Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Webinar – Implementing living wage policies: how Patagonia creates meaningful change on-the-ground

Over the past decade, various apparel brands have made major commitments to deliver living wages to workers in their supply chains. However, a recent report by the University of Sheffield found that despite these ambitious commitments, low pay continues to be the status quo. And there is still widespread confusion over the definition of a “living wage”, and action on the ground varies greatly across regions.

Taking Patagonia as a case study, this webinar examines some of the common pitfalls in implementing living wage policies.

• How a living wage is calculated and why living wage estimates are critical.
• What are the main obstacles and challenges in getting to living wages?
• How can business, government and civil-society groups work together to achieve these commitments?
• What are the biggest lessons learned from Patagonia’s living wage programme so far?

With:

• Wendy Savage, director, social responsibility and traceability, Patagonia
• Alex Katz, manager, supply chain social responsibility, Patagonia

Hosted by Ian Welsh, Innovation Forum

Join Innovation Forum at the sustainable apparel and textiles conference in Amsterdam in April. Full details here

Weekly podcast: The big brands that still 'do nothing' on deforestation, and Patagonia on living wages

This week: Forest 500 report authors Sarah Rogerson and Emma Thomson, from Global Canopy, outline what progress companies are making on deforestation, and argue that too many are still failing to recognise their responsibility to act.

And, Wendy Savage and Alex Katz from Patagonia discuss the brand’s work to develop living wages for workers in its supply chain.

Plus: Uzbek cotton sector progress, more bad news for insect pollinators and Danone’s investment in a hi-tech solution to low-tech food waste, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Why plastic is a victim of its own success

Jo Griffiths, global food community director for the British Standards Institute – BSI, speaks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about the challenges in developing sustainability standards for plastic packaging. They debate why the plastics debate has become highly polarised and the dangers in simply stopping using plastics, particularly in food packaging.

Griffiths outlines the difficulties around defining what sustainable packaging means across different sectors and argues for combining a systems approach to packaging materials, with development of a circular economy, as a potential solution.

Weekly podcast: Future of fertiliser?

This week: Amy Yoder, CEO of agri-tech business Anuvia Plant Nutrients, on innovation in fertilisers that add organic matter to boost soil health and boost productivity across all crops, without potentially harmful chemical inputs.

Plus: why we may dodge the worst case climate change; a call for big hikes in European meat prices; how fermented proteins are bad news for the diary sector; and, US $70m pledge to tackle human trafficking, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Technology that enables traceability from farm to fork

Dawn Jutla, founder and co-CEO of blockchain technology developers Peer Ledger, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about how technology is revolutionising consumer engagement with products and supply chains.

They discuss some of the challenges in adapting blockchain for agriculture supply chain, and how it can enable full traceability and honest communication with suppliers and consumers.

Peer Ledger were a sponsor of Innovation Forum's 2019 future of food conference in Chicago.

Webinar – Reducing climate impacts in agriculture: How are leading food brands taking action?

In order to limit global temperatures to 1.5C, greenhouse gas emissions must fall 45% from 2010 levels by 2030 and to net zero by 2050, according to the IPCC. This reduction is required at a time of rapidly expanding food production. It is estimated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation that food and feed production will need to increase by 70% by 2050 to meet the world's food needs.

To meet climate targets and avoid the impending climate catastrophe, food companies must radically adapt practices. And with the clock ticking, the next 10 years will be critical.

In this webinar, an expert panel discusses:

• What leading food brands are currently doing to reduce climate impacts
• The real-world practicalities: Science based targets are fine, but how can we actually reach them?
• How to effectively scale up initiatives that absorb carbon, such as land restoration and increasing biodiversity
• Assess how brands can map the route to 2030 for effective implementation.

Panel:

• Christine McGrath, vice president and chief of global impact, sustainability, and well-being, Mondelēz International
• Jon Hixson, vice president of government relations and global citizenship, Yum! Brands
• Anna Turrell, head of sustainability, Nestlé UK and Ireland

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Weekly podcast: The global links between business, tropical deforestation and the climate crisis

This week: Nathalie Walker, director, tropical forests and agriculture at the US’s National Wildlife Federation on why her work preserving natural habitats in the US and beyond means engaging with business to tackle the climate crisis and tropical deforestation.

Plus: how PayPal is targeting human trafficking; a new WEF report into how to change incentives in food production and consumption; and, why a circular economy is still a long way off, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

Faster and clearer deforestation data for the palm oil sector

Niels Wiellard, managing director of Satelligence, discusses the potential of the new Radar Alerts for Detecting Deforestation initiative with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh.

Developed by Satelligence and Wageningen University, and facilitated by the World Resources Institute, RADD is designed to allow palm oil companies accurate and up-to-date information on deforestation in their supply chains. With this near real time data, the industry can be more efficient in targeting on-the-ground remediation action. Also involved in the RADD partnership are Bunge, Cargill, Golden Agri-Resources, Mondelēz International, Musim Mas, Nestlé, Pepsico, Sime Darby Plantation, Unilever and Wilmar

Satelligence was a sponsor of Innovation Forum’s sustainable landscapes and commodities conference.

 

Weekly podcast: Airbus on supply chain transparency and tackling tropical deforestation

This week: Airbus’s Patrick Houdry and Earthworm Foundation’s Rob McWilliam on the development and implementation of satellite remote sensing system Starling, their joint project to help improve supply chain traceability and tackle deforestation impacts. 

Plus: mixed messages from Davos bankers on climate, Coke says plastic’s here to stay, Nestlé’s market-making on recycling, and CDP’s latest A-listers, in the news digest.

Hosted by Ian Welsh

How business can transform supply chains, drive resilience and empower communities

At the recent Innovation Forum sustainable landscapes and commodities conference in London, Ian Welsh and Tom Idle spoke to a number of expert participants to summarise some of the panel sessions and capture some key outcomes.

Hear from:

• Justin Adams, executive director of Tropical Forest Alliance
• Laurence Ruffieux, director, operations, sustainability, Philip Morris International 
• Nic Sheen, chief technology officer, Athenticate
• Helen Browning, chief executive, Soil Association 
• Michael Gidney, CEO, Fairtrade Foundation
• Frances Way, chief strategy officer, CDP
• Stephen Donofrio, director, Forest Trends’ Supply Change Initiative 
• Jonathan Horrell, director, sustainability, Mondelez International 
• Peter Stanbury, principal at the Frontier Practice