Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

As sustainability strategies mature, the pressure is increasing on how companies communicate progress, both within their value chains and to consumers. Many organisations are now asking the same questions: how do we talk credibly about targets, trade-offs and incomplete journeys, without overclaiming or oversimplifying? In response, Innovation Forum is launching the Sustainable Communication and E...

This week: As climate volatility intensifies, UK farmer Thomas Gent discusses with Innovation Forum's Hanna Halmari the operational realities of farming during extreme wet and dry seasons and the measurable benefits of soil health. They highlight the untapped potential of farm-level innovation, calls for stronger links between brands and growers, and warns that real progress must scale far beyond...

This week: Carmen Gama, director of circular design at Eileen Fisher, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ellen Atiyah about the operational and financial realities of circular fashion, from sorting and resale to textile-to-textile innovation. They outline why infrastructure gaps remain the biggest barrier and how the brand evaluates the business case for recycling.   Plus: US shutdown threatens vital f...

Barry McGeough, group vice president of innovation and strategy at AmeriCo Group, talks with Innovation Forum's Niamh Campbell and explores how applied innovation, synthetic biology and even energy-sector technology could drive circularity in the apparel sector. They discuss economic pressures, political shifts, and why the industry must look far outside its bubble for the solutions it needs.

This week: Rancher and UK television host, Jay Doan from Blackleg Ranch, talks with Ian Welsh about how Blackleg Ranch has practiced regenerative agriculture mimicking historic bison movements to restore prairie grasslands. They discuss why resilience is the real language that resonates with ranchers, why neighbouring farms resist change even as their soil degrades. They highlight how generational...

This week: Earthworm Foundation's CEO Bastien Sachet joins Ian Welsh to explore why regenerative agriculture and farmer empowerment remain slow to scale despite years of corporate commitments. They discuss why businesses must rethink supply security through the lens of resilience, why long-term partnerships beat transactional sourcing, and how reinvestment in landscapes can function like reinvesti...

Amcor’s chief sustainability officer David Clark joins Ian Welsh to unpack the rapid rise of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and what well-designed systems can deliver. They discuss how eco-modulated fees can incentivise better packaging, why operational control for industry is critical and how EPR can strengthen recycling economics. They also reflect on the diverse approaches emerg...

This week: Tara St James, senior director of sustainability at Canadian apparel brand Moose Knuckles, talked with Ian Welsh at the latest apparel conference in Amsterdam discussing the implementation of digital product passports. They discuss the importance of product traceability technology and the regulations brands are looking out for such as the US' Fashion Act and EU's Ecodesign for Sustainab...

Rob Nicholls, general manager for programmes and projects at palm oil business Musim Mas, and Kaixiang Chin, sustainability manager for Asia at Bunge, talk with Ian Welsh about their long-term collaboration to strengthen the capacity of independent smallholders in Indonesia. They explain how farmer training, regenerative practices and local composting projects are helping to build resilience, impr...

This week: Cargill's vice president of global core research and development, Cordell Hardy, talks with Ian Welsh about how fermentation can reshape food production. From zero-calorie sweeteners to plant-based materials and localised protein sources, they discuss how microbes are being used as miniature manufacturing plants.   Plus: cocoa shortages drive rise in chocolate alternatives; luxury brand...

Keefe Harrison, CEO of The Recycling Partnership, talks with Ian Welsh about how data, design, and policy are transforming recycling in the US. From the CIRCLE Act to California’s CalFFlex initiative, they discuss how to scale circular systems, strengthen end markets, and move beyond recycling as the only solution.   Stay up-to-date on our podcasts by following us on  PodBean ,  Apple Podcasts , ...

This week: Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell talks with Liv Simplicianco, head of policy and research at Fashion Revolution about the findings in the latest What Fuels Fashion? report. And at this week’s Critical Minerals Innovation Forum, Ian Welsh spoke with co-COO of mining sector group ICMM Aidan Davy. Plus: Exxon accused of funding climate denial groups in South America; brands call for stron...

