Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

This week: Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh talks with Sarah Jackson about some of the pressing issues within the packaging industry in the US that will be discussed at this year’s Sustainable Packaging Innovation Forum (Philadelphia, 29-30 October). Click here for information on how to get involved.   Plus: a recap from last year’s packaging conference, when Ian Welsh spoke with Nestlé’s Jodie Rousse...

This week: IDH’s global director of landscapes talks with Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb about the practicalities and challenges of implementing a landscape or jurisdictional approach to commodity sourcing. They discuss insights into how business and stakeholders can align their efforts for long-term sustainability and environmental protection, emphasising the importance of collaboration at both loc...

Ian Welsh talks with John Kotlarczyk, a waste management expert, about the evolving landscape of sustainable packaging. They discuss emerging trends such as biodegradable packaging, the impact of regulatory changes in the US and EU, and the future of single-use plastics. John emphasises the need for cross-industry collaboration to develop practical solutions while navigating consumer expectations...

This week: Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh talks with Emily Heslop about the latest updates for this year’s sustainable commodities and land use forum, which will focus on how to transform agriculture for climate and nature resilient supply. Click here for information on how to get involved. Plus: a recap of last year’s sustainable commodities and land use forum, when Ian Welsh spoke with some expert...

Innovation Forum’s Tanya Richard and Ian Welsh talk about what organisations can do to engage different stakeholder groups to co-create solutions, avoid greenwash and develop effective two-way stakeholder communication strategy.   Plus: apparel brands and retailers lagging on emissions targets says Fashion Revolution; palm oil is commodity most ready for EUDR; and, UK pledges DRS scheme for PET bo...

Ian Welsh talks with Natalie Betts, assistant vice president for sustainability at the Recycled Materials Association, about how recyclers can help drive more sustainable packaging. They discuss the importance of better guidance for business and consumers, and more consistent approaches to recycling across different municipalities.

This week: Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh spoke with Nicholas Malizia, a remote sensing expert at Indigo Ag. They discuss the rise and trends of remote sensing technology, and the role this tech has played in the agriculture sector. They delve into how this technology, which has evolved significantly since its early days, is now a critical tool for sustainability initiatives and helping farmers opti...

Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh speaks with Anne Rosenbarger, global engagement manager for supply chains at the World Resources Institute, and TRACT's CEO, Allison Kopf, to explore the transformative role of data in the food and agriculture sector. From the importance of traceability to the challenges posed by new regulations, they delve into how data collection and analysis are shaping the future o...

This week: Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh talks with Hannah Oborne about what to expect at this year's scope 3 innovation forum in Washington DC, which will focus on how business can tackle supply chain emissions. They also reveal a special discount for listeners – just use code podcast100.  Click here for information on how to get involved.   Plus: a recap of last year's scope 3 innovation forum, w...

This week: Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh talks with packaging and waste expert John Kotlarczyk about evolving landscape of packaging and waste management, emphasising a shift towards sustainability and circular economy principles. They highlight key trends, such as the adoption of fibre-based alternatives, to plastics and regulatory changes impacting recyclability.   Plus: PepsiCo and Yara partner...

At the recent Scope 3 Innovation Forum in Amsterdam, Anke Kwast, vice-president for regenerative agriculture and climate frameworks at Yara International, speaks with Ian Welsh about the company's efforts to reduce agriculture's environmental impacts through improved nitrogen fertiliser efficiency, renewable energy use and public-private collaboration. They talk about the importance of public-priv...

This week: Arohi Sharma, deputy director for regenerative agriculture at Natural Resources Defense Council, spoke with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh on the need for policy reforms to address the root causes of agriculture's impact on climate change. Talking at the recent Innovation Forum in Minneapolis, they highlighted the COVER Act, which incentivises farmers to plant cover crops by reducing insu...

This week: Natalie Betts, assistant vice president for sustainability at the Recycled Materials Association, talks with Ian Welsh about the role and impact of recycling in packaging innovation. They discuss the fragmented nature of recycling systems in the US due to local policies and economic factors and emphasise the importance of packaging innovations with recyclability in mind to foster a circ...

