Episodes
-
Where does the result of the US election leave corporate sustainability? In this episode, we cover:
Big bets: How the Trump administration will impact corporate sustainability effortsPolicy Shifts: Key policy changes to watch and their implicationsBudgets: Tips for managing sustainability budgets amidst shifting prioritiesTeam Dynamics: Changing structure and priorities for corporate sustainability teamsGlobal Perspectives: New emerging global hubs driving sustainability innovationExpert Advice: Strategies for maintaining ambition and commitment to sustainability goals despite political uncertainty. -
Who is the "sustainable consumer," and what drives their choices? In our first-ever consumer insights survey, we uncover:
The profile of the sustainable consumerHow consumers prioritise what they put in the shopping basketWhat âsustainabilityâ means to themThe most trusted sustainable brandsâand why they stand outIn this episode, we reveal the key findings and share actionable strategies for professionals to incorporate these insights into their sustainability efforts.
Who were the respondents?
Our survey spanned a diverse demographic:
Age: 50% were aged 25â34, followed by 28% aged 35â44Gender: 58% male, 42% femaleGeography: The majority hailed from the US (23%) and UK (23%), with representation from India (10%), France, Canada, and Australia (6% each), and others (26%)Living Environment: 70% resided in urban areasIncome: 70% reported household incomes between $40â99kDietary Habits: 65% had no dietary restrictions, while 19% identified as vegetarianWe'll be scaling this survey in 2025. Keep an eye out!
-
Episodes manquant?
-
Weâre joined by Fran Haycock, Head of Sustainability at Greencore, to discuss the key considerations when leading a successful sustainability transformation.
We cover:
Strategy alignment: How to ensure your sustainability transformation aligns with the broader business objectivesSustainability team set-up: The priority qualities and skills to consider when recruiting and developing your sustainability team.Leadership style: How to evolve your leadership style as your sustainability program matures.Budget management: Effective strategies for developing, securing and scaling a sustainability budget. -
Collaboration may not be a silver bullet for solving sustainability challenges, but when executed effectively, it becomes a powerful tool. In this episode, we cut through the buzzwords and focus on practical steps for scalable collaboration, exploring:
Types of collaboration: Challenges and opportunities associated with within-value-chain collaboration, across-value-chain collaboration, and pre-competitive collaboration.When, where and who to collaborate with (and not): How to identify the right opportunities and partnersâand when itâs best to go solo.Creating collaborative initiatives that scale: Key components for setting up partnerships that can scale (not just multiply).Who takes the credit? Innovative tools and accounting practices like differentiated product carbon footprints to verify reductions in collaborative efforts.Budgeting, resources and incentives: Monetary (price premiums, 3rd party financing) and non-monetary incentives (long off-take agreements) to sustain collaboration.Links/ resources :
A guide to supply chain engagement -
In this episode, we discuss the surging popularity of Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs). We cover:
The PCF Boom: The rapid growth of PCF generationPCF value: Where PCFs deliver value and where they fall short.PCF challenges: The key challenges to be aware of when generating and sharing PCFs.Data readiness: How to balance PCF demands with data accuracy and confidencePCF set up: Practical guidance on generating and sharing meaningful PCFs -
The majority of businesses calculating baselines use less than >10k emission factors (crazy).
What does this mean?
It means emission calculations aren't accurate and decarbonisation efforts remain invisible.
In this episode we get to the bottom of this and discuss:
EF Recap: what is an EF and how is one developedCurrent State of Play: Understanding the current landscape of EF usage and challenges.The EF Dilemma: Balancing consistency and accuracy in EFs.EF Types: Deciphering the differences between supplier-specific and secondary EFsPrimary Data: The role and need of primary data collection in EF development.Solutions and Trends: Discovering innovative approaches to accurate EF calculation and future trends in the field. -
In the second part of this two part series, we discuss essential leadership strategies to supercharge your sustainability team. We cover:
Team retention: How to retain and motivate top talent in a competitive marketSkill development: Where and when to invest in upskillingPerformance metrics: What metrics and bonus schemes are useful to track and implementHeadcount budget and resource management: How to optimise team resourcesTeam culture: Observed tactics for building team culture from Nando's and Starbucks -
In this two-part series, we dive deep into the essential components of creating and managing a world-class sustainability team.
In part one, we discuss:
Core characteristics: The key attributes contributing to a well-structured and effective sustainability team.Must-have roles: The indispensable positions that every sustainability team needs to function optimally.Internal vs. external: When to prioritise internal hiring and when to seek external expertise through consultants or software.Budgeting: How to secure the necessary headcount budget for your sustainability team.Attracting talent: The best strategies to attract top talent -
Saif Hameed and Piers Cooper, Senior Sustainability Research Manager (LCA) at Altruistiq discuss FLAG, what it is, if you should prioritise it, and if you do prioritise it, how to maximise your ROI. They cover:
A recap: What is FLAG and the measurement requirementsStrategic importance: When and why should a company prioritise FLAG over other sustainability initiativesMeasurement challenges: The primary FLAG challenges and solutions to overcome themCommercial opportunities: How to leverage FLAG to create competitive advantages and unlock commercial opportunitiesTrend watch: The upcoming changes to FLAG and trends to be aware of. -
In this episode, we explore current agricultural supply chain risks and mitigation measures. We cover:
Emerging threats: The macro and micro risks and specific commodities most vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.Building resilience: Strategies to strengthen your supply chain.Environmental data impact: The impact on your environmental data and the role of technology to mitigate these risks.Business case: How to value and communicate risk to bolster your sustainability business case. -
Saif Hameed and Jesica Sansom, Sustainability Director at Huel discuss how to set up product carbon footprints (PCFs) to deliver real business value.
