The Sustainability & You Podcast

Sustainability & You Episode 34 - Angelica Afanador & Tjeerd Krumpelman

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast we interview Angelica Afanador – a Director at Guidehouse – and Tjeerd Krumpelman – Global head of Business Advisory, Reporting & Engagement at ABN AMRO. Angelica and Tjeerd have critical leadership roles within the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) as Executive Director of the PCAF Secretariat and member of the PCAF Board, respectively.

We explore the development of the PCAF global standards for financial institutions to measure the greenhouse gas impact of the investment and lending activities of their portfolios. This involves a deep dive into what it means to measure financed emissions, what data is required to do so and how financial institutions can make strategic mid- to long-term decisions towards their sustainability goals and reaching net zero.

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 33 - Jessica Attard

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast we interview Jessica Attard, Programme Director for Health and Social Programmes at ShareAction.  Jessica is an experienced, entrepreneurial and socially conscious leader with a strong track record of developing cross-sector partnerships that improve population health and wellbeing. 

We explore ShareAction’s approach to system stewardship with an emphasis on the health aspects. We discuss their framework for health, what we mean by health and how organisations and investors should approach their obligations to generate a healthier society. As well as bolstering the concept of fiduciary duty to include such considerations, we discuss wider risk assessments that take into account health impacts with the economic system as a result of investment activity. 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

 

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 32 - Maya de Souza

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast we speak to Maya de Souza. Maya leads the Business in the Community’s (BITC) Circular Economy Taskforce considering the connection between better management of resources, safeguarding natural environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the vital role that business can play in achieving change.

Prior to this, Maya led Defra’s (the UK Government Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs) Circular Economy Policy and International Engagement Team. Her responsibilities included developing policy and a programme on waste prevention, taking forward the development of policy measures to support designing out of waste through standards and consumer information, analysing the relationship between the  policy framework and a transition to a circular economy, as well as engaging internationally in this field. 

She has broad environmental policy experience from working on the natural environment – leading on soil protection policy and farming standards – as well as flood risk and green public procurement.

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

 

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

 

Sustainability & You Episode 31 - Daniele Visioni

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast, we interview Daniele Visioni. Daniele is a Post-Doctoral Associate at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). He has a PhD in Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry at Università degli Studi di L'Aquila (Italy) in 2018.  We talk about the different use cases of climate modelling, their accuracy, interpretation and how they can evolve. In particular, we focus on the reliance placed on them in certain quarters of the financial community and emphasis a degree of caution that should be exercised in doing so. Our young ambassador Emily Baigent joins us on this episode, having studied climate modelling as part of her masters. 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

 

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 30 - Young Ambassadors

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast, Josephine Bush is joined by the Sustainability & You Young Ambassadors. They all discuss the highs and lows within Sustainable Finance during 2022, the outcomes of COP27 and COP15 and how the agreements at these COPs impact their work and careers. They also discuss how and why focus on nature financing increased in 2022, what global action the Young Ambassadors hope will be taken in 2023 and how to remain positive when things feel tough for sustainability.

 

The Young Ambassadors joining this podcast are;

Katie Davies. Katie recently joined political communications agency Seahorse Environmental, where she works as a consultant specialising in energy and sustainable finance. Before this, Katie was a journalist at IJGlobal reporting on mergers & acquisitions in the renewable energy sector across Europe.  

Stephanie Glover. Stephanie is Head of Strategy and Sustainable Finance for Guernsey Finance. Stephanie represents Guernsey at the United Nations Financial Centres for Sustainability network and is a member of TheCityUK Next Generation Leadership Council.

Phillip Schauer. Philip is a Senior Consultant at Guidehouse and Technical Assistance Lad for the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF).

Tilly Wickens. Tilly works in the renewables space and was a Commercial Lead for Clean Energy Capital.

Emily Baigent. Emily is completing her Master’s degree in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh and is a Placement Sustainability Consultant at TFT. Emily is passionate about sustainability within buildings and has a degree in Building Surveying.

 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

 

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 29 - Mindy Hernandez

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast, we interview Mindy Hernandez, discussing the intersection of behavioural science and sustainability. Mindy leads the World Resources Institutes’s Living Lab for Equitable Climate Action (https://www.wri.org/initiatives/living-lab-equitable-climate-action). She is an applied behavioural researcher focusing on pro-social behaviours like energy conservation, voting, and medication adherence. Previously, Mindy advised governments, companies, donors, and NGO’s around the world on applying behavioural science to measurably improve programs and policies, including working as a liaison to the White House’s Social and Behavioural Science Team for the U.S. Agency for International Development.  We talk about the role of behavioural science in the formulation of environmental policy, influencing behavioural change in particular as it relates to demand side responses, the moral aspects of consciously influencing behaviours and the further potential of behavioural science as an instrument to move us towards net zero goals. 

