Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

The Carbon Debate: what reforms are necessary for voluntary carbon markets?

Recently, corporate use of voluntary carbon markets and verified emissions credits has come under intense scrutiny and debate. On one side, reporting in the Guardian and elsewhere has claimed that most certified credits do not represent genuine carbon reductions. On the other side, certifying bodies and others supporting the use of voluntary carbon markets and projects tackling deforestation have stoutly defended verified emissions reduction credits and the science behind the certification.

Certainly, the voluntary carbon markets are imperfect; challenges include establishing baselines and accounting methodology. Nevertheless, carbon projects, including REDD+ projects, are perhaps the best method we currently have of getting finance to indigenous communities so that they can value their forests with the trees standing.

In this special webinar, we had a frank and transparent debate about the challenges and solutions. We asked experts how we can move forward to ensure that finance from voluntary carbon markets reaches projects that prevent deforestation and contribute to tackling climate change. We discussed:

• The problems that the recent criticisms have highlighted, and the counter arguments
• What players in the carbon markets can do to ensure the science and other methodologies are as good as they can be
• What companies tackling their Scope III emissions need to know when it comes to carbon credits
• The process of continual reform necessary to ensure that funds from voluntary carbon markets go to credible and worthy projects

The panel:

• David Antonioli, CEO, Verra
• Bea Natzler, team leader, people and business, Climate Change Committee
• Samuel Gill, co-founder and president, Sylvera

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

How to get to grips with ethical trade due diligence

Peter McAllister, executive director of the Ethical Trading Initiative, talks with Ian Welsh about the complexities of ethical trade and emerging corporate engagement to untangling the risks within these systemic issues. They discuss what good regulation looks like and some of the unintended consequences of corporate human rights due diligence.

Bayer on what good ethical trade legislation looks like

This week: Janina Lukas, head of ethics and social impact at Bayer, talks about the impacts of ethics and social policy on business. Talking with Ian Welsh, she discusses the challenges of corporate due diligence and the importance of peer collaboration and putting people at the core of risk management.

Plus: US measures to crack down on child labour; final talks for UN High Seas Treaty; Golden Agri-Resources and IOI Group part company with the High Carbon Stock Approach initiative; and, Lufthansa ad banned in UK for greenwashing, in the news digest from Bea Stevenson.

And, Natasha Bodnar gives an update on the upcoming future of food conference in Amsterdam on 3rd-4th May.

Host: Ian Welsh

Towards clarity and consensus: How apparel brands can measure their biodiversity impacts for a nature-positive future

The WEF has identified biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as one of the fastest deteriorating global risks over the next decade. With close ties to biodiversity loss throughout their value chains, many apparel brands are seeking to measure, monitor, and reduce their impacts on nature.

Several approaches to measuring corporate biodiversity performance have emerged, forming a complex landscape for businesses to navigate. Before they can act to transform supply chains and the ecosystems they touch, brands must understand how to measure their impacts. In this webinar, we discussed:

• The tools and frameworks available for measurement, including mapping tools and natural capital accounting
• What is the outlook for alignment on biodiversity measurement and valuation for businesses?
• How brands can use the TNFD Framework to report and verify their biodiversity impacts
• Best practice from brands building nature-positive strategies today

The panel:

• Liesl Truscott, director – industry accountability & insights, Textile Exchange
• Amanda Parkes, chief innovation officer, PANGAIA
• Franklin Holley, director, Conservation International

This webinar was moderated by Tanya Richard, head of research and stakeholder engagement at Innovation Forum.

How cocoa-free chocolate can be a win-win opportunity

CEO and co-founder of WNWN Food Labs Ahrum Pak talks with Innovation Forum's Bea Stevenson about a sustainable alternative to chocolate created from cereal and legumes. They discuss how cocoa-free products have the potential to positively disrupt the cocoa sector, and the need for addressing the sensitivities of existing supply chains to ensure no unintended negative impacts on traditional cocoa suppliers.

Weekly podcast – Effective business and government collaboration on decarbonisation

This week: Tom Thackray, director of the decarbonisation programme at the Confederation of British Industry, talks with Ian Welsh about ways for business and government to collaborate in the race to net zero. They discuss the impact of government in steering business innovations and progress in green technologies and renewable energy deployment.

Plus: not enough progress on corporate deforestation commitments says Global Canopy's Forest 500 report; International Energy Agency's global methane tracker calling oil, gas and energy sector to cutting methane emissions; and, students vote for all vegan menus at the University of Cambridge, in the news digest.

And, Innovation Forum's Hanna Halmari shares further updates on the sustainable apparel and textiles conference in Amsterdam on 25th-26th June.

Host: Ian Welsh

Click here to register for the carbon debate webinar with Verra, UK Climate Change Committee and Sylvera on 1st March, 2pm GMT/9am EST.

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