We cover:
Data collection: The challenges and workarounds in collecting the granular data needed for reliable PCFsActionable insights: Best practices for using PCF to inform sustainable product designSupplier collaboration: How Huel are fostering innovative solutions with suppliers e.g., rethinking ingredient production methods & running field trials with oat farmersClaims & comms: How to communicate and demonstrate sustainability progress and why product labelling is not the silver bullet solution. -
In this episode, we highlight the common mistakes that sustainability professionals make and sound out the solutions. We discuss:
Market insight: Is SBTi still credible?Mistake trends: The most common pitfalls that sustainability professionals face.Root causes: The underlying reasons behind these mistakes.Data challenges: The limitations of working with aggregate data and best practices for overcoming them.GHG to PCF: How professionals can effectively gather and manage supplier data for greenhouse gas emissions reporting.Commercial opportunities: Understand the benefits and competitive advantages -
Camilla Riddiford, Head of Sustainability at Arla UK, shares her advice on how to turn colleagues from bystanders to sustainability champions (without breaking the bank or your sanity).
In this episode, we discuss:
Tailored communication strategies for diverse audiencesEffective content formats that resonateBalancing data and narratives for a compelling business casePrioritising upskilling, and training programs for key teamsLink to event: https://www.altruistiq.com/events/women-in-sustainability-summer-garden-mixer
-
The complex structure of supply chains can make tracking the impact of sustainability-related interventions a challenge. Supplier-specific information is often lacking and/or hard to come by. However, a lack of traceability shouldnât deter companies from efforts to drive progress.
There's a solution: supply sheds.
This episode dives deep into:
What is a supply shed, and how can it help you overcome challenges in reduction trackingThe benefits of using supply sheds include incentivising traceability and enabling collaboration.Challenges to consider, like changes in your supplier base and attribution of reductions.Recommendations for companies, from identifying key suppliers to monitoring interventions.Is the supply shed here to stay? -
Does the world on-pack green claims make you nervous?
We get it. Green claims are a minefield.
Today, we're bringing in a veteran of bold sustainability messaging to help us navigate the dark and somewhat dangerous world of sustainability comms. Shaunagh Duncan, Head of Sustainability at Oatly EU & I walks us through making strategic green claims, teaching us when to push boundaries and when to play it safe.
We cover how to :
Define a bold and impactful communication styleWalk the line between âgreenwashingâ and âgreen hushingâApproach on-pack PCFsCapitalise on the commercial opportunities of carbon labellingShow notes:
According to a recent study, Oatly Barista sold in the UK has a 58% lower climate impact than comparable cowâs milk.
From: Blonk Consultants (2022), LCA of Oatly Barista, and comparison with cow's milk. Gouda, the Netherlands. Stages include raw material to the point of sale and packaging waste management for average L *produced in the Netherlands and sold in the UK. Findings are subject to assumptions, limitations, conclusions, and critical review statements. See full report here.
-
We bust the 3 of the biggest sustainability myths in the industry:
Myth 1: We should be fazing out plasticMyth 2: Feed supplements are the silver bullet to methane reductionMyth 3: The future of âgreen transportationâ should be electrified.P.S. Don't forget to rate and review our podcast to help others discover tactics for corporate sustainability change transformation.
-
This episode dives into the 20+ year career of Saif Hameed, an activist, government official, NGO co-founder, flower farm owner, and now CEO of Altruistiq, a sustainability data management platform.
We explore how his experience equips sustainability professionals to engage stakeholders across sectors for change. We discuss:
Saif's Journey: Lessons from activism, government work, NGO experience, and business ventures inform a robust approach to sustainabilityEngaging Stakeholders: Collaboration techniques across activists, government officials, NGOs, and suppliers to accelerate change.Why Altruistiq: The inspiration behind Altruistiq and what makes it different -
Saif Hameed and Patrick Shewell, Global Director of Packaging at MondelÄz, discuss balancing an iconic brand image with bold sustainability packaging goals. In this episode, we dive into:
Balancing trade-offs between product functionality and sustainabilityEPR policy inconsistencies and how to manage these across 150+ markets.Prioritising packaging initiatives: no brainer vs higher cost initiativesStrategies for collaboration with packaging suppliersInvesting in innovative packaging solutionsShow notes:
Consumer Goods Forum Packaging Design GuidanceExtended Producer Guidance: All you need to know about EPR Policy Pulse -
In this episode, Saif Hameed and Isobel Wild discuss:
How different companies are approaching CSRDWhich team(s) should own the CSRD reporting processDouble materiality assessment best practicesWhat to do with all the data that you're not ready forHow to move beyond compliance and make CSRD impactful -
In this episode, Saif Hameed and Isobel Wild discuss:
Market Highlight: Sustainability Linked Bonuses: Company-wide vs leadership (learnings from LEGO Group)
Topic Deep Dive: Internal Sustainability Training Program
Success Characteristics: The characteristics that distinguish a good training program from a transformative one.Prioritising Teams: Which teams will benefit most from sustainability training and how to prioritiseCreating Compelling Content: How to tailor content to resonate with specific team needs whilst making it scalable.Engagement Levers: The most effective tools. initiatives and experiences to engage leadership teams and company-wide.Show notes
Tim Brooks, VP and Head of Sustainability at The LEGO Group. Lessons from setting up Sustainability Linked Bonuses.Internal Sustainability Education: How Kerry Achieved 91% Engagement - Montre plus
