidays and how to travel more responsibly. Our guests Maudie Tomlinson from The Conscious Travel Foundation and writer and journalist Holly Tuppen explain what sustainable travel looks like, and how to make informed decisions when booking your next holiday.

Highlights:

·      The Conscious Travel Foundation is a global community, initially set up by a group of industry friends during the covid-19 pandemic, uniting members of the travel industry the impact of tourism on the world.

·      Holly was inspired to write about sustainable travel after travelling around the world using slower and more environmentally friendly modes of transport such as trains, sailing, or cycling. As a result, she experienced and saw a lot more than if she had gone by plane!

·      Holly highlights that tourism can play a huge role in financing conservation efforts and nature restoration; she worked for an organisation called The Long Run who works with over 40 different lodges and travel experiences around the world to protect 23 million acres of ecosystems.

·      Maudie discusses if being more sustainable means higher costs for businesses; she highlights that reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint will save you money in the long run.

·      Holly’s book Sustainable Travel provides an array of advice for travellers looking to be more environmentally-friendly and how to make informed choices when booking a holiday.

·      The more people ask questions about sustainable travel and have this as a priority when booking a holiday, the more travel organisations will be likely to take action.

·      Holly addresses that a lot of businesses are nervous to start their sustainability journey in fear of not doing it 100% correctly and getting caught up in greenwashing claims.

·      Maudie and Holly tell us of their own eco-friendly travel plans for 2023 and give some fantastic suggestions for solo and family holidays!

Resources:

The Conscious Travel Foundation

Booking.com sustainable travel research

Green Traveller

Sustainability Hospitality Alliance

The Long Run

Holly’s book Sustainable Travel

B Corp Certification

EarthCheck

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As the cost-of-living crisis bites, we ask how important environmental messaging is to consumer choice? Is sustainability a luxury for a few, or the only way ahead for brands?

We are joined by Will Thacker and Fran Docx of 20Something, the creative company behind Woolmark’s captivating Wear Wool Not Fossil Fuel campaign. In their powerful advert, figures emerge dazed from a pool of oil and strip off to reveal wool clothing underneath. The video aims to educate consumers about the environmental dangers of synthetic fibres.

Woolmark is a not-for-profit organisation working with Australia’s 60,000 woolgrowers to research, develop and certify Australian wool, and champion its eco-credentials over other materials.

Highlights:

·      Oil-based synthetics fuel the fast fashion industry. One cannot exist without the other

·      Synthetic fibres are bad for the environment because they are made from oil.

·      Woolmark’s research shows that in the 1980s, around 17%, of all fibres were synthetic fibres. By 2030, synthetic fibres will be around 80%.

·      50 million barrels of oil per year are used to source the fashion industry.

·      Fran tells us that most people know synthetic fibres are bad for the planet, but don’t make the connection with what they are wearing and the fact it comes from oil.

·      According to Natural England survey results, those with a higher household income are more likely to agree that looking after the environment is important to them.

·      Fran comments that people on lower incomes are forced to overuse resources to survive and are more likely to be impacted by the effects of climate change.

·      Sustainability matters more to consumers when they are purchasing products that are consumed or put on their body.

·      There are two forces at play in the young consumer market. An increase in interest in sustainable brands and the second-hand fashion market, but also a desire to wear different outfits via TikTok and other social platforms.

·      Will Tacker explains that greenwashing in the apparel industry is rife, so consumers have a responsibility to do their homework on brands.

·      Will Thacker talks about El Alto, sustainable outdoor clothing brand, who boycotted Black Friday by closing its stores and encouraging employees to get outdoors.

Resources:

Woolmark – Wear Wool Not Fossil Fuel

Natural England survey

addresspollution.org

El Alto | Socially Responsible Outdoor Clothing

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Our cities are packed with commercial vehicles that pollute our local areas and make it increasingly dangerous to navigate our streets. As cities move towards reducing CO2 emissions and air pollution, the commercial vehicle sector needs to be at the forefront of the movement to make way for a greener future.  

We are joined by Chris Benson, CEO and Founder of Oxford-based Pedal and Post, and Co-founder of Pedal Me, Ben Knowles, who are both at the forefront of the greener delivery movement. 

