Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Jack Hurd, executive director of the Tropical Forest Alliance and Emily Kunen, senior director, positive agriculture capabilities and forest risk at PepsiCo, talk with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about importance of scaling the use of landscape and jurisdictional approaches for sustainable land use. They discuss the findings from the TFA's latest report, including the unintended consequences of EUDR, expectation for stakeholders to drive progress, and guidance on achieving this.

 

To read the Tropical Forest Alliance's latest report, click here.

In this week's briefing, Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh and Bea Stevenson talk about Asia-Pacific Climate Week, being held in Malaysia to showcase solutions and innovations to tackle climate challenges in the lead up to COP28. They also discuss the EU council's upcoming adoption of farm sustainability data network regulations for collecting environmental and social data of food systems for companies, producers and beyond.

 

Plus, Innovation Forum's Hannah Oborne introduces the future of food conference returning to Amsterdam on 14th-15th May 2024. Early-bird registrations are now open.

This week: At Innovation Forum's future of climate action conference in Washington DC, Ian Welsh and Bea Stevenson discuss the key talking points from the opening day of the event. They highlight the impact of evolving legislation and the ongoing corporate struggle to turn climate commitments and targets into credible action plans to deliver real progress.

Plus: During Innovation Forum's recent sustainable landscapes and commodities forum, Ian Welsh spoke with Anita Neville from Golden Agri-Resources, Catherine Barton from Chester Zoo and Innovation Forum's Peter Stanbury. These conversations focused on the challenges and potential impacts of the incoming EU deforestation regulation, in terms of business as well as conservation efforts.

Host: Ian Welsh

During Innovation Forum's recent future of plastics and packaging conference in Amsterdam, some of the participants spoke with Ian Welsh, reflecting on the conversations from the two days. These conversations focused in particular on the latest packaging trends and how the sector is shifting towards tougher and mandatory compliance standards, and the role of recycle and reuse schemes.

Hear from Jodie Roussel from Nestlé, UNEP's Llorenç Milà i Canals, Daniel Katz from The Overbrook Foundation and Rainforest Alliance, WRAP's Sebastian Munden, Steve Hardman from the Plastic Collective, and Innovation Forum's Catie Ball and Tanya Richard.

In this week's briefing, Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh and Bea Stevenson talk about the launch of this year's UNEP Production Gap report, which tracks the gap between governments' planned fossil fuel production and the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5C. They also discuss the international day for preventing the exploitation of the environment in war and armed conflict on 6th November, which sheds light on the environmental linkages and consequences of conflict. 

Plus, Innovation Forum's Emily Heslop shares some agenda updates and what to expect at the future of climate action conference in Washington DC this week. Registrations are still open to join us there.

This week: Jack Hurd, executive director of Tropical Forest Alliance, and Emily Kunen, senior director, positive agriculture capabilities and forest risk at PepsiCo, talk with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about how companies can act to develop a more sustainable approach to land use at scale. They discuss research conclusions and key takeaways from the Tropical Forest Alliance's latest report on corporate action at scale on sustainable land use.

 

And: insight from CEO of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Joseph D’Cruz, speaking at Innovation Forum’s sustainable landscapes and commodities conference in Amsterdam.  

 

Plus: financial giants call for businesses to set Science Based Targets; over 50% of consumers willing to shift diets for a better world; and, shortfall in climate adaptation funding previously underestimated, in the news digest by Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

 

To read the Tropical Forest Alliance’s latest report, click here.

Bex Hall, head of consulting at Sedex, talks to Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about how decreasing food prices, coupled with increasing input costs, can create a squeeze that puts supply chain workers at risk. They discuss how food costs could be spread more equitably across value chains, and the opportunities that could arise from this. 

This week: Deloitte's senior manager for sustainability, climate and equity, Nabarun Sengupta talks with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about the role of the new Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) Framework, and how companies are approaching nature-related risks and disclosures. They discuss some reasons to be hopeful about positive momentum on nature-based approaches.

 

Plus: EU adopts Net-Zero Industry Act draft report; major companies call for fossil-fuel phase-out at COP28; and, decline in fossil fuel use imminent, according to the International Energy Agency, in the news digest by Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson.

 

Host: Bea Stevenson

Successful REDD+ projects that protect forests and preserve biodiversity must work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities to safeguard and enhance their rights. Improving livelihoods by providing basic needs and alternative income opportunities is critical to forest conservation that is equitable.

 

Projects require close and extensive community consultation and strong engagement in governance, built on the foundations of full free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).

 

This Innovation Forum webinar, supported by Everland features case studies of REDD+ projects in Kenya, Cambodia, Colombia and Peru, providing examples from each about how, when done well, REDD+ projects can generate remarkable breakthroughs for the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Participants discuss how financing from the sale of certified carbon emission reduction credits has helped to empower these partnerships with local communities that safeguard and strengthen human rights.

 

The case studies illustrate:

• How REDD+ projects are built upon community-led governance structures.
• The ways in which projects provide opportunities for communities to secure their land titles.
• The comprehensive conservation agreements that enhance partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities that protect livelihoods and forest ecosystems.

 

We heard from panellists from Everland and Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, Kasigau Corridor, Alto Mayo, Chyulu Hills and Acapa-Bajo Mira y Frontera REDD+ Projects. To learn more about these projects, click here.

 

This webinar was moderated by Ian Welsh, publishing director at Innovation Forum.

In part two of our farmer voice series, Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson speaks with Deborah Osei-Mensah from the Asunafo Cocoa Cooperative in Ghana. They talk about how farmer like Deborah are experiencing extreme and unpredictable weather patterns on the ground, and in particular how this can disproportionately impact women farmers.