This week: In Colombia, Cargill and Solidaridad are partnering to help smallholder palm oil growers build more sustainable and climate-resilient supply chains. Leticia Kawanami and Joel Brounen talk with Ian Welsh about how farmer-led action plans, shared investment, and collaborative data tools are driving measurable progress – and how these lessons can scale across Latin America.   Plus: at the...

Sajeev Mohankumar, senior technical specialist at the FAIRR Initiative, talks with Ian Welsh about the future of food and the urgent need for regenerative agriculture. From farmer inclusion to investor alignment, they unpack how to build resilient, sustainable food systems.

This week: Barry McGeough, group vice president of innovation and strategy at AmeriCo Group, talks with Innovation Forum's Niamh Campbell to discuss why applied innovation will be key to tackling fashion’s waste crisis. From biotech to AI, they discuss how lessons from other industries can help apparel move from talk to tangible action. Plus: At the sustainable commodities and landscapes forum thi...

Listen to the recording of an expert-led discussion with Unilever, Nestlé, Klim and Rabobank on how regenerative agriculture can drive ROI and reduce supply chain risk. As pressure mounts to decarbonise agrifood supply chains and meet Scope 3 targets, the case for regenerative agriculture is clearer than ever. Yet many corporate sustainability leaders still face a critical hurdle: how to make the...

Cocoa farmer and council chairman of Ghana’s Cocoa Abrabopa Association, Pomasi Ismail talks with Innovation Forum's Diana Kim, about how the EU’s deforestation regulation delay has impacted thousands of farmers preparing for compliance. He explains the cost of readiness, the missed opportunities, and why fair prices are key to ending deforestation at its roots.

Florent Bouguin, chief technology officer at OPTEL Group, talks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about the strategic role of traceability in global, complex supply chains. They discuss how companies can use traceability to ensure regulatory compliance, build trust with consumers and investors, optimize operations, and enhance both top- and bottom-line performance. Florent also explores best pract...

This week: David Clark, chief sustainability officer at packaging manufacturer Amcor, joins Ian Welsh to discuss the rise of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and how well-designed EPR systems can drive better packaging, fund recycling infrastructure, and accelerate the transition to circularity across global markets. Plus: New Zealand scales back its methane reduction targets; Silicon Valley...

This week: Once dismissed as greenwashing, carbon markets are now being reframed as a vital part of corporate decarbonization strategies. David Antonioli, former CEO of Verra, explains how integrity standards, market transparency, and long-term thinking could help rebuild trust and ensure carbon credits drive real climate impact.   Plus: Innovation Forum's Hannah Oborne explains how companies are...

This week: Rob Nicholls, general manager for programmes and projects at palm oil business Musim Mas, and Kaixiang Chin, sustainability manager for Asia at Bunge, talk with Ian Welsh about their joint "train-the-trainer" model that strengthens local capacity and builds long-term resilience for independent smallholders.    Plus: EAT-Lancet warns food systems breaching limits; Net-Zero Banking Allian...

Kristine Kim, senior director of impact and responsible sourcing at Dôen, talks with Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell about how the brand builds long-term, trust-based partnerships with suppliers – rooted in accountability, transparency and mutual respect. They discuss how responsible purchasing practices and community investment drive resilience and business value beyond compliance.   We’ll be l...

This week: Mark Gutierrez and Alex Udermann from the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition talk with Ian Welsh about how farmers are leading a quiet revolution beneath their feet – restoring degraded soils, cutting fertiliser use, and helping others avoid costly mistakes.    Plus: from EUDR uncertainty and climate resilience to regenerative agroforestry and AI-enabled traceability, Innovation Forum’s An...

This week: Keefe Harrison, chief executive of the Recycling Partnership, talks with Ian Welsh about how US recycling can scale through data, design, and new policies such as the Circle Act and EPR laws. They also discuss why fixing the system requires $17bn in investment and how CalFlex is reshaping flexible packaging recycling in California.   Plus: SBTi launches training to boost green skills; c...

Fernando Bellese, senior director for beef and leather supply chains at WWF, talks with Ian Welsh about how a new deforestation free leather fund aims to scale transparency, improve pasture management and help reintegrate farmers into more tightly-regulated markets. They set out how these steps can safeguard farmer livelihoods in the transition to sustainable leather and prepare companies for tigh...