Tate & Lyle’s president of innovation and commercial development, Victoria Spadaro Grant, talks with Innovation Forum’s Hannah Oborne about the complexities surrounding ultra-processed foods, particularly their role in the global food trilemma of nutrition, sustainability and accessibility. Rather than vilifying ultra-processed foods, they discuss the importance of improving food quality and a...

This week: Reginaldo Marroquin, CEO of Tree Range Farms, talked with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh at the recent future of food conference in Minneapolis, discussing his regenerative agroforestry system centred on poultry. They discuss how Tree Range Farms is creating a circular economic and ecological model to drive regenerative agricultural practices to enhance soil health, poultry health and mor...

This week: Allison Kopf from TRACT and Anne Rosenbarger from World Resources Institute speak with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about data collection and analysis in the food and agriculture sector. Hear them talk about regulation’s impact, and why a farmer-centric approach is the only way to go.     Plus: Major companies are revising their ambitious 2025 packaging sustainability goals amid industr...

Debbie Shakespeare, senior director of sustainability and compliance at Avery Dennison, talks with Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh about how the corporate sustainability due diligence directive, the eco-design for sustainable products regulation, and digital product passports are impacting the apparel and textiles sector. They explore how these regulations are not only reshaping industry practices bu...

This week: Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh interviews Bertrand Conquéret, Henkel's chief procurement officer, at the recent Scope 3 Innovation Forum. They discuss the critical role of procurement in managing Scope 3 emissions and strategies for effective engagement. Plus: Innovation Forum's Hanna Halmari shares a preview of the upcoming autumn conference season, featuring forums on sustainable commod...

This week: Anke Kwast, vice president for regenerative agriculture and climate frameworks at Yara International, talks with Ian Welsh about the challenges in decarbonising agriculture and why using less inputs can be the sustainable future.   Plus: TNFD sees 30% rise in nature impact disclosures; study shows plastic bottles emit harmful volatile organic compounds when exposed to sunlight; industry...

Peter Bunce, vice president and head of cotton and microbials at Indigo Ag, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about the momentum behind companies addressing scope 3 emissions, particularly in the agriculture sector. They discuss the importance of leveraging technology and partnerships to collect and analyse data efficiently, reducing the burden on farmers while ensuring accurate carbon accou...

This week: At the recent scope 3 innovation forum, Ian Welsh spoke with Katy Stevens from the European Outdoor Group and Maria Venus from Swiss outdoor brands business Fenix Outdoor about their sector decarbonisation collaboration project. They discuss the positive outcomes from this collaboration and its significance in creating a clear roadmap towards net-zero.   Plus: Innovation Forum’s Emily H...

At Innovation Forum's future of food and beverage conference in Amsterdam, some of the expert participants spoke with Ian Welsh, reflecting on discussions from the conference. They talked about how to develop regenerative agriculture across supply chains, improving farmer incomes and resilience and biodiversity impacts. Hear from Dorothy Shaver from Unilever, Producer Direct's Jason Archie-Acheamp...

IFC’s senior industry specialist Ahmad Slaibi, and Tom Cumberlege, director at the Carbon Trust, talk with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about their collaborative efforts in developing a tool to address the food loss challenge in the agricultural sector. They explore the tool’s potential for agribusinesses at reducing greenhouse emissions by tracking food losses, and its broader implications for fo...

This week: Tate & Lyle's president of innovation and commercial development, Victoria Spadaro Grant, talks with Innovation Forum's Hannah Oborne about the challenges and concerns around ultra-processed foods and what brands should prioritise to secure the future of food systems. They discuss how ultra-processed foods can be a solution to tackle sustainability, nutrition and accessibility of fo...

On 20th June, Innovation Forum hosted a free virtual event with Bayer Crop Science. Data is key to shaping decisions that increase food production, farm incomes, and climate resilience. For farmers, the right data is an essential foundation for efficient, productive, and profitable operations. And now, it is becoming much easier for farmers to benefit from the data they produce. In this webinar, w...