Eco-Business Podcast

One of the biggest challenges facing Venisa Chu, Asia Pacific sustainability director for L'Occitane Group, is living up to the cosmetics giant's circular economy ambitions. Tune in as we discuss: How Venisa Chu started out in sustainability The hardest sustainability target to achieve How to persuade suppliers to get on board with sustainability Is being a B Corp an advantage in Asia? The impact of the ESG backlash Where sustainability sits in the corporate structure Is re-fill working? Advice for aspiring sustainability practitioners Managing burnout

The public backlash has been intense for the ongoing probe on the flood control scandal facing the Philippines. On this podcast, Angelo Kairos dela Cruz, executive director of nonprofit Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), talks about how so-called Filipino resilience has been "trivialised" and often been used as an "excuse" for developers to dodge accountability for substandard projects.

Southeast Asia's energy ministers will meet in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025 to discuss the future of the Asean Power Grid. Kitty Bu, vice president for Southeast Asia at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), talks to the Eco-Business about what will be on their agenda. Tune in as we discuss: - How geopolitics is affecting Asean’s energy transition - Ideal outcomes from the Asean minister’s meeting - Upholding social justice in the energy transition - Optimistic examples of transition finance

Even as cases of greenwashing have declined globally as environmental, social and governance (ESG) language fades from the corporate lexicon, in Australia, greenwashing has remained a mainstream issue as regulators and consumer groups have pursued questionable green claims in the courts. Joining the Eco-Business Podcast to discuss how Australia has taken the lead in tackling greenwashing is John Pabon, a former United Nations policy analyst and China-based Business for Social Responsibility strategist who now runs sustainability consultancy Fulcrum Strategic Advisors. He authored the book, The Great Greenwashing: How Brands, Governments, and Influencers Are Lying to You. Tune in as we discuss: How did John Pabon get interested in greenwashing? Greenwashing cases in Australia this year How did Australia get to grips with greenwashing? Has Australia been influenced by Trump and a pivoting Europe? Why are companies still falling into the greenwashing trap? Greenhushing and corporate vulnerability

In a new podcast series that spotlights Asia's clean energy pioneers, Eco-Business spoke to Assaad Razzouk, chief executive of Singapore-headquartered Gurin Energy, about the challenges and opportunities of the renewables sector in Asia in uncertain times. Tune in as we discuss: * From finance to carbon markets to renewables: Razzouk's career path * Scaling renewables and the localisation imperative * Where are the opportunities in Southeast Asia? * Intermittency and planting wind farms in nature reserves * "Winning" the conversation on renewables in the Trump 2.0 era * China, India and the growth trajectory for clean energy * Advice for a new generation of clean energy entrepreneurs

The latest round of negotiations for a global plastic treaty ended in failure. Speaking to the Eco-Business Podcast, Doug Wooding, managing director of Hong Kong-based nonprofit Ocean Recovery Alliance, said that countries do not need to wait for a treaty, and should enact polluter-pays laws that mandate firms to recover the plastic they put into the market and finance the chronically under-funded circular economy. Tune in as we discuss: What now? INC5.3? Is no treaty better than a watered down treaty? Recycled content mandates versus virgin plastic caps Pressure brands not petrochemical producers Action is possible without a treaty The need for regulatory consistency for plastics What will a realistic treaty look like? What should a treaty look like for Asia?

Speaking to the EB Podcast from the INC-5.2 talks in Geneva, Singapore Youth for Climate Action president Terese Teoh said that  there is no explicit Asean-wide support for caps on plastic production, despite the region’s vulnerability to plastic pollution. She argues that no treaty is better than a watered-down treaty with no production limits.

Eco-Business spoke to Hang Lung Properties deputy director of sustainability John Haffner for the latest episode of On the frontlines, which profiles change-makers on the hard edge of sustainable business. Tune as we discuss: Discipline and sustainability spending Are our sustainability targets too weak or too ambitious? How do you justify your job? Managing greenwashing risk Advice for sustainability aspirants Burnout risk

The EB Podcast spoke to Dr Bosco Chan, WWF Hong Kong's head of conservation, and Dr Stephan Gale, head of flora conservation at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, about threats to Hong Kong's unique biodiversity from mega-projects. We discussed: Conservation with Dr Bosco Chan The state of Hong Kong biodiversity: reasons for concern The Northern Metropolis development – what will it mean for Hong Kong's wildlife? How can developers reduce the impact on wildlife? Do cityfolk living in Hong kong or Singapore care about species loss? Models to follow in biophilic city design Conservation with Dr Stephan Gale The climate implications of Hong Kong's mega-projects Why nature restoration matters Nature-sensitive building design The importance native plant species matter to Hong Kong and Singapore "Listen to ecologists"

On the latest edition of On the frontlines, which profiles changemakers on the hard edge of sustainable business, Aun Abdullah tells the EB Podcast when corporate India cannot retreat from climate action at a time of conflicting priorities.

In the third episode of ‘On the frontlines’, the Christer Gaudiano, sustainability chief of Meralco’s power generation arm says Filipino companies show no sign of backtracking on their sustainability pledges.

In our series 'On the frontlines', which profiles changemakers on the hard edge of sustainable business, Hendrik Rosenthal, CLP’s sustainability director, tells the EB Podcast that open dialogue with internal stakeholders is key to transitioning a company that has committed to a complete exit from coal by 2040. Tune in as we discuss: Recycling, Chernobyl and Canadian wastewater: Rosenthal’s route into sustainability Where does sustainability sit in CLP’s corporate structure? How is sustainability incentivised at CLP? How realistic are CLP’s decarbonisation ambitions? Advice for a new generation of sustainability practitioners

Podcast with climate scientist Professor Benjamin Horton. Tune in as we discuss: Horton’s career in climate science, built in the US, shaped by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy How the US and Singapore view climate science differently Why the attack on climate science in the US matters to Asia The private sector’s response to climate policy Why businesses need climate scientists Climate risks, Singapore and Hong Kong compared

Despite a drop in high-profile cases of greenwashing, Japan-based academic Kim Schumacher tells the EB Podcast that the problem isn’t going away, it’s just changing form. Tune in as we discuss:  Is greenwashing really in decline? Why has greenhushing spread to Asia? The vulnerability of the EU Greens Claims Directive Why has the finance sector been the fastest to respond to greenwashing risk? Is greenwashing awareness growing? Is competence greenwashing declining? Changing use of the term "ESG"

A podcast with the chief executive of World Resources Institute Ani Dasgupta on tariffs, funding cuts, climate finance and the COP climate talks

Fireside chat with Dr Mark Konyn, Group Chief Investment Officer, AIA Group with Jessica Cheam, CEO, Eco-Business Hong Kong plays a pivotal role in Asia's growth, serving as a major hub for sustainable development investments. Leveraging its robust financial infrastructure and strategic position in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong has emerged as a gateway for international investors seeking to capitalize on Asia's — and particularly China's —growing demand for sustainable capital. As part of its efforts to foster sustainable growth, Hong Kong has launched a comprehensive array of capital market initiatives, including promoting green bonds, sustainable banking, and ESG disclosures – supported by regulatory frameworks that provide clear guidelines and incentives. The city also plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and collaboration across the region. With China on track to peak emissions by 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality ahead of its 2060 target, the region is at the forefront of global climate action and the broader energy transition. Hong Kong and Greater China's policies will significantly influence the world's decarbonization pathway. As investors increasingly demand clear climate transition plans, businesses must adapt and respond effectively. The region must also mitigate and respond to mounting climate risks while integrating resilience into its infrastructure. ‍‍ Unlocking capital for sustainability, Asia’s premiere sustainable finance and business forum, hosted by Eco-Business and UNEP FI since 2018, will be hosting its inaugural dialogue in Hong Kong and convene thousands of key decision makers across Asia to chart the way forward on accelerating the region’s economic transition towards a sustainable future. Speaker Dr. Mark Konyn Group Chief Investment Officer, AIA Moderator Jessica Cheam Founder and CEO, Eco-Business; Independent Director, Wilmar International and ComfortDelGro Group, MSID, ICDM

Interview with the chief sustainability officer of one of India's largest conglomerates

Plastic waste is flooding the planet. Instead of waiting for regulation to drive change, give value to recyclables and mobilise the people, says Plastic Bank.

On the podcast, moderated by Eco-Business associate editor Robin Hicks: Adelia Dinda Sani, freelance contributing writer and multimedia journalist, Deutsche Welle Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez, Philippines chief correspondent, Eco-Business Gerald Flynn, Southeast Asia staff writer, Mongabay Nadiah Rosli, freelance environmental journalist and capacity development programme manager, Ocean Discovery League Tune in as we discuss: The challenges environmental journalists are facing in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Malaysia Stories from the field and lessons learned What are the type of environment stories people want to read, and what stories do editors commission? How to sustain independent journalism in Southeast Asia

Andrew Buay is VP of group sustainability for Singtel and Optus. He has spent the last eight years in sustainability in a dual role that also covers talent development, based in Australia – a country that has motivated him to work in sustainability, such is its exposure to climate impacts. He was in Australia in 2012, when the most intense cyclone in the country’s history – Cyclone Yasi – struck. Tune in as we discuss: Why a SingTel “lifer” pivoted to sustainability Responding to anti-ESG sentiment Doing two jobs at once – how to avoid burnout Driving the sustainability agenda across cultures Physical and transition risks in Singapore and Australia Survival strategies for CSOs Advice for aspiring sustainability practitioners Dealing with “Chief Anti-Sustainability Officers”