Straight Talking Sustainability

In this practical and uplifting solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow kicks off 2026 with a powerful reframe for sustainability professionals exhausted by negativity, what-aboutism, and constant battles over every small change. Drawing on groundbreaking research published in Nature Food, Emma demonstrates how clever behind-the-scenes switches can deliver massive carbon reductions (30% in one study) without guilt, arguments, or removing anyone's choices. This episode is essential listening for anyone tired of making sustainability harder than it needs to be.Emma introduces research by Flynn et al. titled "Dish swap across a weekly menu can deliver health and sustainability gains" that proves something revolutionary: you do not need to start with the hardest stuff, fight people, or remove choice to achieve meaningful carbon reductions. The researchers worked with a canteen serving 15 dishes across a five-day week, surveying diners' preferences and identifying where high-carbon meat dishes competed with lower-carbon vegetarian options. The problem was simple: when people's favourite vegetarian meal appeared on the same day as their favourite meat dish, they always chose the meat, meaning the vegetarian option never got selected.The solution was brilliantly simple: reshuffle the menu. Using what they called an optimisation model, the researchers rearranged dishes so high-preference vegetarian meals no longer competed with high-preference meat meals. No recipes changed. No meat-free Mondays. No lectures. No signs. Just a smarter order. The results were extraordinary: when the optimised menu rolled out, carbon footprint of meal choices dropped 30%, saturated fat dropped 6%, and crucially, no one complained or even noticed. This is what Emma calls "sustainability by stealth" or "Trojan mouse" approaches that deliver real impact without the exhausting battles.Emma explains why this matters profoundly for sustainability professionals drowning in negativity. Whenever conversations begin about reducing meat consumption or increasing plant-based canteen options, polar reactions emerge: accusations of "banning meat," claims of being a "Scrooge" after the consumerism-filled festive season, or walls of what-aboutism (what about wind turbine blades, range anxiety, plastic recycling rates). This negativity is not just draining; it actively kills momentum, derails conversations, and leaves sustainability teams fighting uphill battles daily whilst making minimal progress.The episode tackles why negativity is so prevalent in climate and sustainability conversations, particularly around politically sensitive topics like food, renewable energy, and flying. Emma identifies three common negative patterns: what-aboutism (endless objections ignoring any reasons something might work), accusations that sustainability means "banning everything" or "penalising us," and the exhausting cycle of needing to prove your case with facts whilst the other side throws up barriers. This approach misses the point entirely and more critically, stops all forward momentum.Emma introduces the concept that people need to hear things seven times before they will buy them (a classic marketing principle). If those seven exposures are negative, negative, negative, the battle becomes exponentially harder. The solution is not more facts, bigger business cases, or harder fights. The solution is reframing towards can-dos, easy wins, and low-friction changes that build momentum rather than requiring martyrdom. As Emma puts it: "Momentum beats martyrdom. We don't all have to be martyrs. We don't have to fight it all every day of the week."The dish swap research proves something powerful about human behaviour and organisational change. Once people experience success (seeing that changes worked without causing pain), they become far more...

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Sian Cuffey-Young, founder of SAEL Environmental in Trinidad and Tobago, to explore the intersection of food waste, food security, and climate action in Caribbean island states.With 20 years of experience in waste management and a mission statement that "waste is sexy," Sian brings infectious energy and unflinching honesty to one of the most overlooked sustainability challenges: the fact that our largest waste stream receives the least attention whilst people go hungry.Sian's journey into food waste began with composting education, which she loved, but she deliberately avoided the broader food waste challenge for years. Everything changed when Trinidad and Tobago released waste characterisation study results showing food and organic waste had increased from 27% to 33% of the waste stream over a decade.Under those results, a woman commented, "I wish I had some of that food to feed my family." That single statement crystallised Sian's mission.As she explains, the Caribbean region can feed itself six times over according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, yet food insecurity persists whilst good food is deliberately soiled with disinfectant and disposed of by supermarkets practicing "soil and dump" policies to avoid liability.The conversation reveals the unique challenges of sustainability work in island states with limited land space, voluntary rather than mandatory waste separation, and funding heavily skewed towards plastic waste initiatives because "that's where the money is coming from."Sian describes food and organic waste as sitting "quietly undiscovered in the corner" despite being the largest waste stream, receiving minimal attention compared to highly visible plastics pollution.This funding imbalance forces social entrepreneurs like Sian to look outside the region for support, connect with international networks, and get creative with limited resources whilst addressing society's most fundamental need: feeding people.Throughout the episode, Sian candidly discusses the reality of running a social enterprise in the environmental services sector, including experiencing her toughest financial year in a decade of operation.She describes feeling "forgotten" as a small service-based business competing against larger companies for contracts, constantly applying for highly competitive grants where all Caribbean organisations compete for the same limited funding pool, and questioning whether she should switch from food waste back to plastics where money flows more freely.Yet every time she prays and asks whether she is in the right space, the answer remains the same: "You need to stay here."Emma and Sian explore the systemic barriers preventing progress, including the absence of Good Samaritan laws in most Caribbean islands (only the Bahamas and Barbados have them), the lack of food waste legislation making separation mandatory, companies hiding behind liability concerns rather than finding workarounds for food donation, and the political cycle of starting and stopping initiatives whenever governments change.Sian's travels to China, the United States, and throughout the Caribbean provide perspective on what is possible, from smaller plates in Chinese hotels designed to reduce waste to comprehensive food waste reduction programmes in other regions, but returning home often brings deflation when implementation proves difficult.The conversation takes an inspiring turn when Sian shares what sustains her through the hard years: her faith, her husband's unwavering support ("the biggest pom poms out of all the husbands in the world"), and wanting her children to see their mother pursue something she is passionate about even when it is hard.Her philosophy of "don't take no for an

