Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Mobeen Chughtai, group head of ESG and corporate communications at Soorty Enterprises, talks with Innovation Forum's Niamh Campbell about the brand-supplier relationship from the supplier's perspective. They discuss the compliance burden of conflicting regulatory frameworks and why sustainability requirements are increasingly being treated as non-negotiable mandates.

Plus: EU bans destruction of unsold apparel under ESPR; Amazon deforestation falls to its lowest level since monitoring began in 1985; consumers shift away from polyester towards natural fibres; and, eight global fashion capitals launch coalition to share sustainability best practice, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh

The pipeline of critical minerals projects has never been longer. But the gap between a viable project and a financed one remains stubbornly wide.

Capital is available, it’s just not flowing fast enough, or to the right places. Early-stage mining projects carry a risk profile that most institutional investors are not set up to absorb. Infrastructure is absent, policy frameworks are inconsistent, and the road from discovery to production stretches beyond a decade. At the same time, rising sustainability expectations are adding cost and complexity that can deter rather than attract capital.

This webinar brought together financial institutions and mining companies to explore what it actually takes to move critical minerals investment from intention to action.

What we discussed...

• The structural barriers that keep credible projects stuck at the development stage.
• How financial institutions are building frameworks to evaluate and de-risk critical minerals investments.
• The role of blended finance, development banks and public-private mechanisms in mobilising private capital.
• Sustainability performance as a bankability asset: how responsible sourcing credentials are factoring into investment decisions.
• What mining companies and project developers need to demonstrate to get deals across the line.

Cornelius Wolf, senior director development apparel at Puma, talks with Ian Welsh about the brand's progress on textile-to-textile recycling, now well beyond pilot stage at over 11% in 2025. They discuss the challenges of post-consumer feedstock, why World Cup shirts are putting circularity in the spotlight, and how Puma is managing the cost premium on recycled material.

This week: Mari-lou Dupont, senior vice president for social compliance at the Fair Labour Association, talks with Ian Welsh about worker wellbeing challenges in the apparel sector. They discuss from persistently low wages and weak unionisation to what brands need to do to move beyond measuring wage gaps to actually closing them.

Plus: carbon-based hotel pricing nudges tourists towards greener choices; WFP launches water security project in Iraq; UK climate aid cuts threaten community-led coastal resilience; and, private equity treats climate resilience as a new value lever, in the news digest by Babette Pages.

Host: Ian Welsh

Danai Mangana, LCA consultant and consumer goods sector lead at SimaPro, PRé Sustainability, talks with Ian Welsh about current trends in corporate sustainability reporting. They discuss why a one-time lifecycle assessment no longer counts as substantiation, and how companies that treat sustainability data as business intelligence are building a genuine competitive edge.

Marco Rosso, global head of sustainability and corporate affairs at Syngenta Biologicals and Seed Care, talks with Ian Welsh about the shifting economics of farming. They discuss the psychology putting young people off agricultural careers and why sustainability has to deliver a real return on investment for farmers to adopt it.

Plus: lab-grown cocoa as a hedge against cocoa price volatility; US coffee prices double on tariffs and Red Sea disruption; China's largest US soybean purchase since 2025; and, European Commission cuts sustainability reporting requirements by 60%, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh

Jimmy Summers, vice president of environment, health and safety, and chief sustainability officer at Elevate Textiles, talks with Innovation Forum's Niamh Campbell about the financial barriers to decarbonising the apparel sector. They discuss why decades of falling clothing prices have made sustainability harder to fund, and what systemic solutions could create a genuine race to the top.

This week: As the long-awaited guidance for the new EU forced labour regulation is published, Ian Welsh speaks with Rachel Rigby, lead, extended supply chains and responsible sourcing, and Quinn Kepes, regional lead, Americas, at Verité. They discuss some of the potential opportunities and impacts for business. 

Plus: Seed technology that enhances resilience and yield; business action to drive electrification; environmental activists most targeted group; and, US return to coal drives emissions increases, in the news digest with Babette Pagès. 

Host: Ian Welsh 

Tanja Lischka, senior director for government affairs at Siemens Energy, talks with Ian Welsh about the power grid evolution required as electrification continues to be rolled out, and the challenges and opportunities this represents.

Climate change is rapidly reshaping the future of coffee. Rising temperatures, shifting growing regions and increased pressure on yields are creating significant risks for producers, livelihoods, and supply chain stability.

As a result, incorporating regenerative agriculture practices into coffee supply chains is no longer a distant sustainability goal, but a core business imperative. From farm-level adaptation and investment to sourcing strategies and supplier partnerships, companies are rethinking how to secure supply while supporting livelihoods and long-term sustainability goals.

What we discussed:

• What regenerative agriculture means in practice for the coffee sector, from farm to commercial strategy
• How producers and supply chain partners are responding, including the support structures, partnerships and investment models driving impact
• How brands and retailers are integrating regenerative agriculture into sourcing decisions
• The role of traceability and certification in driving accountability across the supply chain