State of Sustainability

In short… yes. But is that really a bad thing? In this week’s episode, we ask whether the hype around sustainability is deflating, and what that means for progress. We dive into the latest headlines: Is the UK on the brink of scaling back its climate ambitions? Are we stuck in a loop of ever-rising energy demand? What's next for sustainability-linked executive pay? PLUS : A climate tech reali...

This week’s headlines: Trump’s Tariff’s and the climate fall out Soaring commodity prices and what to do Just Stop Oil to disband - victory or retreat? PLUS : Our how-to segment tackles a question many of you have asked: how to run a board meeting that secures sustainability buy in. Got a question for the next ‘How-To’ segment? Join and drop us a message in the State of Sustainability Community: h...

What does it take to build a successful coral reef restoration program? In this episode, Saif Hameed dives into SHEBA®’s groundbreaking coral restoration program with Mars’ Chief Marine Scientist Prof. David Smith and SHEBA®’s Global VP of Marketing Mindy Barry. Points covered: Business + Science = Impact : How applying process engineering to conservation created unprecedented restoration scale Pr...

Plastic: The Most Sustainable Packaging? In the high-stakes world of sustainable packaging, incremental change isn't enough. Join Saif Hameed and Melissa Brice , Senior Sustainability Manager at Amcor , a global leader in sustainable packaging as they unpack the complex landscape of plastic decarbonisation. Key Insights: The true carbon impact of plastic vs. other packaging materials The hidd...

In today’s episode we tackle two critical market signals: The SEC's dramatic climate disclosure rollback and what it means for corporate transparency The Net Zero Banking Alliance's retreat from 1.5°C commitments and if financial institutions are losing their climate ambition Then we break down the EU Deforestation Regulation essentials: Who's affected and compliance timelines Geolo...

Tired of "supply chain engagement" programs that generate more surveys than carbon reductions? In our latest episode, Saif Hameed and Beth Jones (Supply Chain Decarbonisation Lead, Altruistiq) cut through the hype to outline a framework for real impact: Align before action : Bridge internal agendas and make procurement central—they understand the supplier relationships. Evolve data, don&...

Emission Factors (EFs), as we know them, are over. Bold statement? Maybe. True? Absolutely (in our opinion). In this episode, we break down why traditional emission factors are rapidly being replaced by Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) and what this shift means for businesses. The limitations of traditional emission factors Why PCFs provide more accurate, supplier-specific data Where businesses ne...

In this episode, Saif Hameed and Kathryn McLeod, Head of ESG Reporting at The HEINEKEN Company, discuss practical approaches for transforming sustainability commitments into funded realities. They explore how to: Improve finance - sustainability collaboration: Strategic governance frameworks that drive effective reporting and collaboration Battle-tested approaches for building credibility with fin...

In today’s episode, we dive into the shifting world of sustainability and its clash with capitalism. We’ll cover: Sustainability & Capitalism : Can they coexist in today’s unapologetic capitalist system? Why Sustainability is Under Fire : Criticisms and confusion—what’s fuelling the backlash? The Business Case : Why sustainability is essential for business—resource scarcity, regulation, and mo...

In today’s episode, we discuss the future of Science Based Targets (SBTs) - whether they’re still relevant, what’s going wrong and what alternatives are out there. Tune in as we explore: What’s really happening with the Science-Based Targets Initiative What changes are needed to restore confidence in SBTs Alternatives to target-setting that are gaining traction Predictions for the future of SBTs i...

In this episode, Saif Hameed is joined by Colin Browne , CEO of Cascale and former COO of Under Armour, for a no-nonsense conversation on the apparel industry's sustainability shift. Colin shares key leadership and collaboration strategies for driving this change. What you'll learn: Effective leadership principles: Tips for preparing to meet with your CEO on sustainability — what to cons...

As 2025 approaches, the landscape of climate data management is evolving rapidly. In this episode, we unpack two big bets and two red herrings that sustainability professionals need to know about: Big bets for 2025 : Emission factors will become commoditised: Expect new databases to emerge as EF providers overprice their offerings. Data security will drive siloes: As accuracy improves, stricter da...

