Purposing

This year, many businesses are finding it tougher than ever. So wouldn’t it be easier to put purpose and sustainability on the back burner? At least until it feels like there’s less of a trade off with profit… What if I told you that despite the current economic climate, some of the world’s leading organisations are taking an entirely different approach, prioritising purpose as a fundamental drive...

The science on climate change is clear: the planet is heating at an alarming rate. We’re already at risk of breaching the limits set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Rapid action is needed to ensure net zero pledges are kept and sustainable practices are implemented across business.  No amount of disclosure or engagement will correct the course we’re on if businesses and business leaders don’t fi...

The power to drive real change comes when every single person in the business feels that they are extended members of the advocacy team - but what are the principles that underpin a credible and impactful advocacy strategy? Today, Becky Willan is joined by Char Love , Global Director of Advocacy at Natura&Co, whose subsidiary brands include Avon and The Body Shop. Char has a track record of wo...

If businesses want to achieve anything more than incremental change which reinforces that system, we need a new way of operating. It’s true that the world is messy and complicated, but if we’re serious about delivering purpose and driving environmental and social change, we need to rewire the system around us so that we can all thrive in the future. When components of a system synchronize on share...

We need businesses and brands to have a tangible, positive impact on the world. Employees, customers and consumers expect it; they want to see the companies they work for and shop from take a stand on the issues they care about. But when those issues are complex and at times polarising, how does a business take action credibly and consistently, whether playing the role of advocates or activists? T...

Recruitment is a commercially-driven industry where results and commissions keep the wheels turning. Few would expect purpose to be front and centre. But fundamentally, it’s an industry with people at its heart, and people are the drivers of purposeful change. So how can recruitment firms embed and activate purpose to transform their businesses? Today, host Becky Willan speaks to a leader who clim...

Pioneers of purposeful business have been around for decades. Graze is a recent addition rewriting the snacking playbook for healthy people and planet. But what if balancing the needs of society with what's good for profits was required by law for every business? On this episode of Purposing, Becky Willan speaks to healthy snack CEO, Joanna Allen . She joined British supermarket staple Graze in 20...

Having a clear, actionable purpose that acts as a real North Star can help businesses attract and retain talent, build engaged workforces and drive innovation. But what if your starting point is diverse, disparate teams with completely different agendas? Today, host Becky Willan speaks to Cath Possamai , Talent Acquisition Director for Amazon in EMEA. Before arriving in tech, she led recruitment f...

Global supply chains and seasonal production gives fashion a big carbon footprint. We’ve heard a lot about this in fast fashion. But in the luxury space, the story is changing. Shoppers are conscious of where products come from, and how they impact the planet and people. But how can companies harness sustainability to drive purpose and growth? Today, host Becky Willan speaks to a Global Director o...

It might feel like purpose is under attack from the “anti-woke” brigade. But that isn’t stopping leading companies rewiring their businesses around a different set of priorities - making them more sustainable, more inclusive, and, ultimately, more purposeful. Becky Willan, CEO of brand purpose agency Given, is back with a brand new season of Purposing - the podcast that lifts the lid on how to run...

In the last episode of the first season of the Purposing podcast, Given CEO Becky Willan speaks to Simon Henzell-Thomas , Global Director Climate, Ingka Group (IKEA).  The two discuss how purpose can catalyse positive change inside and outside a global organisation, the challenge of sustainable growth, and busting myths about the retail giant. Simon explains how IKEA is shifting to sustainabl...

Rewiring a business around a new set of purpose-driven priorities is a huge undertaking. It can take several years and involve reassessing strategy, culture, innovation, and investment. Companies serious about purpose recognise that every decision either advances or detracts from the role they play in profitably solving problems for people and the planet. In her latest podcast episode, Given CEO B...

Even if you’re not familiar with Reckitt, you’ll probably have some of their products in your home, including iconic household brands like Dettol, Finish, Strepsils or Durex. The company exists to “protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world.” As you’ll hear in today’s episode, they take this purpose seriously; and are working hard to embed it in every part...

When global fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger combined sustainability, inclusion and innovation in one team with a mission to drive purposeful business transformation, it was essential to embrace new ways of working. In her latest podcast episode, Given CEO Becky Willan spoke with Esther Verburg , Executive Vice President of Sustainable Business and Innovation at Tommy Hilfiger Global & PVH Eu...

During 2020’s Covid pandemic, high street retail faced a catastrophe. But the high street legend John Lewis Partnership saw it as an opportunity - to take the time to refresh their purpose and galvanise their 78.000 Partners.  Today, Nina Bhatia , Executive Director, Strategy & Commercial Development at John Lewis Partnership, sits down with Given CEO and host Becky Willan to discuss how...

Building purpose into a business from the ground up is hard. No surprises there. But reinforcing a long-standing intention can be almost as tricky.  This was the task Lloyds Banking Group undertook when they decided to double down on their ambition of ‘Helping Britain Prosper’.  In this episode, host Becky Willan speaks with Lloyd Banking Group’s Sustainable Business Director Fiona Canno...

It's one thing for C-suite executives to get excited about purpose. But what’s the point if that’s not reflected across the entire workforce? When the original activist beauty brand The Body Shop rewrote its purpose, the first question was: how do we get the message from the boardroom to the shop floor and help everyone understand, own and act on our purpose? Today, host Becky Willan sits down wit...

Anyone interested in solving the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges will tell you that it can only be done through collaboration. No single business, NGO or government can do it alone. But that’s easier said than done.  Charity Business In The Community (BITC) exists to help change that - by bringing organisations together to create a fairer and more sustainable world. ...

Does your company's approach help solve the world’s problems? If not, it might be time to take action for the future of your business and the planet.  Join CEO of Given Agency, Becky Willan and guests from some of the world's biggest brands to discover what it takes to become a truly purposeful business.  New episodes air every second Wednesday.