Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Clarity and collaboration to protect migrant workers

Andrew Wallis, CEO of anti-slavery NGO Unseen, talks with Ian Welsh about the importance of scrutiny and collaboration to protect migrant workers. They discuss the absence of a UK independent anti-slavery commissioner, the need for better legislation enforcement, and how to create an environment where “good” business can thrive.

Weekly podcast: Sourcing challenges in a global value chains perfect storm

This week: Peter McAllister, executive director of the Ethical Trading Initiative, explores the complexities of human rights and ethical trade for business in a challenging global environment. He talks about changing costs pressures and evolving regulatory landscapes – including EU human rights due diligence legislation – and the patterns of stakeholder engagement that are emerging.

Plus: PVH pays Haiti garment workers $1m after supplier factory closure; US senators question SHEIN CEO about forced labour ties; Indonesia and Malaysia in talks with EU over new deforestation regulation; and, “forever chemicals” found in Arctic ice posing new risk to wildlife, in the news digest with Bea Stevenson.

And, an update on the upcoming future of climate action and how to tackle scope 3 GHGs virtual conference on 12th-14th June from Innovation Forum's Natasha Bodnar.

Host: Ian Welsh

What genuine collaboration in delivering a living wage looks like

Tiffany Rogers, director of fair compensation and member engagement at the Fair Labor Association, talks with Innovation Forum's Hanna Halmari about the impacts of corporate living wage commitments to improve worker rights in the supply chain. They discuss the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in scaling living wage initiatives, improving corporate expertise and communicating with workers on the ground.

 

Listen to the webinar on implementing living wage policies with Wendy Savage and Alex Katz from Patagonia.

Weekly podcast – Can the future of chocolate be cocoa-free?

This week: Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson talks with Ahrum Pak, CEO and co-founder of WNWN Food Labs about the launch of first cocoa-free “chocolate” made from cereals and legumes. They discuss how the product has been developed and the potential implications for the chocolate industry of such alternative innovations.

Plus: ClientEarth activists sue Shell’s directors over climate strategy; plastic recycling rates still eclipsed by virgin plastic production says Minderoo Foundation research; and, new WWF biodiversity risk filter for corporate risk assessment, in the news digest.

And, Innovation Forum's Catie Ball gives an update on the Sustainable Apparel Textiles USA conference on 21st-22nd June in New York City.

Host: Ian Welsh

Collaboration to drive progress on farmer-focused food resilience

Michelle Grogg, vice president for corporate responsibility and sustainable development at Cargill, talks with Ian Welsh about managing current disruptors to the food supply chain and delivering long-term food resilience. They discuss the importance of having farmers at the centre of collaboration efforts, and what food companies can do to provide support through livelihoods development, technology programmes and market integration.

Weekly podcast – The urgent need for better migrant worker protection

This week: Andrew Wallis, CEO of anti-slavery NGO Unseen, talks about the ongoing challenges for migrant worker protection for business in the UK and beyond. He discusses the importance of good human rights legislations to establish the right level playing field, and shares some examples of what good collaboration looks like.

Plus: a new Conservation International and We Mean Business Coalition survey shows strong corporate dedication to meet climate targets, including using carbon offsets, despite on-going debate over their certification; why the planet is on the brink of critical climate thresholds according to Stanford and Colorado State Universities; more detail of the UK's nature-positive payments for farmers scheme; and Shopify highlights sustainability-conscious consumer choices despite current economic climate, in the news digest.

And, further information on the responsible sourcing and ethical trade forum taking place in London on 29th-30th March in London from Innovation Forum's Emily Heslop.

Host: Ian Welsh

Are there reasons to be cheerful about business progress on human rights?

Phil Bloomer, executive director of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, reflects with Ian Welsh on global collective efforts and collaboration on business, human rights and the environment – as highlighted by the international collaboration to help Ukraine, for example. They talk about the implementation of regulation, the role of technology, responsible investors and companies, and what human rights integration in the just transition should look like.

Weekly podcast – How the apparel sector can deliver on living wage commitments

This week: Tiffany Rogers, director of fair compensation and member engagement at the Fair Labor Association talks with Innovation Forum's Hanna Halmari about how apparel business can make living income commitments, as part of a new “state of apparel” content series. They discuss the challenges in implementing living wage programmes and guidance on corporate responsible purchasing practices.

Plus: CDP's non-disclosure campaign encouraging companies to make commitments more than ever before; incoming plastics and aluminium containers deposit return scheme in the UK; avoiding the risk of smallholder palm oil farmer marginalisation from EU's new due diligence regulations; and, KPMG UK's research finds potential employer's ESG decision making and corporate commitments being a determining factor in job search, in the news digest.

And, Innovation Forum's Emily Heslop provides updates on the upcoming future of food USA conference taking place in Minneapolis on 30th May-1st June.

Host: Ian Welsh

What the EU’s deforestation-free rules will mean for business

Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, WWF senior forest policy officer, UN policy office, talks with Innovation Forum’s Bea Stevenson about the EU's new deforestation-linked products ban. They discuss what the legislation will look like for business once entered into force with customs controls and heightened infringement prosecution, and the significance of due diligence risk assessments for EU imports and exports.

Weekly podcast – How to build food sector supply resilience

This week: Cargill's vice-president for corporate responsibility and sustainable development, Michelle Grogg, talks about the necessary action points that can deliver global food resilience amid disruptions such as extreme weather events and the war in Ukraine. She discusses the importance, for the long-term, of future-proofing farmers and engaging in smarter collaborations across organisations and sectors.

Plus: climate change failures tops 10-year risks in World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Risks Report; Danone to reduce 30% absolute methane emissions by 2030; and, world’s economy becoming less circular according to new Circularity Gap report, in the news digest.

And, an update on the future of food conference to be held in Amsterdam on 3rd-4th May from Innovation Forum's Natasha Bodnar.

Host: Ian Welsh