Highlights:

• Studies with the University of Westminster found that cargo bikes could do 60% more deliveries at the same time as commercial vehicles on most shop deliveries around London.
• On top of working with national parcel carriers, Pedal and Post specialise in medical deliveries. They pioneered the first delivery service that delivers chemotherapy medication in Oxford. 
• Larger companies can see that the future is going towards cargo bikes but have not been able to achieve the kind of scale of operations that will make a difference. 
• Sustainable deliveries can work out-with cities. Ben highlights that there may need to be some changes to the design of the bikes to cover ground quicker.
• With the increase in climate awareness, consumers are increasingly looking for organisations to deliver on sustainability commitments, and businesses should be helping to educate consumers on greener delivery. 
• Ben tells us of the positive reaction received by consumers when they see a cargo bike instead of a commercial vehicle, especially when he delivered a 15ft pink dodo sculpture!

Resources:

Pedal Me

Pedal and Post

University of Westminster cargo bikes research overview

Ultra-Low Emissions Zone

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Victoria takes us on a journey through Plantopia’s pursuit of a sustainable production process, and the processes and outcomes of its comprehensive lifecycle assessment conducted by Green Element. Victoria gives some fantastic advice for organisations looking to improve their sustainability and production processes.

Highlights:

·      The team at Plantopia spent four years developing their brand to achieve recognition as one of the most planet-friendly and people-friendly cosmetic brands.

·      Plantopia became a member of the UEBT, Union of Ethical Bio Trade, to ensure from the very beginning that it had traceability of its raw ingredients, and that the team understood their entire supply chain.

·      For Plantopia, transparency is key, and a very important aspect for its consumers. Plantopia conducted a survey with over 1000 of its customers to identify what mattered to them and included that in its published manifesto.

·      With the help of Green Element, Plantopia conducted a comprehensive lifecycle analysis, which allowed their team to identify key areas where reduction was required.

·      Victoria talks about some of the obstacles the team experienced during this process, and that working closely with their suppliers was key in the success of their environmental journey.

·      Due to the success of the first life cycle analysis process, Plantopia now aims to conduct a life cycle analysis on all its products by the end of 2030!

Resources:

KMI Brands

Plantopia

Union of Ethical Bio Trade

Green Element’s Life Cycle Analysis Service

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With a significant impact on pollution and energy consumption, the construction industry is often under the environmental microscope. Ian brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the floor to unravel this complex topic.  

Highlights:  

• The World Cement Association was set up in 2016 to be a voice for the independent players in the industry. 
• Ian discusses the term ‘carbon negative concrete’ and explains how the carbon footprint of concrete is broken down and calculated. 
• Businesses in the construction industry are increasingly under pressure to ensure circularity and pay close attention to the full lifecycles of their materials.    
• Ian discusses the need for collaboration across the supply chain to fully understand organisation’s full environmental impact, especially when calculating Scope 3 emissions. 
• Ian tells us about technologies that can help in making the industry less wasteful and more sustainable - and the difficulties in adopting these new technologies.  
• The construction industry is playing an essential role in allowing countries to develop and urbanise, especially in developing countries. So, the real challenge for the industry is to find new ways of operating in a more sustainable way. 
• Ian expresses his optimism for the future of the construction industry and shares some invaluable advice for organisations looking to become more sustainable. 

Resources:  

World Cement Association 

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We are also joined by John Perkins, Director, and Senior Corporate Counsel at Salesforce – someone who has used TCLP’s clauses to great effect.

Highlights

·      TCLP clauses are free for all of us to use, so lawyers can use them in contracts to help businesses deliver climate targets.

·      TCLP is rolling out its clauses to the global community, ensuring that teams all over the world can start to use them in their jurisdictions, as well as undertaking a carbon needs analysis to pinpoint the areas of focus such as built environment, finance sectors, and energy transition.

·      John talks about how he first came across TCLP when researching for Salesforce’s sustainability initiative – an initiative that requires suppliers to establish a science-based target to a definitive evaluated approach to mitigating emissions.

