Life Matters More

In this episode, Philippa talks to Vernon Dennis about why he has come to see governance and culture as the real reasons businesses succeed or fail, why ESG is not a separate compliance exercise, and what directors actually need to do to discharge their duties in a world where "non-financial" misconduct is anything but. Vernon Dennis is a partner at Howard Kennedy Solicitors, where he le...

In this episode, Philippa talks to Steve Watters about what it really means for a financial planning business to be a force for good, why excluding the worst offenders from a portfolio isn't enough on its own, and how stewardship and engagement can change the conversation between investors and the companies they own. Steve Watters is Head of Impact at Paradigm Norton. Trained as an engineer,...

In this episode, Philippa talks to Peter Smith about how a football club becomes a force for environmental change, why operations and sustainability are inseparable, and why honesty matters more than perfection on the road to net zero. Peter Smith is Head of Change and Sustainability at Bristol Sport, the organisation behind Bristol City Football Club, the Bristol Bears Rugby Club and Ashton Gate...

In this episode, Philippa talks to Anne Johnstone about why heat has been overlooked for decades, what it actually takes to move buildings off gas, and why energy security is as much about storage and infrastructure as it is about generation. Anne Johnstone is ESG Director at Vital Energi, a company delivering low-carbon heat at scale through heat networks, large heat pumps and long-term energy in...

In this episode, Philippa Hann talks to Eileen about what it takes to build a luxury fashion business where dignity, sustainability and profitability reinforce one another, why the concept of a brand is too limiting for what she is creating, and what other industries can learn from rebuilding a supply chain around the people inside it. Eileen Akbaraly is the founder and CEO of Made for a Woman, a...

In this episode, Philippa Hann talks to Kate and Emma about what it takes to spot something that feels wrong inside your own industry and actually do something about it, why a clearance solution turned out to be a community story, and what other sectors can learn from how PropUp Project has reframed waste as a resource. Kate Allan and Emma Chaplin are TV producers turned co-founders of PropUp Proj...

In this special episode, our Head of Impact, Steve Watters, talks to Adam and Louise to explore what it actually takes to shift behaviour inside complex, time-poor institutions, what businesses can learn from schools, and why better design is usually more powerful than louder messaging. Adam Flint is Education Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, overseeing the delivery of EcoSchools in England. He spent...

Louisa Ziane is the co-founder and COO of Toast Brewing, the UK's first B Corp brewery, known for making beer from surplus bread that would otherwise go to waste. She trained as a management accountant, started her career at the Financial Conduct Authority, and then spent several years at the Carbon Trust working on carbon measurement and climate change mitigation with corporates and governme...

Alice Chapple is an economist, chartered accountant, and the founder of Impact Value. She has spent over three decades working in sustainable finance, long before ESG became a boardroom talking point.  She developed the sustainable finance online course for the University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership and served as its head tutor. Her work focuses on the systems, ince...

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Tom Lyas, Head of Resourcing and Social Mobility at Browne Jacobson, where he has built one of the most impactful social mobility programmes in the UK legal sector and the architect behind FAIRE, an initiative that has opened up real work experience to over 87,000 aspiring legal professionals, many from communities historically shut out of the professions entirel...

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Roxanne Folke, Head of Responsible Business at Burges Salmon, where she leads the firm's work across sustainability, inclusion, community engagement and pro bono. Roxanne brings over two decades of experience working with businesses across Europe on sustainability and responsible business strategy, including contributions to research for the UN, the UK gover...

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Ross Fairley, Senior Partner at Burges Salmon and one of the UK’s leading legal voices in clean energy and the transition to net zero. Ross shares his journey from environmental law into the fast-moving world of renewables, where he has spent more than two decades advising on offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and landmark decarbonisation initiatives such as...

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Amelia Tan, Head of Responsible Investment and Stewardship at Legal & General Asset Management, for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation on what responsible investing really looks like in practice. Amelia shares her journey from the global financial crisis to helping shape stewardship and engagement strategies at one of Europe’s largest asset managers....

In this episode of Life Matters More , Philippa speaks with Dana Denis-Smith OBE, founder of Obelisk Support, about what it really takes to build a more flexible, human way of working in a profession that has long rewarded tradition and endurance.  Together, they explore the gap between what organisations say about flexibility and what people experience in practice, especially at the point where c...

In this episode, Philippa is joined by Simon Colvin, Partner at Weightmans, a long-established environmental lawyer and the firm’s ESG lead.  With roots in environmental biology and more than two decades specialising in this field, Simon has played a central role in helping Weightmans secure ISO accreditations, a platinum EcoVadis rating and recognition across several Legal 500 ESG categories. Sim...

In this episode, Philippa speaks with Vanessa Havard-Williams OBE, one of the most influential figures in ESG and environmental law.  Vanessa joined Linklaters in 1988, became partner in 1999 and, across a 37-year career, built and led the firm’s environmental, climate, human rights and crisis management practices long before ESG became a global priority.  Her work spans private practice, governme...

In this episode, Philippa sits down with Joshua Domb, founder of Gen-R Law — a new firm built on the belief that every area of legal practice can and should be viewed through the lens of climate change and ESG.  After a career in white-collar crime and regulatory investigations, Joshua experienced a growing sense of climate anxiety and a realisation that his work wasn’t contributing to the issues...