Innovation Forum Podcast

Andy Napthine, group marketing controller at UK food producer Cranswick, and Nick Green from Veris Strategies talk with Ian Welsh about how to develop collaborative relationships with suppliers and customers on cutting use of plastic. Napthine and Green argue that such are the complexities of the plastics-use debate that only an industry wide movement enable the shifts in behaviours necessary. In the food sector at least, there is now strong company-led desire to see real change, they say.

This week: Kate Clancy, sustainability manager, cocoa and chocolate, at Cargill discusses what business can do to strengthen smallholder farmers’ business models. And Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s Michelle Bramley gives some insight into the impacts of changing modern slavery legislation. Plus: analysis of Maersk’s climate-neutral future, a new carbon report from Hermes Investment Management, why Mighty Earth says cocoa still has deforestation questions to answer, and McDonald’s pledges to cut antibiotics in beef supply chains, in the news roundup. And an exclusive special discount for podcast listeners this month for any Innovation Forum event using code IFPOD10. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Joe Arvai, professor of social enterprise and director of the Erb Institute, and Ian Welsh debate some of the challenges for business around how they measure their impact. Arvai argues that there is a degree of information overload for companies that isn’t helping them not to confuse impact and outcomes. They also discuss the growth in companies asking more about their organisational purpose beyond profitability, and why companies sometimes don’t seem to want to tackle their really material issues.

David Westlake, CEO, International Justice Mission, talks with Innovation Forum founder Toby Webb about the IJM’s work helping deliver justice for the most vulnerable in societies around the world. They discuss in particular IJM’s work in Thailand where, Westlake argues, there is perfectly adequate legislation but a significant lack of enforcement. The mission has worked with Walmart to counter modern slavery risks in its Thai shrimp supply chains. IJM’s efforts helping police and prosecutors are now leading to convictions of slavery perpetrators and rescue of victims.

This week: GM’s director of sustainability David Tulauskas on the customer-driven future for personal transportation, including full electrification, and anti-slavery charity Unseen’s CEO Andrew Wallis on how business risks on human rights and modern slavery are evolving. Plus: Shell links executive pay to climate change targets, analysis of the latest Know the Chain labour rights benchmark into the apparel and footwear sector, and Australia’s modern slavery bill becomes law (at last). And news of an exclusive special offer for podcast listeners (code: IFPOD10). Hosted by Ian Welsh

Gotz Martin, head of sustainability implementation, Golden Agri-Resources, talks with Ian Welsh about what future sustainable smallholder farmer communities will look like, and the challenges for business in helping create them. Martin argues that a critical step is greater investment in education to increase capacity and create a local economic platform that is attractive and self-sustaining. And only through making existing farms viable, through better planting and techniques, and through more crop diversity, will the temptation to encroach into currently forested lands subside. They also debate the pros and cons of the landscape approach.

Joe Franses, vice-president, sustainability, for Coca-Cola European Partners, and Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh discuss why Coke has developed a ‘world without waste’ strategy and debate the pros and cons of deposit return schemes. Franses argues that existing schemes don’t work effectively enough, while deposit return can really push recycling rates up. Coke wants 100% of its packaging to be returned by 2025 – which means, for example, collecting a bottle for every one that is put on the market. So radical change is required, and Franses explains how Coca-Cola is leveraging the power of its brand to demonstrate the value in its packaging, and why his marketing colleagues now have recycling messages in advertising.

This week: Michael Guindon, palm oil specialist from the Zoological Society of London, gives his impressions from the recent RSPO general assembly in Malaysia and details ZSL’s latest analysis of the palm oil sector’s progress against its commitments. And Ramon Arratia from Ball Beverage Packaging Europe puts the case for non-plastic packaging for drinks. Plus: insight from the UN’s 2018 Emissions Gap Report, a potential Cerrado agreement, viscose supply risks and new responsible banking principles, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Nathan Shuler, sustainability solutions architect at Schneider Electric, and Ian Welsh debate the rise and rise of the science-based targets movement. Shuler explains why his business has committed to them, and outlines some of the corporate challenges around zero-carbon ambitions and properly engaging with scope 3 supply chain emissions. They discuss the internal arguments that need to be won to move companies towards adopting such targets, and whether, given many companies won’t take that step, real leadership in this requires businesses to go beyond doing their ‘fair share’. Shuler also explains how science-based targets can be made relevant for smaller organisations.

Jason Glaser, CEO, La Isla Network outlines to Ian Welsh his work combating kidney disease in tropical sugar cane workers, and why famers providing water, rest and shade to workers in the field can mitigate serious health issues. Glaser explains how La Isla Network’s programme in Nicaragua is working to prove the effectiveness of rolling out water, rest and shade, and voices his frustrations with lack of progress while also highlighting some inspiring partnerships. They discuss the challenges around introducing more mechanisation in sugar cane supply chains – mitigating health risks while also developing other income sources for farm workers.

