Business & Society with Senthil Nathan

What does it mean to live a full life — not just a successful one? Gurcharan Das, former CEO of Procter & Gamble India and one of the subcontinent's most celebrated public intellectuals, has spent a lifetime asking exactly that. In this conversation, he reflects on his memoir Another Sort of Freedom , tracing a life shaped by restlessness, curiosity, and the classical Indian framework of...

What drives business leaders to give? Geoffrey Jones, celebrated business historian at Harvard Business School, challenges everything we think we know about philanthropy. In this episode, we explore "spiritual philanthropy"—a concept rooted not in tax incentives or CSR mandates, but in deeply held values. Geoff reveals why leaders in emerging markets approach giving differently than thei...

Can business be a force for human rights — not just avoid violating them? In this episode, Senthil sits down with Tyler Giannini, Professor at Harvard Law School, to explore the growing field of business and human rights. From the Nuremberg trials to the UN Guiding Principles of 2011, Tyler traces how the world has slowly — and imperfectly — begun holding corporations accountable. Tyler also share...

In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast , Senthil speaks with Sven Beckert about his sweeping new book, Capitalism: A Global History . Spanning nearly a millennium, the conversation challenges conventional narratives of capitalism as a purely Western or modern phenomenon. Beckert traces its origins to early global merchant networks—from the Arabian Peninsula to South Asia—and explains...

In the very first episode of The Right Way mini-series, Senthil and Vihaan revisit one of the most famous business ethics cases ever taught: the 1982 Tylenol crisis . What began as a horrifying act of product tampering—when seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules—quickly became a defining test of corporate leadership, public trust, and moral courage. At th...

In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast, Senthil Nathan speaks with researcher and leadership expert Zach Mercurio , author of The Power of Mattering . Together they explore a simple but powerful idea: people thrive at work when they feel that they truly matter. Drawing on research across industries, Zach explains why small everyday interactions—being noticed, affirmed, and needed—can...

In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast, Senthil speaks with Viraj Sikand, CEO of EarthAcre, about one of the biggest emerging frontiers in sustainable business: market-based solutions for biodiversity. Viraj shares his journey from growing up in a conservation-focused family in Kenya to building climate and circular-economy ventures in the U.S., and ultimately launching a platform des...

In this episode of the Business and Society podcast, Senthil is joined by Dr. Kristen Lucas, Professor of Management at the University of Louisville and one of the leading scholars on workplace dignity. Drawing on her personal background and decades of research, Kristen explains what dignity at work really means—beyond the absence of bullying—and how it connects to people’s sense of self-worth, co...

In this episode, Senthil speaks with Professor Cordelia Fine about women in the workplace and the ideas behind her new book Patriarchy, Inc. They explore how gender norms, power, and status shape modern work, why the “business case” for gender equality can fall short, and what real workplace reform could look like. Please visit our website, www.businessandsociety.net , for more inspiration.

This episode of Business and Society unpacks “dark patterns” – deceptive design features in apps and websites that push people into actions they never intended, such as unwanted subscriptions, extra fees, oversharing data, or staying online longer than planned. Guest Marie Potel, founder of Fair Patterns, explains that these patterns are fundamentally different from normal marketing because they e...

In this episode of the Business and Society podcast, host Senthil speaks with Dr Ivanka Visnjic, Professor of Innovation at ESADE Business School, about how companies can unlock opportunities at the intersection of sustainability and innovation. Drawing from her research and fieldwork across global industries, Ivanka explains why sustainability should be treated as a transformation challenge, not...

In this episode, Senthil speaks with Dario Soto-Abril, Executive Director of the Trafigura Foundation, about how corporate philanthropy is shifting toward catalytic, risk-tolerant funding that supports climate adaptation and community resilience. Drawing on his global career, Dario explains what sets corporate philanthropy apart—its ability to leverage business resources for public good while prio...

