Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement

My guest this week is Valérie Trouet, a palaeoclimatologist, Professor of Dendrochronology at the University of Arizona and Scientific Director of the Belgian Climate Centre. In this episode, she discusses how: Studying tree rings can give insights into climate change over the past 2,000 years There is evidence that climate change was a contributing factor to the fall of Rome Science needs the sup...

My guest this week is Bhupinder Bhullar, CEO and Co-Founder of Swiss Vault. In this episode, he discusses how: Data storage represents around 4% of global carbon emissions and $66 billion of e-waste Energy footprints and cybersecurity risk are especially high for genetic data storage Innovation has led to more than 10X reductions in energy consumption in data storage Lack of protection individual...

My guest this week is Nuria Chinchilla, the IESE Business School Professor of Leadership and Head of the IESE Chair on Women in Leadership. In this episode, she discusses how: Waste and pollution occur not only in the natural environment, but also in society Values are different from value, help us to go beyond a new mindset to a new heartset We need to challenge the view of employees as machines,...

My guest this week is Jason Walters, Director of GlobeScan, who has overseen research among 11,000 people from 11 countries on biodiversity and business. In this episode he talks about: Why action on biodiversity is so far behind action on climate change – yet starting to gain traction in the past 2 years How only 2% of people believe nature is in a good or satisfactory condition, and 88% of exper...

My guest this week is Lucy Siegle, a British journalist, broadcaster and author of books on ethical living, including most recently Be the Ultimate Friend of the Earth .  In this episode, she talks about: What the role of the media is in educating people on social and environmental issues – and how requirements for “balanced” reporting can be a barrier How the politicisation of media is slowing pr...

My guest this week is Paul Hawken, environmentalist, entrepreneur, activist and author of the bestselling books The Ecology of Commerce, Drawdown and Regeneration. In this episode, he talks about:  Why sustainability has become a “weasel word” and limited practice that we may be better off avoiding altogether How regeneration is different to sustainability – and is necessary to move beyond an extr...

My guest week is Francoise Chombar, Chairwoman at MELEXIS and STEM Platform, and board member at AMS and Umicore. In this episode, she talks about: How technology can be a force for positive impact, but only if it is inclusive – and how inclusion is a driver for innovation Why diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) needs to become a societal and organisational habit to be effective What being a Ste...

My guest week is Jon Khoo, Head of Sustainability (EAAA) at Interface. In this episode, he talks about: Why doing “less bad” is no longer a credible option and what becoming a restorative enterprise means in practice, in terms of ambitious strategy and regenerative design How Interface is learning to live zero, love carbon, let nature cool and lead the industrial revolution (the four elements of t...

My guest week is Claudia Lee, a journalist and podcaster on sustainable food systems. In this episode, she talks about: How the food system needs to navigate the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic and chemical pollution and food security Why tackling food waste is critical, with pioneering cases like Rice Inc in China; I also share my revolutionary idea to radically cut resta...

My guest this week is Kumi Naidoo, Founding Chair at Africans Rising and former Secretary General at Amnesty International and Executive Director at Greenpeace. In this episode, he talks about why: Thriving requires a can-do attitude and intergenerational mentality that accepts that social and environmental justice is a struggle of a lifetime Framing climate change as an environmental issue was a...

My guest this week is Peggy Van Casteren, Head of SDG & Community Impact at J&J Benelux. In this episode, she talks about how:  Sustainability is like a set of muscles in business, which need to be connected, exercised and strengthened The healthcare industry is evolving from a focus on curing sickness to early interception and prevention of disease Access to medicines relies on education,...

My guest this week is Andrew Winston, co-author of Net Positive (with Paul Polman) and a globally recognized expert on megatrends and how to build companies that thrive by serving the world. How net positive – which means thriving by solving the world’s problems, not causing them – is different from what came before What the outside-in perspective – including the science-based targets movement – m...