In this powerful year-end compilation episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow revisits the three solo episodes that resonated most strongly with listeners in 2025, addressing the thorniest challenges facing sustainability professionals today.From navigating conversations with climate sceptics to avoiding the "evangelical trap" that alienates colleagues, to breaking free from the paralysis caused by knowing business-as-usual will not save us, these episodes tackle the psychological and practical barriers that prevent meaningful climate action.After training over 800 people in carbon literacy and working in the sustainability sector for nearly 30 years, Emma knows that technical knowledge alone does not drive change. The episodes featured in this compilation reflect the real struggles sustainability professionals face daily: how to respond when confronted with climate denial, how to engage colleagues without appearing to recruit them for a cult, and how to take action when the magnitude of system change feels overwhelming and impossible.Episode 22: How to Survive a Conversation with a Climate Denier emerged from Emma's own LinkedIn encounter with someone claiming Italy and Argentina were pulling out of the Paris Agreement (information found nowhere except "word on the street"). This episode provides five common denier arguments and five practical survival tips, emphasising that climate denial, whilst noisy, remains exceptionally rare.Out of 800+ people Emma has trained, only one openly identified as a climate denier. The key insight: save your energy for the moveable middle rather than battling immovable objects, but know how to navigate these conversations when professionally trapped.Episode 34: I'm Not Recruiting For A Cult tackles the uncomfortable moment when Emma was told by a senior management team member: "If you're going to convince us to change our habits, you're going to have to come up with some better evidence."This episode dismantles the decades-old sustainability sector habit of trying to prove our point, recruit converts, and convince sceptics through ever-more-impressive graphs and data. Emma argues that leadership is not about convincing people to jump from A to Z, but about meeting them where they are, listening in the corners, and helping them identify what matters to them rather than drowning them in evidence about what should matter.Episode 40: From Stuck to Starting: How to Move Forward with Your Sustainability Goals addresses the paralysis created by knowing that business-as-usual and incremental tweaks will not solve the climate crisis. Inspired by consultant Liz Gad's experience of consciously buying a refurbished phone only to have the company force-send an unwanted screen protector anyway, this episode explores the anxiety caused by working within systems we cannot individually change.Emma provides practical frameworks for moving from "I can't" to "what can I do?", starting with micro-actions that build confidence without expecting anyone to achieve system transformation overnight.Throughout this compilation, Emma's core philosophy emerges: sustainability professionals must stop positioning themselves as evangelical messengers recruiting converts, and instead become curious facilitators who help people connect their existing values to meaningful action.The shift from convincing to listening, from recruiting to exploring, and from paralysis to micro-progress represents the practical psychology of change that technical sustainability training often overlooks.These three episodes collectively address what Emma calls the "unwinnable issues" that drain energy and create burnout: the rare but anxiety-inducing prospect of climate denial confrontation, the counterproductive dynamic of appearing to recruit colleagues for an...

In this practical and inspiring episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Sanita Garley, Net Zero Transition Plan Lead at B&Q, to explore the often-discussed but rarely-demonstrated journey from setting net zero targets to actually implementing change across a major retail organisation.With over 20 years in buying and product development before transitioning into sustainability three years ago, Sanita brings a refreshingly commercial perspective to the sustainability challenge, proving that expertise in carbon science matters far less than understanding how to get things done within business realities.Sanita's transition into sustainability began when she identified a critical gap: the sustainability team worked incredibly hard to engage commercial colleagues, but those colleagues (herself included at the time) simply were not engaging. The pressures of margin targets, sales goals, and daily commercial realities created a barrier that well-intentioned sustainability professionals could not penetrate.Recognising an opportunity to become the conduit between these two worlds, Sanita approached her manager Sam Dyer (Head of Responsible Business) and requested a chance to try a maternity cover role. Three years later, she now leads B&Q's entire Net Zero Transition Plan, focusing particularly on the notoriously complex Scope 3 emissions from products and vendors.The conversation tackles imposter syndrome head-on, with Sanita admitting she felt massively out of her depth initially, knowing very little about carbon. However, her commercial mindset proved invaluable: "Give me a target, I'll go after it and I'll hit it."By reframing carbon reduction as another business objective rather than an insurmountable technical challenge, Sanita demonstrates how non-sustainability professionals can bring fresh, practical approaches to what often feels like an impenetrable field. Her wide remit across B&Q's entire product range (rather than a focused category) presents unique challenges but also opportunities for systemic impact.Throughout the episode, Sanita emphasises the critical importance of speaking stakeholders' language and respecting their pressures. Coming from the commercial world, she understands when not to have conversations ("it's a really bad time of year, guys") and how to frame sustainability requests in ways that resonate with buyers facing their own intense targets.This commercial fluency, combined with genuine respect for colleagues' expertise, creates what Sanita describes as a "true exchange" where she relies on product experts' knowledge whilst they benefit from her sustainability guidance.The discussion explores B&Q's impressive sustainability heritage, including founding membership of the FSC 30 years ago, pioneering peat-free compost, and achieving over 99% certification for wood and paper products. However, Sanita acknowledges that communicating these achievements to customers remains challenging when sustainability often does not resonate as strongly as retailers hope.Her pragmatic response: "Let us do the heavy lifting for now" rather than waiting for consumer demand to drive every change. This philosophy of responsible business means making sustainability improvements behind the scenes because "you know what's right," even when customers are not yet asking for it.Emma and Sanita discuss practical examples including the plant pot recycling initiative (collection points in 120 stores creating a closed-loop system), CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism) implementation where B&Q leads supplier engagement despite being the only retailer asking for certain data, and carbon literacy training that has now reached over 100 colleagues with ambitious plans for 2026.The plant pot scheme, whilst not a major carbon reducer, demonstrates how visible,...

In this action-packed solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow delivers exactly what sustainability-conscious listeners have been asking for: five straightforward switches that make the biggest dent in your personal carbon footprint, complete with referral codes, money-off promotions, and practical bonus links worth £332 to remove every excuse for inaction.Top 5 Carbon‑Cutting Hacks1. Switch Bank 💰🌍One of the biggest instant switches you can make - though it’s rarely included in carbon footprint tools!£10k saved in a high‑street bank (e.g. HSBC, Barclays) = over 2 tonnes CO₂The same amount with Nationwide or the Co‑operative Bank = less than 0.5 tonnes CO₂Bonuses:Nationwide: £175 switch bonusCo‑op Bank: £100 switch bonusResources:MotherTree’s Carbon Emissions Bank League Table (June 2023)Bank.Green – find ethical & sustainable banks near you2. Switch to Renewable Electricity ⚡🌱One of the first and most impactful steps:Cuts dependence on imported fossil fuelsReduces carbon emissionsSupports the transition to a greener grid📊 In the UK, renewables in the national grid have grown from 14% to 41% in just one year.Resources:UN & Carbon Brief: Five reasons why switching to renewables is smart economicsOctopus referral link: £50 credit3. Switch OFF or DOWN 🔌❄️Small changes at home = big savings.Smart meters: save £50+ per year and give real‑time control over energy usePrinciple: If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage itInsulation: pays for itself quickly once you start tracking usageThermostat: set to 18°C (WHO guidance for healthy adults; slightly higher for very young/old)

In this career-focused episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Nick Valenzia, co-founder of Leafr (the world's largest marketplace for sustainability skills), to unpack the brutal realities facing sustainability professionals today: unclear career pathways, exhausting job searches, and the dangerous myth that passion alone will get you ahead.Nick reveals how Leafr was born from his own frustrating experience trying to freelance in sustainability after his master's degree, unable to find a single platform connecting independent consultants with companies needing short-term expertise.Despite launching with an "embarrassing website" (his words), the platform snowballed because it solved a real friction between supply and demand, now connecting over 2,000 vetted experts with hundreds of companies across three continents at approximately one third the cost of traditional consultancies.The conversation tackles the uncomfortable truth that "sustainability professional" isn't actually a meaningful job title. As Nick puts it: "What is a sustainability professional? I've yet to see a good definition.We all know what doctors do, but sustainability covers everything from carbon accounting to biodiversity to materials innovation to solar panels in space. There's not that much linking them apart from this higher mission to help the environment."Emma and Nick explore why this creates impossible confusion for people trying to build careers in the space, with no clear door to walk through and no obvious progression from five years' experience to ten years' experience (unlike law, medicine, or accounting where pathways are well established).The sector's rapid evolution means traditional markers like "ten years' experience" become meaningless when regulations like biodiversity net gain only launched last year.Drawing on Cal Newport's book "Be So Good They Can't Ignore You", Emma challenges the sustainability sector's obsession with passion over mastery.She argues that telling someone "it's great you're so passionate about this" is actually dangerous advice, both financially and professionally, because passion doesn't convince others of your expertise and won't help you get funded by CFOs who care about compliance risk and customer acquisition, not moral arguments about emissions.Nick provides the episode's most practical advice for career progression: "Get good at selling it and framing it in terms the rest of the company will understand. If you want to convince the CEO and CFO why your programme should be funded, just saying 'we need to cut our emissions' unfortunately isn't going to cut it.What cuts it is saying 'we risk being fined if we don't comply with this regulation' or 'we'll win X percent more customers because we know they want this.'"The episode systematically explores the skills gap from both sides of Leafr's marketplace: companies that don't know what they need (let alone how to scope projects, set budgets, or determine which regulations affect them) and professionals who can't find work despite thousands applying for the same roles.Nick explains how Leafr's AI tools help companies at that critical first stage, mapping out what potentially affects them and what they need to do, freeing up budget to shift from compliance investment to innovation and reduction investment.Emma and Nick dig into quality assurance in a sector flooded with new entrants, where AI might give someone a few years' head start in appearing competent without actual depth of experience.Nick reveals Leafr's four-step vetting process (written application, skill-level self-assessment with expert-level interviewing, referrals and case studies, behavioural and competency assessment, plus ongoing performance monitoring) that's led to zero unhappy clients to date despite hundreds of projects.The conversation addresses why...

In this game-changing solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow reveals the counterintuitive strategy that's transforming how organisations achieve climate action: forget trying to convince everyone and focus on activating just 25% of your workforce to create unstoppable momentum.Emma unpacks the frustrating paradox facing sustainability professionals everywhere: if 80% of UK adults care about climate change (DESNZ 2025) and 73% of businesses say they're prioritising net zero (Net Zero Business Census 2025), why does driving action feel so impossibly difficult? The answer lies in understanding tipping points, social norming, and the critical mass needed to shift organisational culture from apathy to action.Drawing on behavioural psychology research from the University of Pennsylvania, Emma explains how social change movements (from Me Too to Black Lives Matter) achieve transformation when approximately 25% of a community actively engages. This isn't about awareness or concern (that's your 80%), this is about people willing to bring sustainability into their work conversations, decisions, and daily actions without being asked.The episode challenges the exhausting approach most sustainability professionals are taking: picking off individuals one by one, hunting for ambassadors, playing the long game of incremental change. Instead, Emma advocates for strategic activation of your critical 25% (one in four people in any meeting room) who then naturally lead the remaining 75% through social norming and peer influence.Emma shares a powerful case study from the housing sector where training just 50 to 60 people (around 25% of a 200-person organisation) over five to six months created a complete cultural transformation. The shift wasn't about hitting carbon targets immediately but about transitioning people from "somebody else's target, I'll get on with my job" to "I'm behind this target, this is what I do to contribute, and I've got loads of ideas." The organisation moved from having virtually no one able to articulate their net zero strategy to ensuring every meeting with four or more people included at least one carbon-literate advocate who would naturally raise sustainability considerations.The episode systematically dismantles three persistent myths: that you need 100% buy-in to succeed, that targets automatically equal action (spoiler: there's a massive target-action gap), and that individual champions alone can create the momentum needed for transformation. Emma argues that whilst your 1% to 2% early adopters might be important sparks, they never achieve critical mass without a deliberate strategy to activate the broader 25%.Emma introduces the concept of the "messy middle" (the 60% to 80% of your organisation between the 10% to 20% who are already committed and the 10% to 20% you'll likely never convince). This messy middle is where your 25% lives, and Emma provides practical frameworks for identifying them through three strategic lenses: roles where climate action has the most impact (facilities, supply chain, commercial, finance), teams that interact with key stakeholders (marketing, sales, customer-facing roles), and individuals already showing quiet interest regardless of their position.The episode explores why the value-action gap persists despite high levels of concern, examining how busy professionals who genuinely care about climate change remain silent because they assume others don't care and fear looking like "the social pariah" who disrupts business as usual. Emma explains how this creates a vicious cycle where everyone waits for permission and social norming that never comes, resulting in organisations with strong ambition, brilliant strategies, and even budgets that still feel like they're dragging their people through sustainability rather than being driven by them.Drawing...

In this inspiring and deeply personal episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Ben Luger, Marketing Project Specialist at Ecosurety, to explore how volunteering can be the secret weapon for engaging people in climate action whilst simultaneously improving mental health and building stronger communities. Ben's journey from delivering carbon literacy training to establishing a thriving community tree nursery in just 12 months demonstrates how individual action, when channelled through community organising, creates exponential impact without the overwhelming time and energy drain that most people fear.Ben traces his volunteering journey back to an unexpected source: delivering carbon literacy training for the packaging sector. Whilst training others about the causes and impacts of the climate crisis, he found himself experiencing increasing climate anxiety despite making personal lifestyle changes (not flying, barely using a car, cutting meat consumption, sustainable banking). The deep dive into climate science that carbon literacy demands created an "itching urge" to do more, which reached a tipping point at the Blue Earth Summit in 2024.After two days of talks, panels, and workshops, Ben felt simultaneously enlightened and frustrated by what he describes as an "echo chamber of the same people coming together to talk about it." The breakthrough came during a session called Reasons To Be Cheerful featuring inspiring community activists including Speech Debelle (who launched Black Fish to connect Black communities with fishing and nature) and No Ven (who transformed a community garden whilst escaping years of abuse). Two days after that talk, Ben was writing emails to launch his own community tree nursery project.What makes Ben's story particularly powerful for sustainability professionals experiencing burnout is how he found an existing community organisation (Rooted Chippenham) rather than starting from scratch. By approaching an established Community Interest Company with an existing volunteer base of 30 people, polytunnel, and governance structure, Ben could piggyback on infrastructure whilst contributing his marketing and communications skills. The group launched a crowd funder with match funding and hit their initial target within 24 hours, ultimately raising nearly three times their goal (£4,300) by the campaign's end.The conversation explores why volunteering works where other engagement approaches fail. Ben describes discovering an "extended family" of like-minded people on his doorstep who share the same worries, anxieties, and motivations. This social connection creates energy rather than draining it, transforming what could feel like another burden into something people actively look forward to. Emma relates her own volunteering experiences (parkrun, local library, helplines) and reflects on how people outside the volunteering world consistently underestimate the benefits whilst overestimating the time commitment.Ben candidly discusses how volunteering has become his antidote to climate and biodiversity crises, particularly during a difficult year when grief from his father's death resurfaced a decade later. His GP prescribed nature, which led Ben to recognise how local nature-based projects offer something uniquely cleansing and energising. Now running both the tree nursery (growing around 1,000 trees annually for free distribution to local residents) and community bat walks, Ben describes feeling "unburdened" compared to the anxiety that previously consumed him.For workplace applications, Ben explains that whilst Ecosurety offers three volunteering days annually (with corporate sponsorship for his projects), only about one third of employees across organisations typically use these days. The challenge is not lack of...

In this landmark anniversary episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow celebrates one year of the podcast by revisiting the most impactful moments from five extraordinary guests who have shared their hard-earned wisdom over the past 12 months. After nearly 30 years in the sustainability sector, Emma knows that we simply do not have time to keep knowledge locked away, which is why she launched this podcast to democratise sustainability expertise and make connections across industries, backgrounds, and experience levels.This bumper compilation episode features powerful excerpts from conversations with industry leaders, changemakers, and thought leaders who are actively transforming how we approach climate action, carbon literacy, sustainable living, and systemic change. From heavy industry decarbonisation to personal behaviour change, from ambitious climate action to managing eco-anxiety, these voices represent the breadth and depth of sustainability challenges and solutions.Nicola Jones, Market Business Development Manager at Tata Steel UK, shares insights from the frontlines of industrial transformation, revealing how a £1.25 billion investment in electric arc furnace technology will deliver an immediate 90% carbon reduction when it comes online in 2027. Her perspective dismantles the myth that heavy industry resists climate action, demonstrating instead how customer Scope 3 emissions requirements are driving rapid change. Nicola explains why companies that fail to decarbonise will lose customers within five to ten years, making sustainability not just ethical but essential for business survival.Briony Pete, Director at The Circular Life, explores the critical importance of mindset in sustainability work, tackling imposter syndrome, overwhelm, and the burnout that sustainability professionals frequently experience. She introduces practical frameworks for understanding where people are on their sustainability journey (from closed to leadership-ready) and emphasises the power of meeting people where they are rather than expecting everyone to jump to expert level immediately. Her insights about moving from judgement to curiosity offer a roadmap for more effective sustainability communication.Andy Middleton, Co-Founder of Do Good Faster, brings a provocative perspective on ambition and long-term thinking. Drawing on his experience taking 200,000 people safely through potentially dangerous outdoor adventures, he argues that we are facing a "big volume class five rapid" as a species, yet most people have not even looked at the river or understand the terminology. He challenges the notion of being "realistic" by arguing that true realism means preparing for the threats and opportunities ahead with appropriate urgency and scale.Jen Gale, Author of The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide, offers candid reflections on managing climate anxiety whilst doing advocacy work, the power of reaching mainstream audiences rather than preaching to the converted, and why influence often creates unseen ripples that advocates may never witness. Her work with schools, veterinary practices, and the Sustainable(ish) community demonstrates how embedding sustainability conversations in trusted community institutions can create exponential impact.Phil Korbel, co-founder of the Carbon Literacy Project, explains how carbon literacy training has become one of the most powerful tools for closing the gap between net zero targets and actual action. With examples ranging from AutoTrader (a FTSE 100 company driven by employee demand) to the British Plastics Federation, Phil demonstrates that carbon literacy works across all sectors by giving people the emotional engagement and practical agency to act on climate knowledge they may already possess intellectually.Throughout...

In this practical and reassuring episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow reconnects with long-time colleague Kirsteen Harrison from Not Sustainable to tackle the carbon reporting challenges facing what they call "the missing middle" (companies with 250 to 1,000 employees). These businesses face intense supply chain pressure to report emissions but often lack the dedicated sustainability teams and resources of larger corporations, creating a perfect storm of fear, confusion, and questionnaire paralysis.Kirsteen brings over 20 years of experience working with SMEs and medium-sized businesses on waste, energy, compliance, and carbon reporting. She reveals a troubling pattern: companies receiving generic carbon reporting requests from larger clients that ask the wrong questions, demand inappropriate data, or require commitments to frameworks (like the Science Based Targets initiative) that were not designed for their size or sector. The result is fear-driven inaction, with some companies ignoring requests for years until contracts face risk.The conversation exposes uncomfortable truths about carbon reporting as potentially a "dark art" where data manipulation remains possible despite verification standards like ISO 14064. Kirsteen challenges the assumption that companies always need perfectly accurate data, arguing that the purpose of reporting determines the required precision. For hotspot analysis and strategy development, understanding key levers matters more than decimal-point accuracy. For legal disclosures and verified reports, precision becomes critical. Yet many companies waste years and thousands of pounds chasing accuracy they do not actually need.Emma shares a revealing case study of a call centre company that ignored carbon reporting requests for three years because the FD could not see the relevance (they operated in leased offices with minimal reportable emissions beyond business travel and employee commuting). This illustrates how supply chain questionnaires often fail to account for business model variations, creating disproportionate burdens on companies with naturally low operational emissions.Kirsteen offers a radically different approach: instead of panicking or ignoring requests, engage directly with the client, asking for the data. Her experience shows that sustainability managers at large corporations are desperate for supplier engagement and will welcome conversations about reasonable timelines, appropriate metrics, and phased implementation plans. One client she worked with turned a compliance headache into a strategic partnership by proactively sharing their supplier engagement strategy and requesting feedback from their multinational client.The episode tackles practical barriers, including spend-based conversion factors (a particular dark art within carbon accounting), the challenge of standardised reporting platforms like CDP and EcoVadis (comprehensive but resource-intensive for smaller companies), and the maturity journey from discomfort and fear through compliance to proud leadership. Kirsteen emphasises that we are building an entire carbon accounting and sustainability disclosure system in years rather than the decades or centuries it took to develop financial and legal systems, so imperfections and gaps are inevitable.Toward the end, Kirsteen highlights an invaluable new resource from the We Mean Business Coalition: a report cherry-picking best practice examples from 70 sustainability reports by companies under 1,000 employees. This goldmine shows how smaller businesses can innovatively report what is relevant to them without being constrained by frameworks designed for multinationals, using their agility and flexibility as competitive advantages.In this carbon reporting and supply chain sustainability episode, you'll...

In this powerful and practical solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow tackles the most frustrating challenge facing corporate sustainability teams today: the target action gap. Companies have set ambitious net-zero targets, invested heavily in reporting and data collection, yet most employees remain disengaged and the sustainability team feels isolated, pushing a rock uphill alone.Drawing from her experience training over 1,500 people across major organisations, including BT, B&Q, Silent Night, Kenwood, and Openreach, Emma reveals why traditional sustainability engagement approaches (lunchtime webinars, team days, or brief e-learning modules) fail to create lasting change. The problem is not that employees do not care; they simply have never been given permission, confidence, or the minimum knowledge needed to act.Emma identifies the critical question every sustainability leader should ask their frontline staff: "On a scale of one to five, how confident do you feel talking about our net zero targets to customers or suppliers?" The typical response is ones and twos, revealing a confidence crisis that prevents progress regardless of how brilliant the strategy document looks. When employees run in the opposite direction from sustainability questions, the entire burden falls back on a handful of sustainability professionals trying to move targets forward in companies of thousands.The episode shares a compelling case study of a consumer products company with a 2040 net zero target struggling with staff disengagement and isolated sustainability teams unable to demonstrate progress. After implementing focused carbon literacy training, a senior commercial team member independently added a carbon stage gate to their business case process (worth millions of pounds in impact). Even more significantly, the sustainability leader overheard corridor conversations about carbon reduction weeks later, proving the training had created foot soldiers doing the work without prompting.Emma challenges the assumption that you need 100% (or even 50%) of your workforce engaged in sustainability. Instead, she focuses on identifying where the rub is: What is the one thing that will drive people to act? Is it customer pressure, supplier requirements, competitive threats, or regulatory mandates? Once you identify the pinch point and the critical roles (sales, procurement, marketing, operations), you can focus training on the minimum knowledge needed to move that specific rock downhill.The episode concludes with a practical 10-minute task: Ask three people in critical business roles how confident they feel discussing your net zero targets externally. Their responses (typically ones, twos, or fence-sitting threes) will reveal your exact gap. Emma argues that moving people from ones and twos to fours and fives creates the holy grail of sustainability implementation: employees taking action independently, building capacity across the business, and having conversations without the sustainability team present.This episode is essential listening for sustainability professionals experiencing burnout from trying to single-handedly transform their organisations, those struggling to demonstrate progress against targets, and leaders who recognise that their current engagement approach is not working but do not know what to try next.In this corporate sustainability implementation and training episode, you'll discover:Why net zero targets often create tumbleweed across organizations despite enormous reporting effortsThe three common gaps preventing sustainability action (value, knowledge, and target gaps)How carbon literacy training creates foot soldiers who independently drive change across businessesThe critical confidence question that reveals your...

In this insightful and practical episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Julia Vol, an independent sustainability consultant who helps organisations move beyond sustainability theatre to genuine impact. With experience spanning corporate roles at major companies like Sainsbury's and Decathlon, plus expertise in sustainable packaging and circular economy, Julia brings a refreshingly honest perspective on what actually works in corporate sustainability.Julia opens the conversation by addressing a problem many sustainability professionals recognise but rarely discuss openly: the endless cycle of strategy documents, materiality assessments, and stakeholder engagement that never quite translates into meaningful action. She challenges the notion that more analysis leads to better outcomes, arguing that many organisations become stuck in "analysis paralysis" rather than making the difficult decisions required for transformation.The discussion explores why sustainability professionals often feel like they're spinning their wheels despite working incredibly hard. Julia identifies three critical barriers: a lack of genuine senior leadership buy-in (beyond public statements), insufficient resources allocated to implementing strategies, and the tendency to treat sustainability as a compliance exercise rather than a business transformation imperative.Emma and Julia dive deep into the thorny issue of greenwashing, examining how well-intentioned companies can slide into misleading communications when marketing departments get ahead of actual progress. Julia shares practical advice for sustainability professionals caught between the pressure to show results and the reality of slow systemic change, emphasising the importance of honest, transparent communication about both achievements and ongoing challenges.The conversation shifts to practical frameworks for getting unstuck, including Julia's approach to identifying quick wins that build momentum while simultaneously working on longer-term structural changes. She emphasises the critical importance of cross-functional collaboration, explaining why sustainability cannot succeed when siloed in one department but must be embedded across operations, procurement, product development, and finance.Julia offers candid insights about working with different organisational cultures, from fast-moving retailers to engineering-focused manufacturing companies. She explains how to tailor sustainability approaches to match company DNA rather than imposing one-size-fits-all solutions that inevitably fail. The discussion includes specific examples of successful interventions, from packaging reduction projects to circular business model pilots.In this corporate sustainability and implementation strategy episode, you'll discover:Why many sustainability strategies fail to translate into actual business transformationThe three critical barriers preventing sustainability professionals from making real progressHow to identify and prioritise quick wins that build momentum for longer-term changePractical approaches to securing genuine (not performative) senior leadership engagementWhy cross-functional embedding matters more than departmental sustainability teamsHow to navigate the greenwashing trap while still communicating progress authenticallyStrategies for tailoring sustainability approaches to different organizational culturesThe importance of honest communication about challenges alongside celebrating winsKey Corporate Sustainability Strategy Insights:(04:00) The strategy trap: "I see so many organisations that have beautiful sustainability strategies, really comprehensive materiality assessments,...

In this passionate and fact-packed solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow tackles one of the most common conversation stoppers in climate action discussions: "There's no point in us doing anything because we're only 2% of global emissions. What about China?" This excuse appears everywhere, from boardrooms to living rooms, and Emma has had enough of watching it derail progress.Drawing on historical data, trade realities, and competitive intelligence, Emma delivers eight comprehensive counter-arguments that sustainability professionals can keep in their back pockets for when this excuse inevitably surfaces. Rather than getting angry or defensive, she provides fact-based responses that acknowledge complexity while refusing to accept inaction.The episode starts with historical accountability, reminding listeners that the UK led the Industrial Revolution and was the world's largest coal producer in 1922. Climate change is a legacy issue; the warming we experience today stems from emissions released in the early 1900s. Carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for up to 100 years, meaning cumulative emissions from the UK, EU, and US created the foundation of our current crisis.Emma then addresses the trade reality that many overlook: a huge chunk of China's emissions come from manufacturing products consumed in the West. Our phones, furniture, and building materials embed Chinese carbon in our shopping baskets. You cannot complain about China's emissions while simultaneously buying the products that create them.The conversation shifts to competitiveness, where Emma reveals an uncomfortable truth: while the UK debates and makes excuses, China is dominating the clean tech race in solar panels, electric vehicles, and battery storage. They have reached peak coal and are already transitioning. The question becomes whether the UK wants to lead this industrial revolution or be left behind buying technology from others.Through the lens of the Paris Agreement, Emma demonstrates mathematical reality: over 160 of the 195 signatory countries emit less than 2% of global CO2. If they all used the "we're too small to matter" excuse, there would be no point to international climate agreements. Every fraction of a percent adds up, which is precisely why collective action matters.Emma encourages listeners to choose arguments based on their audience. For innovative and ambitious business leaders, lean into the leadership and competitiveness angles. For those concerned about national interests, emphasise energy security and domestic benefits like cleaner air, warmer homes, and reduced reliance on imported gas. For values-driven conversations, acknowledge the moral responsibility to vulnerable nations that are already experiencing severe climate impacts.The episode serves as an essential toolkit for sustainability professionals tired of watching productive conversations get derailed by deflection to China. Emma provides the facts, the framing, and the confidence to keep climate action discussions moving forward rather than grinding to a halt.In this climate action and business competitiveness episode, you'll discover:Why the UK's historical role as the world's largest coal producer (1922) creates climate accountability todayHow trade emissions embed Chinese carbon footprints in Western consumption patternsThe competitive advantage China is building through renewable energy and clean tech dominanceWhy over 160 Paris Agreement countries emit less than 2% of global emissions eachHow the "we're too small" excuse would mathematically destroy international climate cooperationThe domestic benefits of climate action including energy security and reduced import dependenceStrategic framing techniques for different audiences (leadership vs. innovation vs. values)Why China has already...

In this ground-breaking episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Silja Chouquet, former pharmaceutical executive turned social entrepreneur and founder of Match for Impact. With extensive experience weaving between corporate leadership roles and startup ventures, Silja has identified a critical gap in the sustainability and social innovation landscape: highly skilled senior executives wanting purpose-driven careers have nowhere to go, while impact startups desperately need their expertise but cannot afford them.Silja's journey from pharmaceutical strategy consulting to creating her own social enterprise (Marikoi, which brought patient experts into pharma boardrooms) gives her unique insight into both worlds. She witnessed firsthand how the pharmaceutical industry successfully embedded patient advocacy into every role, moving it from a siloed department to an essential part of corporate culture. Now she's applying that same transformation model to sustainability and social impact.Match for Impact addresses the "bore out" and burnout epidemic affecting senior corporate talent by creating 90-day fractional pro bono placements with social ventures and impact startups. This isn't mentorship or charity work; it's a two-way leadership exchange where executives gain hands-on experience with sustainable business models while startups access senior strategic guidance, networks, and credibility they could never afford to hire.The conversation explores the structural barriers preventing corporate leaders from transitioning into impact roles, including the "Mother Teresa" assumption that purpose work requires salary sacrifice and the "overqualified but inexperienced" paradox that keeps talented people trapped in corporate squares. Silja argues that business transformation cannot happen through isolated sustainability departments; it requires leadership that has carried the bag and experienced systems change on the ground.Through partnerships with Day One (Europe's largest MedTech accelerator) and Catalyst Now (the world's biggest network of social innovators with 6,000 members), Match for Impact is building a movement to make systems change leadership experience mandatory for corporate advancement. Just as pharmaceutical companies once required sales experience before headquarters roles, Silja envisions a future where impact experience becomes essential for business leadership.The episode tackles uncomfortable truths about innovation funding, including how unicorn-chasing mentality wastes valuable solutions that could be profitable and impactful in different markets. Silja challenges the scarcity mindset that forces startups to compete rather than collaborate, arguing we need every available solution working together to address global challenges, not just one magical answer.In this corporate sustainability and social innovation episode, you'll discover:Why senior executives are experiencing "bore out" alongside burnout in restructuring organizationsHow 90-day fractional placements create two-way value for both corporates and startupsThe "carry the bag" principle that made pharmaceutical patient advocacy successful and how it applies to sustainabilityWhy unicorn funding models are partially responsible for innovation system failuresHow MedTech solutions developed for US markets miss profit opportunities in low and middle income countriesThe portfolio career model that allows executives to maintain income while building impact experienceWhy impact cannot remain siloed in sustainability departments but must infuse every business roleHow corporate experience in launching products and building commercial models accelerates startup successKey Social Innovation and Leadership...

In this practical and empowering final episode of the 52 Simple Sustainability Hacks series, host Emma Burlow delivers the last actionable tips (numbers 40 to 52) that prove sustainable living doesn't have to cost money or consume your life. Recording in beautiful autumn while resisting the urge to tidy her garden, Emma wraps up this comprehensive series with hard-hitting advice that ranges from decluttering your "drawer of doom" to moving your pension out of fossil fuels.This episode tackles the sustainability actions that many people overlook but have an outsized impact. Emma challenges listeners to confront the 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste the UK generates annually, with only 20% going through proper recycling channels. She reveals that the average UK household hoards about 25 electronic devices containing precious metals like gold, palladium, and silver that should be recovered, not stockpiled.The conversation shifts to indoor air quality, exposing how our obsession with fragranced cleaning products creates pollution levels two to five times worse than outdoor air. Emma advocates for a chemical detox, starting with eliminating products labelled with the vague term "fragrance" (usually a cocktail of undisclosed chemicals with hazard warnings).From practical tips about buying products in bulk to reduce packaging waste to supporting local environmental action groups, Emma demonstrates how small habit changes create meaningful impact. She tackles the often-avoided topic of reducing meat consumption with realistic approaches like the "half and half" method (mixing mince with plant-based alternatives) and emphasizes that if you do eat meat, eliminating meat waste becomes non-negotiable.The episode culminates with hack number 52, which Emma deliberately saved for last because of its massive impact. In this sustainable living and practical action episode, you'll discover:Why 1.6 million tonnes of UK e-waste contains recoverable gold, palladium, and silver sitting in drawersHow indoor air pollution from cleaning products can be five times worse than outdoor airThe "half and half" method for reducing meat consumption without family rebellionWhy leaving your garden messy in autumn is the best thing you can do for wildlifeHow buying products in bulk saves money while reducing packaging waste dramaticallyWhy moving your pension has 100 times more climate impact than most personal actionsThe hidden energy savings of steel-canned food versus refrigerated alternativesHow vintage shopping through platforms like Vinted can save hundreds of pounds annuallyKey Practical Sustainability Moments:(02:29) The e-waste crisis: "About 20% of all electric devices in the UK are hoarded or just stored up... 1.6 million tonnes of it ends up as waste every year... only about 20% of it actually goes through the proper channels."(04:54) Indoor air pollution reality: "The air pollution inside can often be two to five times as polluted as outside... just avoid things with fragrance in, you know the term fragrance which is usually just a cocktail of chemicals."(07:18) The meat waste hierarchy: "If you're going to eat those things, absolutely go for it, but just be really specific and careful and you cannot waste those items. They are very, very precious."(08:24) Reuse over recycling: "I want you to try to make this mental shift between recycling and reuse... Sustainability does not have to be expensive. This is one of my big mantras."(12:00) Community action matters: "Bristol Climate and Nature Partnerships Community Climate and Nature Project... has just been awarded 1.75 million pounds... They are a partnership of 17 community...

In this inspiring episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Nicola Jones, a 26-year veteran of the steel industry and a sustainability professional at Tata Steel UK. From starting as a business apprentice in 1999 when the company was British Steel, to now spearheading sustainability initiatives during one of the industry's most dramatic transformations, Nicola offers unique insights into how heavy industry is actually leading the charge on decarbonization.Nicola reveals the staggering scale of Tata Steel UK's £1.25 billion investment in electric arc furnace technology, which will deliver an immediate 90% reduction in carbon emissions when it comes online at the end of 2027. Unlike other industries that can make incremental changes, steel's transition represents a dramatic overnight transformation that will secure over 5,000 jobs while positioning the UK as a leader in low-carbon steel production.The conversation dismantles common misconceptions about heavy industry's resistance to climate action, revealing how customer demand for Scope 3 emissions reductions is driving rapid change. With Tata Group committing to net zero by 2045 (five years ahead of the UK's 2050 target), Nicola demonstrates how global companies are moving faster than national policies.From a packaging perspective, Nicola shares compelling insights about steel's circular advantages, including 86% recycling rates in the UK, permanent material properties that allow endless recycling without degradation, and lifecycle benefits that extend from six-week packaging cycles to decades for construction applications. She addresses the challenge of weight-based regulations while highlighting steel's competitive advantages in recyclability infrastructure and global end markets.The episode also explores the evolution of women in heavy industry, from Nicola's early experiences as a novelty on the shop floor (complete with crane sirens announcing her arrival) to today's focus on properly fitting PPE and attracting diverse talent to drive the industry's sustainable future.This conversation provides essential context for sustainability professionals working with industrial clients, procurement teams evaluating packaging materials, and anyone seeking evidence that the net zero transition is not a future aspiration but a current reality in critical industries.In this steel industry and sustainable packaging episode, you'll discover:How the steel industry's 90% carbon reduction will happen overnight, not gradually like other sectorsWhy Tata Steel UK's £1.25 billion investment secures 5,000 jobs while driving decarbonizationThe competitive advantages steel maintains through 86% recycling rates and permanent material propertiesHow electric arc furnace technology will use predominantly UK scrap steel, creating true circularityWhy steel packaging offers energy savings through ambient storage versus refrigerated alternativesThe hidden technical complexity behind simple food cans and their role as the original ready mealsHow customer Scope 3 emissions targets are driving faster industrial transformation than regulationCareer opportunities in sustainability within traditional heavy industriesKey Industrial Transformation Insights:(05:00) The dramatic transformation: "Unlike other industries that can make small steps every year... with the steel industry, it's actually quite dramatic... when we switch on the electric arc furnaces, the emissions reduction will be immediate and that step change will happen overnight."(05:40) The scale of change: "There's a 90% reduction... It is huge. It is huge... there aren't that many steel industries in the UK. And one of the...

In this ground-breaking episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Catherine Conway, the visionary founder of the UK's first modern zero-waste store and current CEO of Go Unpackaged. With over 20 years of experience pioneering reusable packaging solutions, Catherine has evolved from running a small unpackaged shop to leading industry-transforming research that could save the UK £136 million annually in packaging waste costs.Catherine started Unpackaged in 2006, long before sustainability became mainstream, creating the template for what we now know as zero waste retail. Today, she leads Go Unpackaged alongside business partners Helen and Rob, working directly with major retailers like Aldi and Ocado to develop scalable reuse systems that challenge the fundamental assumptions of our throwaway economy.This episode dives deep into the complex world of packaging policy, revealing why we're still putting billions of single-use items on the market despite decades of environmental awareness. Catherine breaks down the structural forces that have prevented large-scale change, from misaligned financial incentives to business models built on selling units as fast as possible (Fast Moving Consumer Goods literally has "fast" and "consumer" in the name).The conversation centres around Catherine's ground-breaking infrastructure modelling work for DEFRA's Circular Economy Task Force, which analysed what it would take to achieve 30% reuse in UK grocery retail. Using their sophisticated end-to-end supply chain modelling tool, UnPack Analytics, they discovered that four reuse scenarios actually run cheaper than single-use systems, with online delivery returns being the most cost-effective option.Catherine reveals the game-changing impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which create a 94% reduction in packaging taxes for reusable items compared to single-use alternatives. This policy framework finally aligns financial incentives with environmental benefits, making the business case for reuse undeniable.Through candid discussion of the Refill Coalition project (funded by Innovate UK), Catherine shares hard-won insights about what actually works in reusable packaging systems, why collaboration beats competition, and how the logistics industry holds keys to optimizing circular solutions that most sustainability professionals never consider.In this circular economy and plastic packaging episode, you'll discover:Why 20 years of sustainability awareness haven't solved our packaging problem and what's finally changingThe four reuse scenarios that cost less than single-use packaging systems (with evidence to prove it)How Extended Producer Responsibility regulations create 94% cost savings for reusable packagingWhy online delivery returns are more cost-effective than in-store collection for reuse systemsThe hidden costs of single-use packaging that have been socialized to taxpayers for decadesHow proper supply chain modeling reveals 95% reductions in carbon emissions and material useWhy successful pilots often fail to scale and what's needed to move beyond "more pilots than Heathrow"The 13,000 new jobs that could be created through a 30% reuse transition in the UKKey Circular Economy and Packaging Insights:(03:25) The hard reality check: "I'm going to say I don't think we're winning yet and that's quite a thing to say having done it for 20 years... we are still putting billions of items of single use packaging on the market every year."(05:09) The consensus myth: "I think for many years, we didn't have a consensus that packaging is a problem. I think across a lot of global brands and retailers, maybe we also don't have a consensus that...