In this episode, we sit down with Maia Reed , Global Climate Data Lead at Mars Petcare, to explore how one of the world's largest companies is tackling carbon reduction within agriculture supply chains. What you’ll learn: Setting Up Carbon Reduction Projects: Insights into leveraging supplier relationships to overcome implementation challenges. Bridging Data Gaps: Tackling data scarcity with...

Saif Hameed explores the biggest announcements, trends, successes and failures of 2024. He breaks down: The explosive growth of Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) and their impact on supply chains Why PCF exchange is lagging behind PCF generation and what this means for businesses The return of secondary data in emissions reporting and how to balance it with primary data Packaging as the new zone of...

In this episode, Saif Hameed explores how businesses can credibly deploy and account for Scope 3 emission reductions. He breaks this down into five key steps: Setting up data Identifying interventions Implementing projects Measuring and tracking progress Validating and verifying results Along the way, we tackle challenges like mass balance measurement, avoiding double counting, and preparing for f...

Join Saif Hameed and John Lee , Director of Nature and Mission Sustainability at Danone, as they discuss the best approach to prioritising and scaling farm-level reductions for carbon and crucially, nature. In this episode, we explore: Empowering Procurement: How to effectively engage procurement teams and align behind shared sustainability initiatives Collaborating with Suppliers: The role of Pro...

Paul Goff , Traceability and Sustainability Product Manager at H&M shares how the fashion giant is using technology to unlock transparency, decarbonise its supply chain, and set a new standard for sustainability in the apparel industry. From navigating global supply chain complexities to fostering lasting partnerships with suppliers, Paul dives deep into the practical steps H&M is taking t...

Where does the result of the US election leave corporate sustainability? In this episode, we cover: Big bets: How the Trump administration will impact corporate sustainability efforts Policy Shifts: Key policy changes to watch and their implications Budgets : Tips for managing sustainability budgets amidst shifting priorities Team Dynamics: Changing structure and priorities for corporate sustainab...

Who is the "sustainable consumer," and what drives their choices? In our first-ever consumer insights survey, we uncover: The profile of the sustainable consumer How consumers prioritise what they put in the shopping basket What “sustainability” means to them The most trusted sustainable brands—and why they stand out In this episode, we reveal the key findings and share actionable strate...

We’re joined by Fran Haycock , Head of Sustainability at Greencore , to discuss the key considerations when leading a successful sustainability transformation. We cover: Strategy alignment : How to ensure your sustainability transformation aligns with the broader business objectives Sustainability team set-up : The priority qualities and skills to consider when recruiting and developing your susta...

Collaboration may not be a silver bullet for solving sustainability challenges, but when executed effectively, it becomes a powerful tool. In this episode, we cut through the buzzwords and focus on practical steps for scalable collaboration, exploring: Types of collaboration : Challenges and opportunities associated with within-value-chain collaboration, across-value-chain collaboration, and pre-c...

In this episode, we discuss the surging popularity of Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs). We cover: The PCF Boom: The rapid growth of PCF generation PCF value: Where PCFs deliver value and where they fall short. PCF challenges: The key challenges to be aware of when generating and sharing PCFs. Data readiness: How to balance PCF demands with data accuracy and confidence PCF set up: Practical guidanc...

The majority of businesses calculating baselines use less than >10k emission factors ( crazy) . What does this mean? It means emission calculations aren't accurate and decarbonisation efforts remain invisible. In this episode we get to the bottom of this and discuss: EF Recap : what is an EF and how is one developed Current State of Play: Understanding the current landscape of EF usage and...

In the second part of this two part series, we discuss essential leadership strategies to supercharge your sustainability team. We cover: Team retention: How to retain and motivate top talent in a competitive market Skill development: Where and when to invest in upskilling Performance metrics: What metrics and bonus schemes are useful to track and implement Headcount budget and resource management...

In this two-part series, we dive deep into the essential components of creating and managing a world-class sustainability team. In part one, we discuss: Core characteristics: The key attributes contributing to a well-structured and effective sustainability team. Must-have roles: The indispensable positions that every sustainability team needs to function optimally. Internal vs. external: When to p...