This episode of the Business and Society podcast features a conversation with Etelle Higonnet, founder of Coffee Watch, Yale alumna, and renowned environmental activist. The discussion centers on the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and its profound implications for smallholder coffee farmers worldwide. Main Topics Covered EUDR Impact: The episode explains the intent and scope of E...

In this episode, Senthil sits with Professor Nick Bloom of Stanford University to discuss the evolution, research, and future of remote, hybrid, and in-person work. Drawing from global data and his landmark Trip.com study, Nick explains why hybrid models now dominate professional work, how work-from-home trends differ across countries and industries, and their impacts on productivity, innovation,...

In this episode of the Business and Society podcast, Senthil delves into the complexities of the Indian consumer market with renowned market expert and author Rama Bijapurkar. Drawing from four decades of research, Rama outlines the transformational journey of India's consumer economy—from pre-liberalization austerity to the explosion of choices and rising competition after 1991. The discussi...

Senthil sits with renowned MIT Sloan professor Zeynep Ton, author of The Good Jobs Strategy and The Case for Good Jobs, for a conversation to reveal how investing in frontline employees with fair pay, stable schedules, and meaningful career paths is not just ethical—but a true competitive advantage. Hear compelling stories, research insights, and real-world examples from leading companies like Cos...

In this episode, Senthil sits with Patrick McGee, author of Apple in China and reporter at the Financial Times, delve into the intricate world of Apple's global supply chain, exploring the company's relationship with China, the role of Foxconn, and the impact of COVID-19 on labor conditions. They discuss how Apple's manufacturing processes have shaped the smartphone market and the e...

What if working less could actually mean achieving more? The four-day workweek has emerged from pandemic-era workplace experiments as perhaps the most promising innovation in how we structure our professional lives in decades. But misconceptions abound about what this shift really means and whether it's sustainable for businesses beyond a temporary feel-good measure. Professor Juliet Schor, e...

What happens when business schools continue teaching the same shareholder capitalism model that's driving our planet toward environmental collapse and social inequality? Professor Andy Hoffman, holding joint appointments at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and School for Environment and Sustainability, takes us on a profound journey examining the broken state of business...

Hidden beneath the glossy surface of our global economy lurks a devastating reality: 40 million people trapped in modern slavery. In this eye-opening conversation, Professor Justine Nolan, Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute, reveals the complex web of exploitation that permeates supply chains across industries. Modern slavery isn't a relic of history—it's a present-day cri...

We're facing a crisis of overwork that's literally killing us. In this eye-opening conversation, award-winning journalist and author Brigid Schulte reveals how our toxic work culture has made overwork the norm, with devastating consequences for our health, happiness, and productivity. Brigid traces the origins of our overwork epidemic to the 1980s when corporate priorities shifted toward...

In a world where more women are entering the workforce than ever before, why does the gender wage gap persist so stubbornly? Our guests Naomi Cahn and June Carbone, legal scholars and co-authors of "Fair Shake: Women and the Fight to Build a Just Economy," reveal the hidden game being played in workplaces across the globe. The conversation begins with Betty Dukes, a Walmart employee told...

Sir John Kay delivers a masterful analysis of how corporations have evolved from their industrial origins to today's knowledge-driven enterprises, revealing profound insights about the changing nature of business success. Drawing on his distinguished career spanning academia, business, and finance, Kay traces the corporate journey from the industrial titans of the Gilded Age through the profe...

Have you ever wondered why essential goods like baby formula, eggs, and lifesaving medications keep facing shortages? The answer lies in monopoly power—a force reshaping our world in ways both visible and hidden. Matt Stoller, director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of "Goliath: The Hundred-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy," joins us for a...

Corporate sustainability is more than just a trend—it's an essential element of modern business strategy. In this episode, we sit down with Tim Mohin, a seasoned leader in climate and sustainability, to navigate the intricate relationship between corporate responsibility and the dynamic market environment. We discuss how today’s corporate leaders must balance shareholder interests, regulatory...