In this tactical and transformative solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow delivers a game-changing challenge that could revolutionize how you approach sustainability conversations at work. If you've ever felt like you're on the back foot when discussing environmental initiatives, constantly defending your position with facts and evidence, this episode offers a radically different approach.Emma identifies the five "red flag words" that instantly change the tone of any business conversation, bringing unwanted baggage and triggering defensive responses from colleagues. These words (sustainability, net zero, climate, circularity, and biodiversity) often cause listeners to mentally check out, shut down discussions, or adopt a "let's humour them" attitude that kills productive dialogue.The episode provides specific word-swapping strategies for different departments. When talking to commercial teams about climate risks, use words like "cost," "planning," "contingency," and "resilience." For sales and procurement discussions, focus on "customer pressure" and "tendering requirements." With operations teams, return to proven concepts like "lean," "process improvements," and "efficiency."This isn't about hiding your environmental agenda; it's about making sustainability relevant by connecting it directly to existing business pain points and speaking the language your audience already understands and values.In this communication strategy episode, you'll discover:The five red flag words that instantly derail sustainability conversations in business settingsWhy defending sustainability with more facts and evidence actually makes resistance strongerHow to identify and speak each department's native business language for maximum impactThe "Trojan mouse" approach to achieving environmental outcomes without triggering resistanceSpecific word substitutions for commercial, sales, procurement, and operations teamsWhy making sustainability "relevant" is more powerful than making it "important"How to transform from being seen as "the ESG person" to becoming a valuable problem-solverKey Communication Strategy Moments:(01:41) The red flag revelation: "So sustainability, net zero, climate, circularity, and biodiversity. So we're going to call them our red flag words. So it's like when you say one of those words, you've suddenly changed the tone of the conversation, right? You've brought with you a bit of baggage."(02:22) The three defensive reactions: "That perception, in my experience, can go a couple of ways. It can go, oh, let's just humour her and get out of here as quick as possible. It can go, let's shut this down because we haven't got time for this. Or it can go, oh, not this again."(04:45) Speaking their language: "So you're going to need to talk about risk, cost, planning, contingency, and resilience... So switch out your words... Because remember we talk about listening first to their language and then playing their language back."(06:35) Stop pushing: "Let's stop pushing sustainability. We don't have to push it. It is there anyway. If you're having to push it, it sort of shows, doesn't it?"(07:00) The Trojan mouse concept: "You are having a conversation on their level using their language. You're not pushing or convincing or defending sustainability or trying to prove it or trying to justify it."Connect with EmmaWebsiteEmaila...

In this deeply personal and transformative episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Tamsin Acheson, a life coach and leadership development expert, to tackle one of the most uncomfortable questions facing experienced professionals: Why is it so hard to claim our expertise, even after decades in our field?Emma opens up about her own struggles with the dreaded elevator pitch and self-promotion, sharing the visceral discomfort she feels when trying to articulate her value after 30 years in sustainability. What starts as a conversation about professional presentation quickly evolves into a fascinating exploration of how we define expertise in the modern world.Tamsin brings her unique perspective as someone who works with mid-life high achievers navigating career transitions and helps leaders balance people, planet, and profit in their organizations. Through their candid dialogue, she reveals how our outdated notions of expertise (rooted in academic credentials and institutional validation) are holding us back in a world where applied knowledge and lived experience now carry more weight than ever.This episode challenges the fundamental assumptions about what makes someone an expert, exploring how the digital age has shifted the definition from external validation to practical application. Emma and Tamsin dive deep into the psychological barriers that prevent accomplished professionals from stepping into their authority, from childhood conditioning to the fear of appearing arrogant.In this professional development and mindset episode, you'll discover:Why the traditional academic model of expertise is becoming obsolete in the modern economyHow to differentiate between real expertise and borrowed authority in an AI-augmented worldThe three psychological barriers that prevent experts from claiming their authority confidentlyWhy the "fake it till you make it" culture makes genuine experts more hesitant to self-promoteHow childhood conditioning around modesty creates professional limitations decades laterThe difference between expertise (inward-facing knowledge) and authority (outward-facing credibility)Practical strategies for reframing self-promotion as service to othersKey Professional Development Moments:(06:55) The elevator pitch trap: "Are you sure that's what an elevator pitch is for? Are we really supposed to get our entire experience, life history, and the worth we can create for other people into an elevator pitch that is less than 60 seconds?"(11:03) Old world thinking vs. new reality: "The traditional old world thinking in terms of the word expert... being that more academic model or that more guild or trade skill mastery... I was brought up with the model that an expert is externally validated."(15:44) The modern expert redefined: "The modern view of an expert is... essentially an expert is now the person who knows most in a room of people who know less... it's applied over the theoretical, which is what you just said."(27:23) Reframing expertise as service: "Who loses out when you don't allow yourself to be seen as the expert that you are? So what are you subtracting from the world?... Maybe we need to look at claiming expertise, not as an act of self-promotion, but as an act of service."(32:51) The wisdom paradox: "The more you know, the more you see the gaps in your knowledge... you move beyond black and white thinking, and you start to see all of the gray areas. Now, how can I position myself as an expert if I haven't got the answers to the gray areas? Well, you're an expert because you can see the gray areas."(41:27) The AI leveling field: "Everyone's...

In this thought-provoking solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow returns from her travels to Oslo, Norway, with some uncomfortable truths about sustainability assumptions that might just change how you view the climate conversation forever.Fresh from a four-day trip to one of the world's most sustainable cities, Emma peels back the glossy green exterior of Norway's environmental success story to reveal a startling foundation: oil money. With 100% renewable electricity, the world's highest per capita EV fleet, and pristine public infrastructure, Norway appears to be the ultimate sustainability success story...until you dig into the $1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund largely built on fossil fuel extraction.This episode challenges two dangerous assumptions that are paralysing sustainability progress: That you need wealth to be sustainable, and That some countries are inherently "good" while others are "bad." Through candid observations and historical context, Emma dismantles the myths that prevent real action and offers a refreshing perspective on moving forward without the burden of comparison.Drawing parallels between Norway's oil wealth and the UK's coal-powered industrial revolution, this episode reveals why judgmental thinking about sustainability credentials (whether for countries or companies) creates barriers rather than solutions. In this sustainability reality-check episode, you'll discover:Why Norway's green credentials are built on the same fossil fuel foundation critics condemn in other nationsHow wealth-based sustainability assumptions create false barriers for businesses and countriesThe historical context that reveals all developed nations built their prosperity on fossil fuelsWhy comparing yourself to sustainability "icons" prevents progress rather than inspiring itHow to start meaningful climate action from your current position without waiting for perfect conditionsThe danger of perpetuating "good country/bad country" narratives in climate discussionsKey Challenging Sustainability Moments:(01:43) Emma observes Oslo's impressive infrastructure: "For every road, there is a pedestrian crossing... pretty much every car you see is an EV."(02:23) The wealth-sustainability assumption: "One of them is that you can only really be sustainable if you're wealthy... so it's always low down your list of priorities until you're absolutely sloshing around with money."(05:33) The oil revelation: "So it turns out...Norway found loads of oil and gas, oil predominantly...in the sixties. That's where the money came from."(06:26) The uncomfortable truth: "Norway is held up as a sustainable country... But the way they've reached that point, the evolution that they've been on, has been at the expense, arguably, of the climate."(08:30) Historical context: "Our wealth in the UK was based on coal... in 1922, the UK was the world's largest coal exporter and producer. That's only a hundred years ago."(10:25) The action imperative: "If you have recognized climate change in your organization as a crisis or an emergency, is it better to spend five years talking about why you can't do it because you're not Norway... Or would it be better just to say, we recognize we've got a crisis?"(12:30) The hypocrisy challenge: "To criticize those countries who are now doing exactly that... The economic need is exactly the same. The economic desire is the same. To criticize those countries or indeed companies I think is just naïve."Connect with Emma