Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Do companies even want to know what’s material to them?

Joe Arvai, professor of social enterprise and director of the Erb Institute, and Ian Welsh debate some of the challenges for business around how they measure their impact. Arvai argues that there is a degree of information overload for companies that isn’t helping them not to confuse impact and outcomes.

They also discuss the growth in companies asking more about their organisational purpose beyond profitability, and why companies sometimes don’t seem to want to tackle their really material issues.

IJM: developing capacity for justice systems around the world

David Westlake, CEO, International Justice Mission, talks with Innovation Forum founder Toby Webb about the IJM’s work helping deliver justice for the most vulnerable in societies around the world.

They discuss in particular IJM’s work in Thailand where, Westlake argues, there is perfectly adequate legislation but a significant lack of enforcement. The mission has worked with Walmart to counter modern slavery risks in its Thai shrimp supply chains. IJM’s efforts helping police and prosecutors are now leading to convictions of slavery perpetrators and rescue of victims.

Weekly podcast: General Motors’ zero-emissions future, and insight from modern slavery’s front-line

This week: GM’s director of sustainability David Tulauskas on the customer-driven future for personal transportation, including full electrification, and anti-slavery charity Unseen’s CEO Andrew Wallis on how business risks on human rights and modern slavery are evolving.

Plus: Shell links executive pay to climate change targets, analysis of the latest Know the Chain labour rights benchmark into the apparel and footwear sector, and Australia’s modern slavery bill becomes law (at last).

And news of an exclusive special offer for podcast listeners (code: IFPOD10).

Hosted by Ian Welsh

GAR on how to develop smallholder communities that thrive

Gotz Martin, head of sustainability implementation, Golden Agri-Resources, talks with Ian Welsh about what future sustainable smallholder farmer communities will look like, and the challenges for business in helping create them.

Martin argues that a critical step is greater investment in education to increase capacity and create a local economic platform that is attractive and self-sustaining. And only through making existing farms viable, through better planting and techniques, and through more crop diversity, will the temptation to encroach into currently forested lands subside. They also debate the pros and cons of the landscape approach.

Coca-Cola’s brand-led marketing on plastic recycling

Joe Franses, vice-president, sustainability, for Coca-Cola European Partners, and Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh discuss why Coke has developed a ‘world without waste’ strategy and debate the pros and cons of deposit return schemes.

Franses argues that existing schemes don’t work effectively enough, while deposit return can really push recycling rates up. Coke wants 100% of its packaging to be returned by 2025 – which means, for example, collecting a bottle for every one that is put on the market. So radical change is required, and Franses explains how Coca-Cola is leveraging the power of its brand to demonstrate the value in its packaging, and why his marketing colleagues now have recycling messages in advertising.

Weekly podcast: ZSL on palm oil sector progress, and why non-plastic packaging works for drinks

This week: Michael Guindon, palm oil specialist from the Zoological Society of London, gives his impressions from the recent RSPO general assembly in Malaysia and details ZSL’s latest analysis of the palm oil sector’s progress against its commitments. And Ramon Arratia from Ball Beverage Packaging Europe puts the case for non-plastic packaging for drinks.

Plus: insight from the UN’s 2018 Emissions Gap Report, a potential Cerrado agreement, viscose supply risks and new responsible banking principles, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Are science-based targets ambitious enough?

Nathan Shuler, sustainability solutions architect at Schneider Electric, and Ian Welsh debate the rise and rise of the science-based targets movement. Shuler explains why his business has committed to them, and outlines some of the corporate challenges around zero-carbon ambitions and properly engaging with scope 3 supply chain emissions. They discuss the internal arguments that need to be won to move companies towards adopting such targets, and whether, given many companies won’t take that step, real leadership in this requires businesses to go beyond doing their ‘fair share’. Shuler also explains how science-based targets can be made relevant for smaller organisations.

How water, rest and shade saves lives in tropical supply chains

Jason Glaser, CEO, La Isla Network outlines to Ian Welsh his work combating kidney disease in tropical sugar cane workers, and why famers providing water, rest and shade to workers in the field can mitigate serious health issues. Glaser explains how La Isla Network’s programme in Nicaragua is working to prove the effectiveness of rolling out water, rest and shade, and voices his frustrations with lack of progress while also highlighting some inspiring partnerships. They discuss the challenges around introducing more mechanisation in sugar cane supply chains – mitigating health risks while also developing other income sources for farm workers.

Weekly podcast: Ocado on the difficult choices around plastic packaging, and CottonConnect on supply chain resilience

This week: Suzanne Westlake, head of corporate responsibility and corporate affairs at Ocado, outlines the challenges for the online retailer on cutting plastic waste. And CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward on partnerships with retailers such as Primark to develop gender empowerment and better livelihoods for smallholder farmers, that in turn build more sustainable long-term supply chain relationships.

Plus: analysis of the RPSO’s updating of its principles and criteria, EU’s potential new rules cutting palm and soy from biofuels, and the apparel sector gets to grips with modern slavery, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Baroness Young on how to move from talk to action on modern slavery

Baroness Lola Young talks with Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb about her frustration at the lack of progress on human rights and modern slavery and how there is a universal need for all actors to move from talk to action on cleaning up supply chains. They debate why human rights issues don’t get the traction that environmental issues do – most notably plastics recently. Young argues for developments in the UK’s modern slavery act and other similar legislation elsewhere, and why using the right nuanced language in different parts of the world is very important to get engagement and progress.