You will be interested to note that The Living Lab and WRI's Sustainability team is working on a very practical “Playbook for Sustainable Businesses”. The aim of this is to provide an actionable toolkit for business leaders on what actions to prioritize within their institutions. This includes help on tracking/quantifying progress, tools and templates on everything from how to devise impactful business travel and catering policies to how to build a green supply chain and procurement systems. If you or your business might be interested in supporting the Playbook or being a Beta tester for this Playbook, please get in touch with Mindy.hernandez@wri.org.

In this episode, we also welcome Katie Davies as a new young ambassador to the S&Y platform. Katie recently joined political communications agency Seahorse Environmental, where she works as a consultant specialising in energy/sustainable finance. Before this, Katie was a journalist at IJGlobal reporting on mergers & acquisitions in the renewable energy sector across Europe. Her work included writing exclusives on large-scale renewables deals, alongside in-depth case studies on a variety of sectors. Katie graduated from the University of Manchester in 2020 with a first-class BA in History, before obtaining a Master's degree from UCL – also in History.

 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

 

Sustainability & You Episode 28 - Morton Rongaard

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast we interview Morton Rongaard, CEO and co-founder of Reality +. He is recognised as a pioneer in the fields of Blockchain, Crypto Currencies and Augmented Reality. Morten is a regular speaker around the world on those topics and board member of the Nordic Blockchain Association and holds several advisor positions. We explore the world of blockchain as it relates to sustainability.  The convergence of these two worlds creates many challenges and opportunities, but in realising its potential, we look at how blockchain may be leveraged to advance sustainable objectives, through traceability, disclosures, provenance of carbon credits and other applications.  We also look at the sustainable footprint of blockchain itself, and its own challenges in moving to net zero.

 

We welcome on board as well a new young ambassador, Emily Baigent. Emily is reading for an MSC in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh and the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, having achieved BSc (Tons) in Building Surveying (First class). She is currently a sustainability consultant with TFT. She was identified as one of EY’s 94 Network for future female C-Suite leaders.

 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 27 - Faith Ward

In this episode of Sustainability & You we interview Faith Ward, Chief Responsible Investment Officer at Brunel Pension Partnership Limited, who have £35bn of capital under management. Faith has had a rich and influential career in the world of sustainability and ESG. She is dedicated to integrating and reporting on ESG risks in finance and investment. In her various high profile roles including co-chair of the Transition Pathway Initiative, and Chair of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change amongst others.  We talk about what it means to be a responsible investment officer, creating the right balance between return and impact, the role of alliances and their success to date, and what good stewardship looks like.

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 26 - Marija Rompani

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast we interview Marija Rompani, Director of Sustainability & Ethics at John Lewis Partnership. Marija is passionate about the role of business in creating a sustainable future and help achieve the UN SDGs. Marija has extensive experience in the sustainable agenda across finance, FMCG and retail businesses with a successful track record of gaining C-Suite buy in, and developing and executing initiatives to drive positive change while growing strategic internal and external partnerships. We talk about the John Lewis approach to sustainability and the fundamental tenets of their strategy. We talk about the attributes to lead in this space and to influence those with whom strategic decision making sits. Marija talks about the role of the customer in influencing the shape and direction of the business, particularly as it pertains to sustainable products and services. In addition to sharing her personal journey, Marija shares how the next generation too can migrate into these leadership roles.

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.

Josephine can be contacted at Josephine.bush1@gmail.com

Sustainability & You Episode 25 - Chris Jackson

In this episode of the Sustainability & You podcast, Stephanie Glover and I speak with Christopher Jackson, CEO of Protium Green Solutions Ltd, a UK green hydrogen energy services company. Chris originally began working on hydrogen through the World Bank, where his research helped secure the Bank’s first internal funding for Hydrogen & Fuel research in over a decade. Subsequently Chris became an advisor to colleagues within the World Bank and IFC on hydrogen and fuel cell projects. Chris founded Protium in 2019. They build, own, operate and finance green hydrogen and renewable energy infrastructure assets, and from those provide hydrogen as an energy service (HESCO) to customers. The company’s mission is to power businesses with sun, wind and water. We talk about the role of hydrogen in the race to net zero, its use cases, the economic model for rolling it out more widely and the need to educate on its potential.  Chris explains to us grass roots up how hydrogen has a critical role to play in the energy mix, and articulates some of the challenges in accelerating its progress, requiring convergence of policy, capital, and private enterprise.

 

Sustainability & You is a not for profit platform designed to bring together experts, influencers and decision makers in the field of sustainability and climate change. Our mission is to bring together leading voices to explore solutions and accelerate change. We bring together both senior and younger voices so that all those impacted by climate change are heard.