My guest this week is Kelly Price, who is Co-Founder and CEO of Agreed Earth. Kelly talks about how: Our current economic model looks a lot like cancer – and why systems thinking is a way to change our metabolism as a species Food security is a challenge of distribution rather than production – and how regenerative agriculture can “feed the world” We need to change the farmer’s business model – an...

My guest this week is Eddy Annys, who is Managing Director of Randstad Belgium and a former Olympic athlete. Listen to Eddy talk about:  His experience as a world class high jumper, and how peak performance by world class athletes is only possible by having an enabling system Why ensuring that everyone has an opportunity for meaningful work remains a challenge – even in times and places of economi...

My guest this week is Charlie Curtis, who is Founder and Director of Progressive Agriculture Services and Head of Agriculture and Environment for the Cool Agriculture Alliance. Listen to Charlie talk about: How in developing countries offer many lessons on regenerative farming practices that can help to transform our food system in the global north Why our farms are like drug addicts that we need...

My guest this week is Antony Yousefian, who is the Founding Partner of ReFi Ventures and Advisor to Tech Nation. Listen to Antony talk about how: Conventional intensive agriculture is extractive, while regenerative agriculture is better for food security, resilience and health Innovation through regenerative agriculture can turn farming into a “hero industry” that reverses the destruction of natur...

My guest this week is Virginie Helias, who is Chief Sustainability Officer at Procter & Gamble. Listen to Virginie talk about: Why the goal of thriving must be thriving for all people, not only for the few – and how innovation and collaboration are the key How licensing technology – such as digital watermarks to enable increased and improved plastic recycling – can help sustainable innovations...

My guest this week is Douglas Tallamy, who is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture at the University of Delaware, where he has authored over 100 research publications and has taught insect-related courses for more than 40 years. His bestselling books include book Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, Nature’s Best Hope and The Nature of Oaks. Listen to Douglas talk about: How biodiversit...

My guest his week is Micaela Rizo Patrón, who is general manager of Perú Sostenible, a network of over 80 companies, which represents the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in Peru. Listen to Micaela speak about: What the more chaotic conditions and informal systems of developing countries can teach us about creativity and resilience How disruption can highlight the importance of p...

My guest this week is Mark Kramer, a Harvard lecturer and leading researcher, writer, speaker and consultant on strategies for social impact. He is best known as the co-author of seminal articles on creating shared value, collective impact, and catalytic philanthropy. Listen to Mark speak about:  Why there is a synergy between successful companies and healthy societies, a message that is at the he...

My guests this week are Claire Maxwell, John North and Anders Aspling, who make up the leadership team of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI). They speak about: The critical importance of building trust and holding courageous conversations that help us navigate the liminal space between extinction and hope Why freedom, stability, regulation and imagination are some of the prerequ...

My guest this week is Prof. dr Steven De Haes, Dean of Antwerp Management School. Listen to Steven talk about: Why shareholder-oriented business education can fairly be blamed for our previous global financial crises How self-awareness, global perspectives and societal consciousness are three pillars of responsible management education Why integrating sustainability into core business subjects is...

My guest this week is Frankie Fox, CEO and Co-founder of foodsquared.earth, and a founder on Cohort 2 of Carbon13’s Venture Builder for the climate crisis. Listen to Frankie talk about: How waste from industrial processes is a massive business opportunity for social and eco-entrepreneurs Why start-up venture incubators are critical for seeding and scaling innovation for tackling climate change How...

My guest this week is David Lorimer, an educator and philosopher, program director of the Scientific and Medical Network and author of A Quest for Wisdom: Inspiring Purpose on the Path of Life . Listen to David talk about: How we can reframe education as “drawing out” rather than “stuffing in” – and why local action is a key to empowerment Why we have a vacuum of meaning in our modern society – du...

My guest this week is Niccy Kol, Brand and Impact Catalyst for Raddis Cotton, which is building the world’s first regenerative cotton value chain, and Ambassador for Waste2Wear. Listen to Niccy talk about: Why promoting recycled and recyclable textiles in a circular economy do not go far enough – and why natural fibres are better What it takes to create the world’s first regenerative cotton value...