Sustainable Intelligence

What makes sustainability data truly useful? Context. In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , Josh Green sits down with Caitlin Pentifallo, Novata's Head of Product for AI Data Products, to discuss Novata's largest benchmark release to date, featuring more than 49,000 benchmarks and 1.24 million underlying data points. Together, they explore why benchmarks have become essential for...

What does the data tell us about where ESG reporting is heading? In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , Aaron Zweig, Senior Metrics and Regulations Associate at Novata, joins the podcast to share key findings from the 2026 ESG Metrics Guide, which he helped produce. He unpacks how investor expectations are shifting across DEI and workforce metrics, environmental reporting beyond carbon, and...

In this episode of the Sustainable Intelligence podcast, Dr. Robert Eccles joins us to explore the shifting sustainability landscape in the private markets. Drawing on decades of experience at the forefront of the field, Bob reflects candidly on what the sustainability community has gotten wrong in its approach to climate change, and what it will take to get it right. He also unpacks how to connec...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , Laura Callaghan, Head of EMEA Advisory at Novata, joins us to dive into the EU Taxonomy and what it means for businesses right now. Laura shares what the Taxonomy was designed to do, who it applies to, and why it’s hard to tackle without the right tools and expertise.  Listen to hear how companies can move beyond box-checking to find real business valu...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , Evan Greenfield, Managing Director and Head of ESG at BCI Private Equity, joins to discuss his latest whitepaper, ESG Value Creation in Private Equity: From Rhetoric to Returns , developed in collaboration with Stanford University’s Long-Term Investing Initiative. British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) is one of Canada’s largest insti...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , Novata Co-Founder and Co-CEO Josh Green shares his path into sustainability and the experiences that have shaped his perspective. As he prepares to step in as interim host, Josh reflects on what it takes to build trust as a founder, how his career in sustainability began, and the critical role data plays in driving meaningful progress.

In this episode, Antler Global Partner Rosalind Bazany details how the VC firm replaced the traditional PDF with an interactive, data-rich experience for its 2026 Sustainability Report . The results were astonishing, with the new report generating more engagement in one month than the previous one did in an entire year. She also unpacks groundbreaking data, including a 37% funding advantage for co...

In this episode, Margot Brandenburg of the Ford Foundation explores how climate risk is reshaping capital allocation, workforce stability, and long-term business resilience. She reframes sustainability as more than compliance, positioning it as a core driver of future performance, from physical climate disruption to human capital and systemic risk. The conversation cuts through the noise of short-...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, we’re joined by Caitlin Pentifallo, Novata’s Head of Sustainability & Regulatory Strategy, to unpack the truth about ESG proxy data—what it is, when it’s useful, and where it can go wrong. Caitlin explains why emissions remain the biggest data gap, what makes a benchmark credible, and how regulators are becoming more accepting of well-designed proxi...

