Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Weekly briefing – The economic case for financing the future of critical minerals

This week: With the global race to secure sustainable critical mineral supply chains intensifying, financing remains one of the sector’s toughest hurdles. ING’s Tim van Pelt talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh to unpack where the gaps lie in funding critical mineral projects and how companies can navigate the challenges to unlock capital.

 

Plus: Innovation Forum’s Emilia Colman highlights key emerging themes ahead of the Critical Minerals Innovation Forum in London this November from supply chain transparency and ESG pressures to shifting corporate strategies as demand accelerates.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

 

Click here for the recording of the recent streamlining standards webinar with ICMM and ZF Group, organised in the lead up to the Critical Minerals Innovation Forum on 5th-6th November. Join Anglo American, ICMM, Glencore, BHP, Vale Base Metals, Airbus, BASF, LG Energy Solutions, Ørsted, Standard Chartered Bank, and many more. Click here for more information on how to register, or contact emilia.colman@innovationforum.co.uk.

Weekly podcast – Traceability is like air traffic control: why companies can't fly blind

This week: Florent Bouguin, chief technology officer at Optel, talks with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about the top and bottom line benefits and opportunities of supply chain traceability, particularly in the context of a shifting regulatory landscape.

Plus: Mars, PepsiCo, and ADM unite to boost Polish regenerative farming; CEOs prioritise sustainability action as competitive edge; report finds European wild fish heavily contaminated with toxic PFAS; and, clean energy set to replace 75% of fossil fuel demand, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah.

Host: Ian Welsh

Breaking silos: what apparel can learn from food and other sectors

Fashion’s climate and nature strategies are converging – but what does that mean for brands and suppliers? Beth Jensen, chief impact officer at Textile Exchange, reflects on the key takeaways from our recent apparel conference, from cross-industry collaboration to the role of data. In conversation with Innovation Forum's Tanya Richard, she explains why nature-positive practices are not only about driving sustainability, but also about building supply chain resilience.

Weekly briefing – Beneath the surface: unlocking the climate potential of blue carbon ecosystems

This week: blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes, can sequester carbon up to ten times faster than terrestrial forests, while also protecting coastlines and supporting biodiversity. Ahead of our webinar, Yihan Wang from Terraformation talks with Innovation Forum's Ellen Atiyah to explain their climate potential, why they remain undervalued and how projects such as the Keta Lagoon Blue Carbon Project in Ghana are changing the story.

Plus: Innovation Forum's Lia Da Giau shares insights on the trends reshaping packaging, from regulatory deadlines and circular models to breakthrough material and infrastructure solutions.

Host: Ian Welsh

Join us on Wednesday 17 September at 4pm CEST / 10am EDT for a complimentary webinar on the potential for blue carbon in net-zero strategies. Hear from Salesforce, Terraformation and Conservation International. Click here to reserve your spot.

To continue the conversation on sustainable packaging, we will be in Chicago on 28-29 October for the upcoming sustainable packaging innovation forum. Click here for information on how to get involved.

Weekly podcast – Why supply chain resilience starts with purchasing practices

This week: From tariffs to COVID-19, recent shocks have shown that resilient supply chains rely on trust, not transactions. Kristine Kim, senior director for impact and responsible sourcing at US fashion brand DÔEN, talks with Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell about how equal partnerships, responsible purchasing and long-term commitments can create shared value for both brands and suppliers.

 

Plus: EU sets binding targets for food and textile waste; M&S commits to UK-sourced sustainable produce; nature loss risks cost industries trillions; and, the need for durable carbon removal, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

Might zero-waste flexible packaging be possible?

Vidhu Nagpal and Alex Abbott from SmartSolve Industries talk with Ian Welsh about why recycling rates for flexible packaging remain so low, and how new water-soluble, bio-based materials, could provide a breakthrough. They discuss the limits of recycling, the promise of zero-waste packaging technologies, and why rethinking materials at the design stage rather than only at end-of-life, could disrupt the sector.

 

To continue the conversation, SmartSolve Industries will be attending the upcoming sustainable packaging innovation forum in Chicago on 28-29 October. Click here for information on how to get involved.

Monday briefing – Sink or swim: collaboration to tackle scope 3 emissions

This week: Henkel’s vice president for sustainability, Ulla Hueppe, spoke with Ian Welsh at the recent scope 3 innovation forum about the company’s strategy to cut supply chain emissions. They discuss balancing the costs of change with the risks of inaction and why data quality is the backbone of any credible sustainability strategy.

Plus: Innovation Forum’s Hannah Oborne talks about the disconnect between corporate sustainability progress and public communication, including the rise in greenhushing, and internal alignment towards scope 3 integration in decision-making.

Host: Ian Welsh

We’ll be continuing the conversation at the scope 3 innovation forum USA (Washington DC, 3-4 December). Join the likes of Colgate-Palmolive, Ulta Beauty, Mondelēz International, KFC, Mars, Michelin, eBay, Danone, IKEA, Verra and many more. Click here for information on how to get involved.

Weekly podcast – Could leather go deforestation free?

This week: WWF's senior director for beef and leather supply chains, Fernando Bellese, talks with Ian Welsh about the launch of the new deforestation free leather fund. They highlight how the fund aims to drive transparency, support farmers and reintegrate producers into stricter markets. 

 

Plus: Indonesia’s deforestation puzzle raises accountability concerns; fashion giants under fire for weak decarbonisation plans; South Australia bans fish-shaped soy sauce bottles; and, UK retailer M&S launches second-hand clothing store on eBay, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.

 

Host: Ian Welsh

 

We'll be continuing the conversation at the sustainable commodities and landscapes forum in Amsterdam on 21-22 October. Listen to the podcast for an exclusive discount.Click here for information on how to get involved.

From hard lessons to healthy soils: farmers helping farmers in Minnesota

Alex Udermann and Mark Gutierrez, farmers at the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, join Ian Welsh to share how they and their colleagues across the state are restoring soil, cutting input costs and building resilience. They discuss the power of peer-to-peer mentorship, practical tools for soil health, and why profitability and sustainability can go hand in hand.

 

This interview was recorded at the recent future of food and beverage forum in Minneapolis. We’ll be continuing the conversation on farmer collaboration and climate resilience at thesustainable commodities and landscapes forum in Amsterdam on 21-22 October. Join the likes of Henkel, Mars, Danone, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Diageo, Nestlé, HSBC, NatWest, Standard Chartered, Ferrero, Asahi and many more. Click here for information on how to get involved.

Monday briefing – Bridging the gap: data, regulation and farmer livelihoods

This week: Nicole Cramer from the Rainforest Alliance talks with Ian Welsh about how data collection can actually help farmers instead of burdening them. They discuss building farmer-centred data systems, translating information into practical improvements on the farm, and aligning long-standing agricultural programmes with emerging global regulations.

 

Plus: Innovation Forum’s Anamya Anurag talks with Ian Welsh about the emerging challenges in soft commodities, from climate shocks to geopolitical disruptions. They explore latest corporate innovations in creating supply chains that are both adaptive and sustainable.

 

Host: Ian Welsh