·      Salesforce used 2 TCLP clauses in the development of its new sustainability initiative: Teddy’s Clause, which is regarding supplier environmental threshold obligations, and Jessica’s Clause, which is more about emissions reporting and climate remediation.

·      John explains that supply chain sustainability is a priority for Salesforce as it produces the largest level of emissions. 

·      John discusses 2 exciting outcomes of implementing TCLP clauses. 1. Their clauses have received a positive reception from suppliers and have boosted cooperation. 2. Salesforce has started to see other corporates, big and small, adopt the same approach.

·      Becky highlights the importance of TCLP in allowing lawyers in-house and law firms to do something with their everyday work to really make a difference in the climate crisis.

Resources

The Chancery Lane Project: The Chancery Lane Project

Integrating Sustainability into Salesforce's Supply Chain: https://tinyurl.com/SustContracting

Sustainability Terms from Scratch: https://tinyurl.com/SustFromScratch

Sustainability and Third-Party Assurance: https://tinyurl.com/ThirdPartyAssuranceProviders

IPCC: IPCC — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Science Based Targets initiative: The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) | World Resources Institute (wri.org)

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Highlights:  

• Alicia discusses just how big an impact the fashion industry is having on our planet, with the fashion industry being responsible for 10% of global emissions.  
• Alicia talks about companies that have acted already to reduce their carbon footprint, such as Levi Strauss and H&M, who have estimated that around 20% of their total carbon footprints actually down to the consumer use and the disposal of clothing. 
• She discusses tackling the mindset of consumers when it comes to our relationships with clothing, and normalising the reuse, repurposing, and refurbishing fashion garments.  
• A company’s own operations are usually where they have the most control over what can be measured and changed to reduce environmental impact.  
• Alicia talks about the importance of getting suppliers and distributors involved in the sustainability journey as they are a huge part of a fashion organisation’s scope 3 emissions.  
• Decarbonisation of the supply chain is the only real way to tackle the carbon footprint of the industry, with carbon offsetting acting as a quick fix that is not scientifically proven.  
• Alicia talks about Science-based Targets and the benefits of setting them within the fashion industry.  

Resources: 

Fashion Declares: Fashion Declares | Home (fashion-declares.org) 

Energy Saving Trust: Energy Saving Trust 

McKinsey: fashion-on-climate-full-report.pdf (mckinsey.com)  

Smart Freight Centre: Smart Freight Centre  

Science Based Targets initiative: Ambitious corporate climate action - Science Based Targets  

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We are joined by Ed Ayton and Stef Sahmel from Abel & Cole, an organic food delivery service who are on a mission to simplify shopping sustainably. They are a fellow B Corporation who have been working with us to measuring and reduce their carbon footprint since 2019.  

Highlights:  

• Abel and Cole are constantly looking for opportunities to reduce their environmental and social impact, from volunteering and charitable giving, to educating their consumers, to having as little packaging as possible.  
• Ed and Stef talk about the benefits of working for as B Corporation, and how Abel and Cole’s culture and purpose make it a fantastic place to work.  
• Abel & Cole have implemented a Climate Emergency project to cut their emissions in half by 2030. This involves assessing their carbon footprint, identifying carbon hotspots, and taking action to drive down those emissions.  
• Stef talks about working with Green Element to measure, report, and reduce their carbon footprint, and how they identified the 3 carbon hotspots of meat, dairy, and transport.  
• Stef and Ed describe the process of conducting a life cycle analysis on their fruit and veg boxes, with the help of Green Element.  
• By setting science-based targets, Abel and Cole can identify and reduce emissions across their scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions.  
• Ed discusses regenerative farming that focuses on soil health; over 70% of Abel & Cole’s products are certified by the Soil Association.  
• Stef and Ed talk about the different ways that they engage their customers in their sustainability journey and highlight the importance of storytelling and finding something that people can relate to.  

