Cambridge Executive Business Insights

In this latest episode, Professor Chris Marquis is joined by Elizabeth Whitlow, founding Executive Director of the Regenerative Organic Alliance—the force behind the pioneering Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC). Elizabeth shares her inspiring journey from sustainability advocate to global leader in regenerative agriculture, offering a heartfelt and strategic take on what it truly means to heal land, empower farmers, and reshape food systems. She explains how ROC goes beyond traditional organic standards to integrate soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness into a holistic framework. The conversation explores the challenges of maintaining integrity in a commercial landscape, resisting greenwashing, and balancing scale with authenticity. Elizabeth also emphasizes the power of storytelling and deep relationships in shifting consumer understanding. Her message is clear: regeneration isn’t a label—it’s a movement rooted in partnership, tradition, and purpose. This episode is essential for anyone interested in agriculture, certification, and systems-level change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, host Professor Chris Marquis speaks with Dr. Bernice Pan, founder of British fashion brand DEPLOY, about transforming fashion through systems thinking and intentional design. Drawing on her academic background in architecture and fashion systems, Bernice shares how she reimagined every aspect of the clothing lifecycle—from fabric sourcing and modular design to ethical production and customer engagement. DEPLOY challenges the waste and inequality embedded in mainstream fashion by embedding regeneration into the very structure of its business. The result is a timeless, adaptable collection built on circular principles and long-term relationships. Bernice’s unique approach—what she calls “design thinking for systems change”—offers powerful lessons for any industry. Through her lens, sustainability becomes not just about better materials but about reengineering the whole system for lasting impact. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in systems-level change, fashion, regeneration, and purposeful innovation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, host Chris Marquis speaks with Andrew Winston, renowned sustainability strategist and co-author of Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take. Together, they explore how businesses can move beyond incremental improvements to embrace a bold, regenerative approach—one that restores natural and social systems while driving long-term success. Andrew challenges leaders to ask a pivotal question: Is the world better off because your business exists? Far from being a lofty ideal, he explains why adopting a net positive mindset is both ethically urgent and strategically smart in an era defined by climate disruption, social unrest, and declining trust in institutions. The conversation highlights how courageous leadership, systemic thinking, and coalition-building can help executives overcome resistance, align with investor expectations, and reimagine the very role of business in creating a thriving future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, host Professor Chris Marquis speaks with Lindsay Hooper, CEO of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), about how businesses can move beyond traditional sustainability toward true regeneration. Lindsay shares CISL’s systems-level perspective on transforming markets to serve people, nature, and climate. She critiques current ESG efforts as insufficient and introduces the concept of competitive sustainability—a new framing that urges companies to adapt to systemic risks reshaping the business landscape. Together, they explore the need for bold innovation, policy engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, while examining the political and economic headwinds facing sustainable transformation. Lindsay offers candid insights and practical steps for business leaders ready to help redesign the systems they operate in. This episode is essential listening for anyone looking to make their organisation resilient, relevant, and regenerative in the face of climate disruption, resource constraints, and growing societal expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, host Christopher Marquis speaks with Vincent Stanley, a long-time leader at Patagonia and co-author of The Future of the Responsible Company. Vincent offers a candid perspective on what it means for a business to act responsibly in an extractive global economy. He explains why Patagonia is cautious with terms like “regeneration,” applying it meaningfully in its food division but preferring “responsibility” in apparel—measuring impact product by product and working to shift supply chains away from fossil fuels. Vincent discusses Patagonia’s efforts to change consumer behavior through bold moves like the “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign, resale programmes, and mending initiatives. Collaboration is central to Patagonia’s ethos, as seen in its role co-founding the Regenerative Organic Certification. Reflecting on the future, Vincent emphasises localism, authenticity, and staying rooted in purpose—urging businesses to act with humility and protect what truly matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices