Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Olivia Dobson, director, climate and resilience at Verisk Maplecroft, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about why managing data effectively is how companies can best get on top of the ever-evolving supply chain risks.

To date, 7 US states have passed packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, with more exploring this pathway. EPR schemes have been emerging as an important component of packaging and waste regulations worldwide. But with a lack of harmonization across schemes, business is left in a tough spot.

This webinar explores how organizations are responding to the fragmented global EPR landscape, balancing local compliance needs with global goals and cross-border operations. We also look at the effects of these regulations on packaging innovation processes and sustainability strategies, reflecting on shared challenges and best practice.

• The practical steps to prepare for compliance in a growing patchwork of EPR regulations
• How leading brands are reconciling local packaging and waste management compliance with global targets and supply chain consistency
• Innovation through compliance? How to determine where and when to invest in new packaging solutions that may, or may not, align with future EPR rules
• Examples of effective cross-industry collaboration that can help to bring clarity and alignment in response to packaging EPR

Hear from:

• Sarah Paleg, director of sustainability at Amcor
• Jordan Girling, head of extended producer responsibility at WRAP
• Alex Chan, US and Canada EPR expert in producer fees, eco modulation, program planning and operations.
• Tanya Richard, Innovation Forum's COO and head of stakeholder engagement, moderated the conversation.

Continue the conversation at the sustainable packaging innovation forum USA in Chicago on 28-29 October. Click here for information on how to get involved.

We sat down down with Christian Spano, director of circularity at Vale Base Metals to explore practical strategies to implement circular principles across the entire critical minerals value chain, and how this can boost supply resilience, security and meet growing demand for critical minerals.
 
The webinar was moderated by Ian Welsh, publishing director, Innovation Forum.

This week: Julien Tremblin, European general manager at TerraCycle, talks with Ian Welsh about the hidden economic challenges behind sustainable packaging and why many "recyclable" items never get recycled. They discuss why lightweight designs and contamination render many materials worthless to recyclers, and how policy gaps perpetuate the cycle.

Plus: younger shoppers push for greener packaging; Mondelēz International urges EUDR delay as rivals push back; China powers ahead on renewables as Europe hits key coal tipping point; and, dairy milk sees a revival as plant-based market cools, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah.

Host: Diana Kim

Charlotte de Degot, CEO of CO2 AI talks with Ian Welsh about how leading companies are generating real ROI from sustainability – up to 7% of sales or $200M in net benefits annually. 

• See how companies like Reckitt are unlocking financial gains through decarbonisation 
• Learn more about the launch of CO2 AI Agents and what it means for Scope 3 emissions 
  
  

Charlotte shares results from a CO2 AI and BCG global survey, and addresses why most companies still treat sustainability as a cost centre. 

This week: Innovation Forum’s Lia Da Giau and Ian Welsh talk about where packaging innovation is heading, from concentrated refill formats to algae-based inks. They highlight how regulation and cross-sector collaboration are shaping the future of sustainable packaging.

 

Plus: Amcor’s Jeremy Blake share reflections from the recent sustainable packaging innovation forum in Amsterdam about why the economics of packaging still favour the linear model. In conversation with Ian, they discuss what it will take to make circular packaging viable at scale

 

Host: Ian Welsh

 

Join the conversation at the sustainable packaging innovation forum USA in Chicago on 28-29 October. Click here for information on how to get involved.

This week, Innovation Forum’s Tanya Richard talks with Danielle Holly, executive lead for North America at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, about the vital role of circularity in transforming the fashion industry. Recorded live at the Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference in New York, they explore how brands can collaborate to shift mindsets and drive systemic change toward a circular economy. 
 
Also: Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh and Tim van Pelt from ING talk about financing critical mineral supply chains.

Plus: Nearly 200 organisations urge EU policymakers not to weaken sustainability rules; why rising temperatures could sharply reduce global crop yields; and the dismantling of the US Inflation Reduction Act, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh 

Diageo's global sustainability and innovation director Dave Lütkenhaus, talks with Ian Welsh about moving sustainable packaging from pilots to practical, scalable solutions. From refill trials to aluminium and fibre formats, they discuss circularity being redefined by real-world constraints and opportunities.

This week: Ian Welsh speaks with Charlotte Degot, CEO of CO2 AI, about how companies can unlock the business value hidden in their sustainability strategies. Drawing on global research and client case studies, they share insights on why many businesses still view sustainability as a cost burden, and how that mindset is shifting. The conversation explores how leading companies can use AI in overcoming data blind spots, streamlining carbon accounting and accelerating Scope 3 emissions reductions.

Plus: EU scraps greenwashing crackdown plans; H&M leads fossil-free fashion rankings again; CGF unveils common data framework for supply chains; and, climate change threatens gin’s signature flavour, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh

• Click here to read how companies such as Reckitt are achieving measurable financial benefits from decarbonisation
• Click here to learn more about the launch of CO2 AI Agents

Evan Harvey is a leader in sustainability (and an audit and assurance managing director at Deloitte & Touche LLP), focusing on services related to sustainability, materiality and nature. He joins Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh to unpack EUDR readiness for companies across sectors. As the 2025 fully operational date for large companies approaches, they explore which industries are leading the charge, the operational and technological challenges many businesses face, and why early action can offer a competitive edge.