AK Compass Podcast

Welcome to the Summer Miniseries of the AK Compass Podcast! During the summer season, we’ll share short, to-the-point episodes on various travel and sustainability topics. On this episode of the AK Compass Podcast, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi discuss smart packing. Karolina shares her tips on packing and to be careful with social media trends on packing light, as they may be misleading. She...

Welcome to the Summer Miniseries of the AK Compass Podcast! During the summer season, we’ll share short, to-the-point episodes on various travel and sustainability topics. On this episode of the AK Compass Podcast, Ágnes Gárdonyi shares her tips on traveling with a kid as an experienced traveling mother. Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi discuss some interesting and insightful topics, such as trav...

Welcome to the Summer Miniseries of the AK Compass Podcast! During the summer season, we’ll share short, to-the-point episodes on various travel and sustainability topics. In this episode, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi share practical tips for traveling safely and confidently, whether you’re heading to Europe or exploring a developing country.  Two horror stories kick off this episode: the man...

In this episode of the AK Compass Podcast, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi talk about Harbin, a city off the beaten path. Karolina looks back on her visit from almost 20 years ago and shares why this lesser-known Chinese city, with its Russian and Chinese influences and famous ice and snow festival, left such a lasting impression on her. They discuss what made Harbin feel so different from other...

In the new AK Compass Podcast episode, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi talk with Irén Márta , Managing Director of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary, about her journey into sustainability leadership, the Race to Zero campaign , and how companies can stay committed to net zero and circular economy goals beyond compliance. We also touch on global examples from Costa Rica...

In this episode, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi talk about Karolina’s experience visiting Trieste as a multi-day destination, not just a one‑day stopover. She highlights the city’s seaside atmosphere, historic center, Roman ruins, Roman Theatre, and Miramare Castle by the sea perfect for a relaxed day trip or half‑day outing. She also explains how easy it is to add Slovenia into the mix: Ljublj...

In this episode of the AK Compass Podcast, hosts Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi welcome Ifan Mahdiyat Sofiana , Minister Counsellor at the Indonesian Embassy in Budapest, to explore sustainable and culturally respectful tourism in Indonesia. With over 20 years of diplomatic experience, he shares insights into Indonesia’s rich cultural diversity, religious etiquette, and responsible travel pract...

In this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into living in London as a global multicultural hub – not just visiting as a tourist, but truly experiencing pre-Brexit London as a student expat. Karolina Czako shares her authentic story of immersing in the city's fast-paced, crowded megacity life , from student life in London and UK university education to navigating its vibrant mix of arts, busi...

In this episode, Karolina Czako and Ágnes Gárdonyi interview Gábor Heves , an expert in sustainable urban development and mobility who has spent many years working at the intersection of environmental policy, cities, and transport . After a long career at the Regional Environmental Center (REC) , he shares his expertise on sustainable urban development , focusing on practical solutions that help c...

Karolina Czako unveils Madeira’s irresistible allure – from the heart-pounding landing at Funchal Airport to serene levada walks through misty forests and blooming valleys. Imagine gliding up the Funchal-Monte Cable Car above terracotta rooftops to the exotic gardens of Monte Palace Madeira , then wandering the vibrant Zona Velha where the Art of Open Doors murals breathe new life into historic st...

In this episode, we discuss with Albert Wettstein, co-founder and CMO of Munch, a Hungarian food-rescue startup launched in 2020. Since then, the company has grown into a regional platform active in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Romania, working with thousands of partners to save millions of surprise packages and thousands of tons of food from going to waste. We explore how rescuing s...

In this episode of AK Compass Podcast, Sustainability Expert Karolina Czako explores how climate change is already shaping our cities, economies, and human health — and what practical solutions are emerging today. From the alarming toll of air pollution , which claims millions of lives each year, to the hidden risks of toxic materials in buildings, Karolina explains why environmental protection is...

This episode features Dr. Ágnes Szuromi‑Kovács, founder and Chair of the WILL Foundation for Women Leaders, a non‑profit launched in 2024 to support women managers and executives in Hungary and the wider CEE region. Drawing on more than 20 years of leadership experience , she shares the key steps and turning points that shaped her career and led to the creation of the WILL Foundation to strengthen...

Today’s companies face more than just isolated disruptions — they must confront a rapidly unfolding polycrisis, where environmental, social, and economic shocks reinforce one another in unpredictable ways. These overlapping crises are not temporary challenges but signs of a deep systemic transformation that demands a fundamental rethinking of traditional corporate strategies. In this episode, we e...

In this episode, Karolina Czako shares her experiences visiting Bratislava and explains why Slovakia’s capital deserves more than a single day. The city is culturally and historically very rich, yet too often treated as a brief stop instead of a place to slow down and explore. Sustainability is strongly present in everyday life: Bratislava is small, walkable, clean, has excellent public transporta...

Join us for an in-depth interview with András Huszár, Founder and CEO of Green Policy Center. This episode explores the process of establishing a climate policy think-tank in Hungary, highlighting the challenges of remaining effective and impactful within the environmental policy sector. András recounts his personal journey and the motivation behind launching the Green Policy Center, sharing valua...

In this episode of AK Compass , we dive deep into what it really means to travel sustainably in a world where tourism both enriches and endangers the places we love. Karolina Czakó, communications and sustainability expert, sits down with journalist Ágnes Gárdonyi to explore how travellers can reduce their environmental impact, support local communities and make more conscious choices—without givi...

Karolina Czako, Advisory Board Member of Mission 2050 Hungary Foundation for Sustainable Development, explains how this independent foundation is planning to mitigate the polycrisis – interconnected risks affecting sustainability, society, and the economy in Hungary. The episode highlights key projects on water security, energy independence, and holistic crisis management , showing how Mission 205...