Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

This week: Jan Dieleman, president of Cargill’s ocean transport business, talks with Ian Welsh about the decarbonisation challenge facing global shipping. They explores fuel choices, energy efficiency, customer demand, regulation and why policy clarity is critical to scaling low and zero carbon solutions in a highly competitive sector. Plus: Innovation Forum’s Natasha Bodnar highlights how the energy transition is shifting from ambition to delivery, with companies focusing on infrastructure, energy security, capital discipline and system-wide innovation as 2026 unfolds. And, UN warns water crisis threatens fashion supply chains; researchers say ultra processed foods should face tobacco-style laws; and, Oatly and McCain push deeper food decarbonisation, in the news digest (compiled by Ellen Atiyah). Host: Ian Welsh

As scrutiny of sustainability claims rises, NGOs are under growing pressure to communicate impact clearly, explain complexity, and be transparent about challenges — all while maintaining trust with donors, communities, and partners. This webinar, the third in the Sustainability Communications and Engagement series, explored how NGOs can build credibility through transparent storytelling, evidence-based communications, and accountable engagement. Hear practical insights from leading sustainability communicators on balancing compelling narratives with accuracy, navigating partnerships, and meeting evolving stakeholder expectations. What we discussed… How NGOs are communicating impact, progress, and setbacks more transparently Using data, evidence, and verification to strengthen credibility without overcomplicating messaging Balancing compelling storytelling with accuracy, nuance, and accountability Managing communications around corporate partnerships while maintaining trust and independence Evolving expectations of NGO communications across donors, communities, and business audiences

Verra's chief programme development and innovation officer, Candace Vinke, talks with Ian Welsh about the improvements that can strengthen carbon credit project credibility and market confidence. They discuss how emerging SBTi guidance could open pathways for climate activities beyond traditional carbon credits, particularly within scope 3 supply chains. They also highlight how role standards bodies can play in bringing rigour to value chain emission.

The world faces mounting pressure to accelerate sustainable innovation at the intersection of food, health and industrial production, but moving from scientific discovery to scaled impact remains complex. From improving crop resilience and reducing environmental footprints to building healthier communities and more sustainable supply chains, bioscience innovations have become critical tools in tackling global sustainability challenges. This webinar, hosted by Innovation Forum in partnership with the Iowa Economic Development Authority explored how some of the latest bioscience breakthroughs are addressing these pressing issues. We look at emerging trends shaping the next wave of sustainable innovation, the technologies driving impact, and how organisations are applying bioscience. As a case study, we examined how Iowa is emerging as a key hub for the biosciences, bringing together agriculture technology, medical innovation, and industrial biotechnology in one ecosystem. What we discussed… Which bioscience breakthroughs from the past year are driving measurable sustainability impact, and how they came about What to watch for in 2026: scaling technologies, new applications, and the role of advanced technology in enabling sustainable innovation What drives success in biosciences: fostering innovation internally, building strategic partnerships, and leveraging ecosystems to deliver sustainable solutions

This week: Reflecting on the recent climate resilience innovation forum, Michelin's director of sustainability strategy North America, Kara Fulcher, talks with Ian Welsh about the accelerating pace of corporate scope 3 action and how Michelin is reducing emissions, improving materials and protecting natural rubber supply chains.   Plus: Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell discusses emerging apparel and textile sector trends, including the growing focus on tier two decarbonisation, supplier equity, resale expansion, water stewardship and performance material innovation.   And, UK grocers warn Amazon soy rollback risks deforestation; scientists warn climate research locked behind language barrier; and, Vinted enters US market targeting unworn fashion clutter, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.   Host: Ian Welsh

Nathan Truitt, executive vice president of climate funding at the American Forest Foundation, talks with Ian Welsh about how climate finance can unlock sustainable management of family-owned forests in the US. They discuss why carbon finance remains critical despite controversy over carbon credits, arguing that action should not wait for perfect systems. The conversation explores carbon pricing, credit quality, the role of standards and buyers and why scaling credible forest-based climate solutions will depend as much on financial infrastructure as on science.

Due diligence fatigue has long affected the apparel and textiles sector, with heavy administrative workloads and repeated supplier checks that often fail to identify real labour risks. Uncertainty around the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) has made it harder for companies to commit to long-term investment. Recent policy signals now offer clearer direction, including a narrower scope, removal of the mandatory climate transition plan requirement, and a higher applicability threshold of around 5,000 employees and €1.5bn in annual turnover. While formal endorsement is pending, clarity is returning. This allows attention to shift from regulatory interpretation back to action. This webinar explores the business case for holistic due diligence beyond compliance, showing how better data, improved visibility and coordinated approaches can reduce duplication, ease supplier fatigue, strengthen sourcing relationships and support long-term resilience. This session explored: What are the real business risks of limited supply chain visibility, and how do these risks translate into financial, operational and reputational impact? How can evolving compliance expectations be framed in CFO-level terms that support investment decisions, prioritisation and long-term value creation? Which data actually matters in a simplified regulatory landscape, and how can companies ensure it reflects workers’ rights and on-the-ground risks without creating unnecessary reporting burden? How can brands and suppliers collaborate in shared supply chains to improve transparency, reduce duplication and enable effective, pre-competitive problem-solving?

This week: Karla Magruder, founder and president of Accelerating Circularity, talks with Ian Welsh about why systems thinking, collaboration across the supply chain and clear demand signals are essential to making circular textiles work. The discussion explores how new tools and partnerships could help move the industry away from landfill and incineration toward true circularity. Plus: greenhushing erodes trust as consumers hear less; Carrefour rolls out environmental scores for clothing; and, climate friendly beef claims face WRI reality check, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah. Host: Ian Welsh

Regenerative agriculture is increasingly seen as critical to tackling supply chain emissions, but scaling it requires more than technical fixes. At the recent scope 3 innovation forum, Danone’s Ginny Maceda and Ian Welsh talked about how long-term relationships, shared investment and trust with farmers underpin the company’s approach to regenerative dairy farming. 

Hear from Patagonia, Primark, Kantar and Nestlé on credible sustainability communications and how to deepen consumer trust in turbulent times. As consumers pay closer attention to brands’ sustainability claims, the challenge is no longer solely what companies do, but how they explain it clearly and honestly. The second webinar in the series focuses on consumer-facing brands and retailers. We explore how to talk about complex topics such as supply chains, product impact and targets in a way that makes sense to everyday consumers – without overclaiming or greenwashing.  Discussion will cover what works (and what does not) in campaigns and product communication, approaches to avoiding greenwash and “greenhush” while staying ahead of regulation, and how to measure whether sustainability communication is building trust and influencing behaviour. Panellists include: Sarah Whittaker, head of sustainability communications, Primark Ozlem Senturk, senior partner, global sustainable transformation practice, Kantar Katja Seidenschnur, global head of sustainability nutrition, Nestlé  Wendy Savage, senior director, social impact and transparency, Patagonia This session was moderated by Ellen Atiyah, senior stakeholder engagement and sustainability communications manager, Innovation Forum.

This week: StormFisher Hydrogen’s chief executive officer, Judson Whiteside, talks with Ian Welsh about developing carbon-neutral e-methanol and e-methane from green hydrogen, and how policy incentives and corporate scope 3 pressures are shaping global demand for low-carbon fuels. He also explores the role of North America’s renewable power advantage, the realities of scaling hydrogen projects, and what the energy transition means for shipping, aviation and heavy industry.   Plus: new CDP report highlights economic gains from climate leadership; why more storage is needed for hydrogen power; new US dietary guidelines debate over impacts of meat-heavy recommendations; and Levi’s launches a Gen Z-focused repair and reuse initiative, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.  Host: Ian Welsh

Carmen Gamma, director of circular design at fashion brand Eileen Fisher, joins Innovation Forum’s Ellen Atiyah, to discuss how the brand’s circularity programme began with simple take-back and has evolved into resale, remanufacturing and textile-to-textile recycling. They explore what it takes to scale circular systems across a business, the role of leadership and cross-team collaboration, and the technical, financial and policy barriers to building a truly circular fashion ecosystem.

Adam Read, chief sustainability and external affairs officer at Suez UK, joins Innovation Forum's Ian Welsh to discuss how EPR and simpler recycling rules are reshaping the waste and recycling sector, shifting costs towards producers and aiming to improve material quality, efficiency and recycling rates. They discuss unintended consequences of packaging changes, the limits of compostable materials, and how extended producer responsibility could support reuse and refill models by using pricing and financial incentives to drive better behaviour across the value chain.

This week: Athian Ag’s chief product officer, Kendra Tolley, talks with Ian Welsh about why demonstrable credibility is essential for agriculture scope 3 projects, and how better data, traceability and verification can strengthen confidence in value chain emissions reductions and reporting.    Plus: agrifood outlook warns of continued volatility in soft commodity prices; new  questions about extent of health risks from microplastics; and, Barry Callebaut considers splitting cocoa and chocolate businesses to manage price volatility, in the news digest with Diana Kim.   Host: Ian Welsh

This week: Verra's chief programme development and innovation officer, Candace Vinke, talks with Ian Welsh about how improvements in methodologies, verification and safeguards are resharing carbon credit integrity, and what that means for the markets' future. They discuss how emerging standards may influence how companies use carbon credits and value chain abatement as part of their net zero strategies.   Plus: Amazon soy moratorium at risk as more traders withdraw; EU carbon border levy sparks trade tensions worldwide; study warns climate mandates can backfire politically; and, the world produces more food per person than ever, in the news digest with Ellen Atiyah.   Host: Ian Welsh

Earthworm Foundation CEO Bastien Sachet reflects with Ian Welsh on why environmental and supply chain shocks are caused by long-term neglect rather than short-term disruption. Bastien argues that businesses have treated nature as a free factory, optimising costs while failing to reinvest in soils, forests and farming communities. They explore why regenerative, place-based approaches and long-term partnerships are becoming essential to secure future supply, manage risk and maintain competitiveness.

This week: Adam Read, chief external affairs and sustainability officer at Suez UK talks with Ian Welsh about the impacts of extended producer responsibility for the packaging sector, and the real opportunities that this can offer.   Plus: recycled polyester under fire as UK bans fashion adverts; EU backs major rollback of corporate ESG obligations; and, Microsoft leads peers on nature positive data centres, in the news digest by Ellen Atiyah.   Host: Ian Welsh

Cargill's vice president of global core research and development, Cordell Hardy, talks with Ian Welsh about the potential of fermentation in providing scalable solution for food ingredient production. They discuss how integrated fermentation is in our everyday lives, from zero-calorie sweeteners to plant-based materials.

This week: Duncan Warner, senior responsible sourcing and human rights manager at ASDA, talks with Ian Welsh about the role of retailers in driving effective remediation across global supply chains. They discuss how collaboration, transparency, and a growth mindset help address human rights challenges, and why embedding practical frameworks and partnerships is key to meaningful impact. Plus: Innovation Forum’s Hanna Halmari introduces the upcoming 2026 conference series, highlighting themes in food, apparel, tech, and energy transition, focusing on sustainability as a driver of resilience, innovation and long-term business value. Host: Ian Welsh Click here for information on how to get involved in Innovation Forum’s 2026 events.

Liv Simpliciano, head of policy and research at Fashion Revolution, talks with Innovation Forum’s Niamh Campbell about What Fuels Fashion?, Fashion Revolution’s latest transparency report, exploring the power dynamics, environmental impacts and social costs embedded in global fashion supply chains. They discuss accountability, data gaps, and why greater transparency is critical to driving meaningful change across the industry.