In this episode, we explore why sustainability is shifting beyond compliance and into a core risk management discipline. Christina Anselm, Advisory Manager at Novata, breaks down how non-financial factors, from climate and cyber to geopolitics, are increasingly material financial risks for investors and banks. The conversation reframes risk as holistic, data-driven, and long-term, emphasizing the...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, we are joined by Beth Meyer, Novata’s Chief Legal Officer and Head of Risk and Compliance. Beth shares a practical, business-first approach to sustainability, one that goes beyond checkbox compliance and shifting regulations to focus on real risk reduction, stakeholder value, and measurable impact. From treating regulations as the floor (not the ceiling...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, we are joined by Bob MacKnight, VP and Head of Sustainability Products at S&P Global Energy Horizons, to unpack what’s next for sustainability in the private markets. Fresh from PRI and Pre-COP, Bob shares the biggest signals he’s seeing, from the maturation of carbon markets and momentum in sustainable agriculture, to the rise of AI-powered workflo...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, we sit down with Wladimir Nikoluk, Novata’s Chief Product Officer and founder of Atlas Metrics, to explore how sustainability data is rapidly evolving and what it means for the future of private markets. Wladimir traces his journey from the UN to McKinsey to launching Atlas Metrics, all fueled by one guiding question: How can data truly augment human de...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, Neil McCall, Senior ESG Analyst at Novata, discusses the key findings from Novata’s 2025 State of Sustainability Report. Neil breaks down why emissions, data quality, and regulatory readiness remain top priorities, and why demonstrating ROI has become the central challenge for sustainability teams. We explore how organizations across North America, Euro...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, Janet Wood, Group Corporate and ESG Secretary at Incubeta , joins us to discuss how the global marketing agency kept its ESG strategy moving forward, even after falling out of CSRD scope.  Janet shares how she unified fragmented initiatives across 37 countries, leveraged assessments like EcoVadis to build a data-driven foundation, and embedded sustainab...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence , we are joined by Ben Morley, Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Ben leads BCG’s support for the ESG Data Convergence Initiative (EDCI), a global collaboration uniting over 500 GPs and LPs to standardize ESG data across the private markets. Ben shares how the EDCI has evolved from a collective action challenge into a benchmark covering 9,000 port...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, Conor O’Laoire, Head of Partnerships at Novata, joins us to talk about what it takes to build strong, profitable partnerships in the sustainability space. Conor shares how Novata’s strategy has evolved from early ecosystem building to a sharp focus on revenue-generating distribution partnerships that scale the business globally. He reflects on how Novat...

In this episode, we sit down with Rochelle March, Founder of People Places Words Action (PPWA), to discuss how AI is reshaping the sustainability landscape. Rochelle shares how companies are using AI to boost efficiency, uncover insights, and tackle complex global challenges like climate risk, biodiversity, and supply chain impact. She also explores the balance between humans and AI, the rise of r...

California has just set a new bar for climate transparency with SB 253 and SB 261, and thousands of companies will soon be on the hook. But what do these laws really mean for businesses and investors? In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, we are joined by Jessie Miller, Senior Manager, Advisory at Novata, to unpack the details. We explore who’s in scope, the timelines and requirements comin...

In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, Nick Donoghue, Lead Product Manager at Novata, discusses what it takes to design sustainability software that actually works. From meeting diverse compliance needs to unlocking real business value, Nick shares insights on integrating sustainability across an organization, choosing the right tools, and making data work harder. Whether you’re a sustainabi...

In this episode, we sit down with Kyle Flick, Novata’s Head of APAC, to explore the shifting sustainability landscape across Asia Pacific. From carbon accounting becoming the norm to LPs driving demand for better ESG data, Kyle shares insights from eight months on the ground. We unpack how regulations, value creation, and energy realities are shaping firm behavior, why APAC investors are thinking...

Climate risk isn’t a distant threat, it’s a material financial reality. In this episode, Matt Babic, Advisory Manager at Novata, breaks down what today’s investors need to understand about the evolving climate landscape, the data that matters, and how to assess risk and opportunity across portfolios.  Whether you're navigating new regulations or rethinking your investment strategy, this conve...

In this special edition of Sustainable Intelligence to recognize Novata’s 4th anniversary, host Ella Williamson is joined by Rachel Yoo, Founder & CEO of Hiro, and Nadia Haile, Lead Designer & Strategist at Hiro, to reflect on the journey of building Novata’s brand. From naming and visual identity to brand voice and evolution, we unpack what it really takes to create a sustainability brand...

Private credit is fast becoming a force in ESG reporting, but it’s not simply following in private equity’s footsteps. In this episode of Sustainable Intelligence, host Ella Williamson speaks with Alex Jackson, Senior Customer Success Manager at Novata, about what’s driving the surge in sustainability momentum across credit markets. From shifting LP expectations to increasing collaboration across...

Dr. Julie Anderson, Director of the Master of Science in Sustainability Management at American University’s Kogod School of Business, joins this episode of Sustainable Intelligence to explore what the global rollback of sustainability regulations really means for investors. While recent policy shifts, from SEC revisions to the EU’s “stop the clock” directive, may appear to signal retreat, Julie ar...