State of Sustainability

In this two-part series, we dive deep into the essential components of creating and managing a world-class sustainability team.In part one, we discuss:Core characteristics: The key attributes contributing to a well-structured and effective sustainability team.Must-have roles: The indispensable positions that every sustainability team needs to function optimally.Internal vs. external: When to prioritise internal hiring and when to seek external expertise through consultants or software.Budgeting: How to secure the necessary headcount budget for your sustainability team.Attracting talent: The best strategies to attract top talent

Saif Hameed and Piers Cooper, Senior Sustainability Research Manager (LCA) at Altruistiq discuss FLAG, what it is, if you should prioritise it, and if you do prioritise it, how to maximise your ROI. They cover:A recap: What is FLAG and the measurement requirementsStrategic importance: When and why should a company prioritise FLAG over other sustainability initiativesMeasurement challenges: The primary FLAG challenges and solutions to overcome themCommercial opportunities: How to leverage FLAG to create competitive advantages and unlock commercial opportunitiesTrend watch: The upcoming changes to FLAG and trends to be aware of.

In this episode, we explore current agricultural supply chain risks and mitigation measures. We cover:Emerging threats: The macro and micro risks and specific commodities most vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.Building resilience: Strategies to strengthen your supply chain.Environmental data impact: The impact on your environmental data and the role of technology to mitigate these risks.Business case: How to value and communicate risk to bolster your sustainability business case.

Saif Hameed and Jesica Sansom, Sustainability Director at Huel discuss how to set up product carbon footprints (PCFs) to deliver real business value. We cover:Data collection: The challenges and workarounds in collecting the granular data needed for reliable PCFsActionable insights: Best practices for using PCF to inform sustainable product designSupplier collaboration: How Huel are fostering innovative solutions with suppliers e.g., rethinking ingredient production methods & running field trials with oat farmersClaims & comms: How to communicate and demonstrate sustainability progress and why product labelling is not the silver bullet solution.

In this episode, we highlight the common mistakes that sustainability professionals make and sound out the solutions. We discuss:Market insight: Is SBTi still credible?Mistake trends: The most common pitfalls that sustainability professionals face.Root causes: The underlying reasons behind these mistakes.Data challenges: The limitations of working with aggregate data and best practices for overcoming them.GHG to PCF: How professionals can effectively gather and manage supplier data for greenhouse gas emissions reporting.Commercial opportunities: Understand the benefits and competitive advantages

Camilla Riddiford, Head of Sustainability at Arla UK, shares her advice on how to turn colleagues from bystanders to sustainability champions (without breaking the bank or your sanity).In this episode, we discuss:Tailored communication strategies for diverse audiencesEffective content formats that resonateBalancing data and narratives for a compelling business casePrioritising upskilling, and training programs for key teamsLink to event: https://www.altruistiq.com/events/women-in-sustainability-summer-garden-mixer

The complex structure of supply chains can make tracking the impact of sustainability-related interventions a challenge. Supplier-specific information is often lacking and/or hard to come by. However, a lack of traceability shouldn’t deter companies from efforts to drive progress. There's a solution: supply sheds.This episode dives deep into:What is a supply shed, and how can it help you overcome challenges in reduction trackingThe benefits of using supply sheds include incentivising traceability and enabling collaboration.Challenges to consider, like changes in your supplier base and attribution of reductions.Recommendations for companies, from identifying key suppliers to monitoring interventions.Is the supply shed here to stay?

Does the world on-pack green claims make you nervous? We get it. Green claims are a minefield. Today, we're bringing in a veteran of bold sustainability messaging to help us navigate the dark and somewhat dangerous world of sustainability comms. Shaunagh Duncan, Head of Sustainability at Oatly EU & I walks us through making strategic green claims, teaching us when to push boundaries and when to play it safe.We cover how to :Define a bold and impactful communication styleWalk the line between “greenwashing” and “green hushing”Approach on-pack PCFsCapitalise on the commercial opportunities of carbon labellingShow notes: According to a recent study, Oatly Barista sold in the UK has a 58% lower climate impact than comparable cow’s milk.From: Blonk Consultants (2022), LCA of Oatly Barista, and comparison with cow's milk. Gouda, the Netherlands. Stages include raw material to the point of sale and packaging waste management for average L *produced in the Netherlands and sold in the UK. Findings are subject to assumptions, limitations, conclusions, and critical review statements. See full report here.

We bust the 3 of the biggest sustainability myths in the industry:Myth 1: We should be fazing out plasticMyth 2: Feed supplements are the silver bullet to methane reductionMyth 3: The future of ‘green transportation’ should be electrified.P.S. Don't forget to rate and review our podcast to help others discover tactics for corporate sustainability change transformation.

