Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

The unintended consequences of packaging EPR

Adam Read, chief sustainability and external affairs officer at Suez UK, joins Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh to discuss how EPR and simpler recycling rules are reshaping the waste and recycling sector, shifting costs towards producers and aiming to improve material quality, efficiency and recycling rates. They discuss unintended consequences of packaging changes, the limits of compostable materials, and how extended producer responsibility could support reuse and refill models by using pricing and financial incentives to drive better behaviour across the value chain.

Weekly podcast – The credibility questions for scope 3 ag projects

This week: Athian Ag’s chief product officer, Kendra Tolley, talks with Ian Welsh about why demonstrable credibility is essential for agriculture scope 3 projects, and how better data, traceability and verification can strengthen confidence in value chain emissions reductions and reporting. 

 

Plus: agrifood outlook warns of continued volatility in soft commodity prices; new  questions about extent of health risks from microplastics; and, Barry Callebaut considers splitting cocoa and chocolate businesses to manage price volatility, in the news digest with Diana Kim.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

Weekly podcast – Are carbon markets entering a new phase?

This week: Verra's chief programme development and innovation officer, Candace Vinke, talks with Ian Welsh about how improvements in methodologies, verification and safeguards are resharing carbon credit integrity, and what that means for the markets' future. They discuss how emerging standards may influence how companies use carbon credits and value chain abatement as part of their net zero strategies.

 

Plus: Amazon soy moratorium at risk as more traders withdraw; EU carbon border levy sparks trade tensions worldwide; study warns climate mandates can backfire politically; and, the world produces more food per person than ever, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

Have we been treating nature like a free factory?

Earthworm Foundation CEO Bastien Sachet reflects with Ian Welsh on why environmental and supply chain shocks are caused by long-term neglect rather than short-term disruption. Bastien argues that businesses have treated nature as a free factory, optimising costs while failing to reinvest in soils, forests and farming communities. They explore why regenerative, place-based approaches and long-term partnerships are becoming essential to secure future supply, manage risk and maintain competitiveness.

Weekly podcast – Is packaging waste policy catching up with reality?

This week: Adam Read, chief external affairs and sustainability officer at Suez UK talks with Ian Welsh about the impacts of extended producer responsibility for the packaging sector, and the real opportunities that this can offer.

 

Plus: recycled polyester under fire as UK bans fashion adverts; EU backs major rollback of corporate ESG obligations; and, Microsoft leads peers on nature positive data centres, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

Is fermentation the future of food production?

Cargill's vice president of global core research and development, Cordell Hardy, talks with Ian Welsh about the potential of fermentation in providing scalable solution for food ingredient production. They discuss how integrated fermentation is in our everyday lives, from zero-calorie sweeteners to plant-based materials.

Monday briefing - How ASDA approaches remediation and responsible sourcing

This week: Duncan Warner, senior responsible sourcing and human rights manager at ASDA, talks with Ian Welsh about the role of retailers in driving effective remediation across global supply chains. They discuss how collaboration, transparency, and a growth mindset help address human rights challenges, and why embedding practical frameworks and partnerships is key to meaningful impact.

Plus: Innovation Forum’s Hanna Halmari introduces the upcoming 2026 conference series, highlighting themes in food, apparel, tech, and energy transition, focusing on sustainability as a driver of resilience, innovation and long-term business value.

Host: Ian Welsh

Click here for information on how to get involved in Innovation Forum’s 2026 events.

What's driving change in the global fashion sector?

Liv Simpliciano, head of policy and research at Fashion Revolution, talks with Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell about What Fuels Fashion?, Fashion Revolution’s latest transparency report, exploring the power dynamics, environmental impacts and social costs embedded in global fashion supply chains. They discuss accountability, data gaps, and why greater transparency is critical to driving meaningful change across the industry.

 

 

Coffee Landscapes Forum: 10 Years of Conservation International's Sustainable Coffee Challenge (audio recording)

Join Conservation International for the 10-year milestone of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge, marking the transition from our community’s first decade of building partnerships and mainstreaming sustainability in coffee to our next chapter of scaling investment and impact.

This virtual event, hosted by Innovation Forum, united coffee actors to explore innovative strategies and finance mechanisms that sustain coffee producing landscapes, tackling supply chain risks and fulfilling ambitious commitments from both government and industry.

What we discussed:

• A look back at how the Sustainable Coffee Challenge has built momentum and trust across the sector, highlighting ‘green shoots’ of collaborative action 
• Forward-looking insights on what (more) is needed to truly address the dual crises of climate change and nature loss impacting coffee’s long-term resilience
• Discussion on tackling supply chain risks and unlocking innovative finance through landscape transition, supporting producers and meeting industry and government commitments, as we approach 2030
• A meeting point for stakeholders across the coffee value chain to connect on the next chapter of collaborative action

The panel:

• Daniela Raik, interim CEO, Conservation International
• Laurent Sagarra, vice president, engagement, JDE Peet’s
• Michael Kobori, former chief sustainability officer for major food, beverage, and apparel brands (Starbucks, Levi Strauss & Co.) and board director, Bunge Global SA (keynote)
• Niels Haak, director, sustainable coffee partnerships, Conservation International
• Olivier Laboulle, global head of coffee sustainability and social impact, Louis Dreyfus Company
• Tessa Meulensteen, director global Markets, IDH 
• Ruchira Joshi, director global coffee and cocoa Sustainability, Starbucks
• Raina Lang, senior director, sustainable coffee, Conservation International
• Wenceslao Apan Salcedo, director of conservation and sustainability, FONCET

Tanya Richard, chief operating officer and head of stakeholder engagement at Innovation Forum moderated the session.

Weekly podcast – Can we scale carbon projects without perfect data?

This week: Nathan Truitt, executive vice president of climate funding at the American Forest Foundation, talks with Ian Welsh about the evolving role of carbon finance in supporting US family forest owners, and the tension between credit quality and affordability. They discuss what it will take for carbon markets to earn broad credibility as the world moves toward net zero.

Plus: Intel retreats from climate goals amid mounting financial strain; US Plastics Pact sets limits on advanced recycling; Lawsuit claims Apple still linked to conflict minerals; and, AFi guidance outlines measurable pathways beyond 2025 deadline, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah.

Host: Ian Welsh