Sara Taaffe is a senior project manager with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership in London, England. After graduating with a leadership degree from UNB's Renaissance College, Sara began applying her passion for social innovation in Atlantic Canada's technology sector, but after four years began to feel disillusioned with the push for economic growth without putting value on sustainability, ethics, local business and consumer experience. She disconnected off-grid and began to understand the significant agency that individuals hold in creating positive changes through our day-to-day decisions. Indeed, the compounding effect of these decisions has tremendous influence on that of the wider economy. Now working in nature-related finance at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, she explores the intersection of economic progress and sustainability to better understand how to synergize the two.

In this episode:

• Sara's experience diverting from the corporate world to go off-grid for three years.

• What are the roles of consumers vs corporations and governments and other stakeholders in driving the change that's needed for a sustainable economy?

• What nature-related finance means.

• How nature and climate are showing up as macroeconomic risks with various financial institutions.

• What consumers and citizens CAN do to help and why Sara is optimistic for our future.

Links and resources:

• Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

• UNB Renaissance College

• London School of Economics

Thanks to:

• Our alumni host, Katie Davey

• Music by alumni artist, Beats of Burden

• Our alumni Affinity Partners, TD Insurance and Manulife

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