This episode dives into the 20+ year career of Saif Hameed, an activist, government official, NGO co-founder, flower farm owner, and now CEO of Altruistiq, a sustainability data management platform.We explore how his experience equips sustainability professionals to engage stakeholders across sectors for change. We discuss:Saif's Journey: Lessons from activism, government work, NGO experience, and business ventures inform a robust approach to sustainabilityEngaging Stakeholders: Collaboration techniques across activists, government officials, NGOs, and suppliers to accelerate change.Why Altruistiq: The inspiration behind Altruistiq and what makes it different

Saif Hameed and Patrick Shewell, Global Director of Packaging at Mondelēz, discuss balancing an iconic brand image with bold sustainability packaging goals. In this episode, we dive into:Balancing trade-offs between product functionality and sustainabilityEPR policy inconsistencies and how to manage these across 150+ markets.Prioritising packaging initiatives: no brainer vs higher cost initiativesStrategies for collaboration with packaging suppliersInvesting in innovative packaging solutionsShow notes:Consumer Goods Forum Packaging Design GuidanceExtended Producer Guidance: All you need to know about EPR Policy Pulse

In this episode, Saif Hameed and Isobel Wild discuss: How different companies are approaching CSRDWhich team(s) should own the CSRD reporting processDouble materiality assessment best practicesWhat to do with all the data that you're not ready forHow to move beyond compliance and make CSRD impactful

In this episode, Saif Hameed and Isobel Wild discuss:Market Highlight: Sustainability Linked Bonuses: Company-wide vs leadership (learnings from LEGO Group) Topic Deep Dive: Internal Sustainability Training ProgramSuccess Characteristics: The characteristics that distinguish a good training program from a transformative one.Prioritising Teams: Which teams will benefit most from sustainability training and how to prioritiseCreating Compelling Content: How to tailor content to resonate with specific team needs whilst making it scalable.Engagement Levers: The most effective tools. initiatives and experiences to engage leadership teams and company-wide.Show notesTim Brooks, VP and Head of Sustainability at The LEGO Group. Lessons from setting up Sustainability Linked Bonuses.Internal Sustainability Education: How Kerry Achieved 91% Engagement

In this episode, we cover:QUIZ: guess the lowest emitting ingredientStrategic Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) generationThe trends catalysing supplier asks for PCFsUsing PCFs to re-engineer your productHow to pitch your PCF internally to R&D, Marketing, and commercial teamsHow to pitch your PCF externally to customers and consumers

In this episode, we discuss:Key regulatory reporting trends: the evolving landscape, AI and what it means for your business.How to optimise your reporting team: best practices for setting up a high-performing, reporting team.Collaboration tips: strategies for working effectively with finance and legal on reporting.How to streamline your approach: tools, data infrastructure and ways of working to improve your reporting process.

Saif Hameed and Audrey Leduc, North American Director for Planet Friendly Practices at McCain Foods unpack how to scale regenerative agriculture. They discuss:Measuring impact: the key indicators and data points needed to track and demonstrate progress against regenerative agricultureBuilding strategic partnerships: principles for identifying and developing partnerships (that will last)Farmer engagement toolbox: how to successfully engage farmers and make regenerative agriculture attractiveFinancial solutions: innovative financing solutions to tackle upfront costsCommunication strategy: compelling B2B and B2C communication techniques to drive engagement and commercial value.*Please note that the activation initiatives mentioned (time stamp: 34:12) in the franchises in Canada are with A&W, not Burger King.

Off the back of our flagship sustainability event in Chicago, where we hosted 70+ F&B sustainability professionals working on sustainability data challenges in the agri value chain, a few key trends emerged. In this episode, we dig into: - “Action first - reporting second”. - Qualities of the “best” kind of decarbonisation initiatives - Data transparency is very different between B2B vs B2C

How to make sure your circularity initiative is revenue-generatingHow to set a carbon costHow do you utilise carbon pricing when data in the supply chain at the product level is sparse?When is a carbon price most defensibleCarbon pricing success storiesWe have an upcoming webinar on Carbon Pricing (June 26th at 3pm BST), register here: https://www.altruistiq.com/events/setting-up-a-successful-carbon-price

Saif Hameed and Pedro Lafargue, Global Climate Action Manager at OFI discuss:The principles for a successful insetting projectThe level of data accuracy needed for compliance vs actionHow to track and account for carbon removals (when standardisation is lacking)Best practices for monetising carbon insetting projects

Market highlight:How the SEC’s climate disclosure ruling impacts your businessTopic deep dive: A playbook on how to: Build a strong business case for sustainabilityOptimise team set up to unlock resourcesBoost company-wide sustainability literacy and buy-in