Resources:  

Abel and Cole: Organic food delivery. Organic vegetable boxes, fruit, meat & more | Abel & Cole (abelandcole.co.uk) 

B Corp: The UK B Corporation Movement 

Science-based targets initiative: Ambitious corporate climate action - Science Based Targets  

The Soil Association: Soil Association  

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Naomi and Will are joined by inspiring individuals from organisations that are already making the change to circularity: Sam Coggin from The Coggin Group, Sylvia Garvin from The Juice Round, and Brendon Rowan from Cradle to Cradle.   

Highlights:  

• Naomi describes the ‘take make waste’ approach to products and materials, and how the circular economy eliminates waste by keeping products in circulation.  
• Slyvia Garvin became very aware of the amount of packaging used within her organisation and decided to start focusing on reuse as a solution.  
• The Juice Round produces hand-make drinks in reusable glass bottles; they also offer a financial incentive for consumers to return and refill their bottles. 
• The Cradle-to-Cradle methodology allows designers to look at 5 key elements: material health, material reutilisation, renewable energy, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness.  
• Brendon talks about the Wonder Wean, a portable food processor for weaning, designed using the Cradle-to-Cradle methodology. 
• Naomi talks about her time in the waste and resource management sector, and how she has seen first-hand the amount of perfectly serviceable office furniture and other products that are thrown away unnecessarily. 
• Sam Coggin from The Coggin Group discusses how they provide sustainable office furnishing and furniture recycling solutions.  
• Sam discusses the importance and benefits of upcycling, and how his ultimate goal is to be known for remanufacturing in a commercial scale.  
• Naomi touches on the importance of servitisation, the idea that when we buy things, we often don’t need the item itself as opposed to the service it provides.  

Resources: 

The Coggin Group: Sustainable Office Furniture & Recycling Solutions | The Coggin Group 

Cradle to Cradle Design Consultancy: 

The Juice Round: Sustainable drinks - Zero waste and Plastic free drinks - The Juice Round 

Ellen Macarthur Foundation: How to build a circular economy | Ellen MacArthur Foundation 

Dame Ellen's 2015 TED Talk: Dame Ellen MacArthur: The surprising thing I learned sailing solo around the world | TED Talk  

Toast Ale: Toast Ale - Raise a toast. Save the world. Cheers  

The Wonder Wean: The Imagination Factory | Design For Manufacture - Wonder Wean  

WRAP: WRAP - Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency Experts  

The Good Goods: Good Goods - Reusable Wine Bottle (thegoodgoods.co) 

Zach Lawless podcast: Zach Lawless, co-founder of Good Goods | Sustainable Business Podcast (greenelement.co.uk) 

Louisa Ziane podcast: Louisa Ziane of Toast Ale | Sustainable Business Podcast (greenelement.co.uk)  

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This episode focuses on what being a B Corp means, what makes the B Corp certification a unique standard, and how becoming a certified B Corp transforms businesses’ operations to do better for people and the planet.

March is B Corp month, and we are celebrating it by bringing back some of our greatest podcasts featuring B Corp certified businesses and their inspiring journeys: James Thornton from Intrepid Travel; Karli Hiscock from Bates Well; and Carolina Miranda CEO of Cultivating Capital.

Highlights

• Intrepid Travel offers sustainable travel experiences for its customers, an exemplary example of how businesses can balance purpose and profit.
• Intrepid went through a three-year journey to become a B Corp, in which they assessed the way they interacted with customers, the impact they had on the environment, and their relationships with shareholders.
• James highlights how B Corp helped Intrepid address their supplier issues and the lack of diversity within their organisation.
• “We’ve certainly found that the B Corp certification helps provide a point of distinction” - James Thornton.
• Bates Well was founded in 1970 with a set of core principles which had a clear purpose: “doing good for people”. They have always been a purpose-driven business but becoming a B Corp in 2015 hugely impacted their day-to-day operations.
• Through the B Corp certification, they have been driving staff and client engagement and improving their culture’s synergy.
• Carolina helps businesses to operate in ways that are more socially and environmentally sustainable, particularly for small businesses that want to make a difference.
• The most common issue that SMEs come across when embedding sustainability is the lack of support from management.
• Consumers are recognising what the B Corp certification means, and actively looking to do businesses with organisations who are more socially and environmentally sustainable. This is a big incentive for companies to become a B Corp and improve their social and environmental impact.

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We speak to Rachel Boland, Head of Sustainability of Engine UK, about why and how the company has prioritised sustainability since 2008.

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We are joined by Jon Fletcher from Big Clean Switch, a certified B-Corporation developing solutions for homes and businesses to help accelerate the transition to green energy, and Doug Johnson from Mesh Energy, a trusted provider of innovative sustainable energy services to property owners and architects.

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Now, ION Energy is an advanced battery management and intelligence platform, focused on improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and energy storage systems.  

Ali takes us through the environmental impact of lithium in the Battery Metals Industry, and how ION Energy commitment to increasing sustainability.  

Highlights: 

Ali explains to us what Lithium is, what it is used for, how it is extracted, and its environmental impact. 

Lithium batteries are becoming increasingly more sustainable, with many having the ability to be recycled and reused.  

Ali discusses the environmental impacts of mining lithium, and how the process has become increasingly sustainable compared to historical practices.  

ION Energy has always put Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) Criteria at the top of their mandate, ensuring that they are protecting the populations near to the lithium mines, and employing people that are in close proximity to their assets.   

Ali tells us that ION Energy aim to enrich the education of their employees through training and ensure that they are an integral part of their growing company. 

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After travelling the world as a children’s intensive care nurse, Rachel decided to go back to university and start a career in design. She has also completed the Healthy Materials and Sustainable Building course by the New College University in New York, and a Circular Economy course with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Rachel is passionate about how the materials that we choose for our interiors effect our health and well-being, as well as the health of the planet. Her design studio aims to remove the long-winded task of researching materials and help you to create sustainable and humane interiors.

Rachel’s new book ‘My Happy Place’ acts as go-to guide for anyone looking to create healthy, humane, and sustainable working and living spaces.

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Melanie has been involved with the creation, development and implementation of British and International standards for over 18 years.

Blackmores rapidly grew to be an award winning, leading provider of consultancy services, specialising in environmental, quality and risk standards and offering expertise on the widest range of standards in Europe. She is now set to launch a game-changing innovation in her field, called the isology hub, which is a membership-based platform that companies or individuals can use to get a comprehensive, step-by-step understanding of how to become ISO certified and create world class systems for success.

Melanie is also the host of her own podcast, the ISO show!

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Zach talks us through his business model, how consumers are responding, and the challenges and opportunities in this pioneering space.

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In this episode, we wrap up the series by talking about the most important components of all three case studies and highlight the universal practices that allow an organisation to be environmentally sustainable. Amanda shares her expertise in how to communicate the key learnings. The advice and information contained in this episode is to empower all organisations with the knowledge and know-how to play their part in limiting global heating to 1.5C.

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Debbie has over 16 years’ experience in the fashion and textiles industry and offers advice to consumers who wish to buy more sustainably and how to avoid greenwashed goods.

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Richard also discusses the exciting changes that are underway within the marketing sector, particularly with regards to honest communications and product claims.  

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John unpacks the challenges and solutions when working with clients on sustainability-focused projects and offers great insights and advice to those within the industry. John strongly highlights that education has a key role to play in communication and marketing to achieve sustainable business goals.

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Rasha tells us of her journey with us and how she came to work for Trane Technologies. She celebrates their purpose-led culture, and that sustainability has been at the core of their organisation for over ten years.

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Clare talks about the disconnect between the 21st century consumer and products. As a result, she is leading by example with her business model that focuses on transparency, honesty, and strives to do what is right, not what is easy. She shares some interesting stories as well as all the things Prickly Thistle are doing to achieve a sustainable business model – from composting on site to using local supply chains.

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Duncan and Luke discuss the future role that hydrogen will play in the transition away from fossil fuels, as well as their unique and energy efficient products that will help to reduce emissions even further. They discuss the challenges and opportunities within the sector, from finding skilled staff to creating products that are both sustainable and competitively priced.

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Don't miss out on our weekly interviews with sustainable businesses from different industries and sizes. Get inspirational insights that you can implement in your day-to-day and other bespoke content for you. Subscribe now!

Mentioned in this episode:

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