This week: Suzanne Westlake, head of corporate responsibility and corporate affairs at Ocado, outlines the challenges for the online retailer on cutting plastic waste. And CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward on partnerships with retailers such as Primark to develop gender empowerment and better livelihoods for smallholder farmers, that in turn build more sustainable long-term supply chain relationships. Plus: analysis of the RPSO’s updating of its principles and criteria, EU’s potential new rules cutting palm and soy from biofuels, and the apparel sector gets to grips with modern slavery, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Baroness Lola Young talks with Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb about her frustration at the lack of progress on human rights and modern slavery and how there is a universal need for all actors to move from talk to action on cleaning up supply chains. They debate why human rights issues don’t get the traction that environmental issues do – most notably plastics recently. Young argues for developments in the UK’s modern slavery act and other similar legislation elsewhere, and why using the right nuanced language in different parts of the world is very important to get engagement and progress.

Felix Gummer, director, Sancroft, and Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh debate why brands are becoming more fully engaged on packaging and focusing on keeping plastic out of the environment. They discuss how the combination of developments involving environmental concerns, government action, and campaigning group focus have made plastic waste such a mainstream issue. Gummer argues that packaging is becoming an ever-more important part of the product decision for brands, with the challenge to reduce the number of polymers used in packaging so that recycling and reuse become more possible and practical. He explains why avoiding food waste should be a top concern, and outlines why he’s not a fan of deposit return schemes as currently proposed.

Anika Goss-Foster, executive director of Detroit Future City, discusses with Ian Welsh how local renewal projects are helping neighbourhoods in the city of Detroit successfully redevelop through partnerships between businesses and local non-profit groups. Goss-Foster explains how changes to how the city, businesses and local people have to manage, and pay for, storm water has helped develop better green infrastructure and become a factor in how Detroit has improved how it operates as a city.

This week: Toby Webb and Davd Westlake, CEO of the International Justice Mission debate how companies can help build capacity to tackle modern slavery, particularly in Thailand. And, Ian Welsh and Joe Arvai, professor of sustainability, and faculty director at the Erb Institute, University of Michigan, discuss how companies can measure impact and drive business benefits. Plus: good news for Adidas, and not for Starbucks, in the latest CHRB benchmark; why Iceland can't show its palm oil Christmas ad, and are asset managers going to save the forests?  Hosted by Ian Welsh

Louise Edge, European campaign coordinator at Greenpeace, discusses with Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb why there’s been such an explosion in interest in tackling plastic waste. Edge calls on companies to go beyond existing targets on recycling, stressing the scale of the problem now and in a business-as-usual future. She outlines four steps that business can follow: transparency on what plastics they use; grasping the issue of ever-increasing single-use plastic; active investment in new delivery systems that are based on reduction and reuse; and taking immediate action to eliminate non-recyclable packaging.

Erica Ocampo, global sustainability strategy manager, Dow Chemical, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about how the company identifies its material issues and how they impact its business and stakeholders. Ocampo explains how Dow uses this to develop corporate strategy across all its business units. She argues the case for keeping reporting relevant – including cutting their length – and how to engage with standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative effectively.

This week: Coca-Cola’s Joe Franses on what Coke is doing to develop better plastic recycling rates and to leverage the power of its brand to encourage consumers to do the same. And Golden Agri-Resources’ Gotz Martin on what sustainable rural communities might look like in 2030. Plus: ZSL says palm oil companies still lack verification capacity, electric vehicles and child labour risks, and why consumers are going vegan, in the news roundup. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Christine McGrath, chief well-being, sustainability, public and government affairs officer at Mondelez, and Meghann Jones, senior vice president, corporate sustainability and citizenship at Ipsos, talk with Ian Welsh about how Mondelez, one of the world’s largest buyers of cocoa has designed its Cocoa Life sustainability programme to transform its cocoa supply chains. McGrath argues that this is designed as a holistic programme, because so many of the challenges the company’s supplier farmers are inter-related. They discuss what the programme means at a farm level, why helping develop farming communities is key, and debate impact measurement, what it means and how best to evaluate outcomes.

This week: Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey, speaks with Innovation Forum's Toby Webb about what business must do now to move from talk to action on modern slavery. And Sancroft’s Felix Gummer and Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh debate trends in how business is getting to grips with the environmental impacts of plastics, and why consumers expect immediate action. Plus: the implications of WWF’s Living Planet Report into drastic biodiversity decline, more corporate commitments on plastics and prospects for a holistic approach to non-financial reporting, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh