Beautiful Misfits

Sheep Inc is a new kind of fashion brand and its knitwear leaves behind zero emissions, zero harm and zero waste. The attention to detail needed to create this kind of accountability is staggering - involving everything from sourcing wool from regenerative farms to solar-powered knitting machines. Even the sheep that produce the company's wool are fed food that makes them burp less – and produce less methane.

Sheep Inc is also a radically transparent brand and you can access entire provenance of your jumper by just scanning its tag. Mary as she talks to co-founder Edzard van der Wyck about what made him want to create this kind of fashion forward brand - and whether the industry as a whole is ever going to clean itself up.

Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now.

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

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People who buy from sportswear specialist Rapha don’t just buy product - they buy into a global brand that’s all about connection.

Whether it’s a clubhouse, cycling group or via technology, Rapha’s people connect first through their shared passion for sport - before tapping into a far deeper sense of community. In this episode founder Simon Mottram talks about wellness, his devotion to detail and how Rapha is now pushing into new areas to connect with different groups of people. 

Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now.

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration.

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The frozen food brand Cook is a true family business. Co-founder Edward Perry was inspired by his parents’ frozen cake company to set up Cook and then joined in the business by brother James and sister Rosie, who’s now co-CEO.

An early B Corps, Cook has donated two million meals to children living in some of the most poverty-stricken areas of the world and gave away more than 200000 meals to the needy during Covid.

Thanks to initiatives to employ ex-offenders, a profit share and the living wage, they’ve also consistently been voted one of the Sunday Times’ top 100 businesses.

But the company has faced some tough times financially too and Rosie tells Mary about how vital it was to stick their core values during them.

They also discuss how food has taken centre stage over the past year - from panic buying to eating at home again (and again) - and how the wider food industry has made some big steps in recent years with increased organic production and a focus on reducing waste and plastic, but there’s still a lot to be done. 

Mary's new book, Rebuild: how to thrive in the new Kindness Economy is available to buy now.

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration.

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The Kindness Economy returns this Thursday. Follow us now!

Michael Green is CEO of the Social Progress Imperative - an organisation that’s helping national and local government accurately measure what life is like for ordinary people. It’s a fascinating move towards measuring more than just money and ensuring the wellbeing of people is maximised.

Plus, Mary chats with two of her key Portas people about what they’ve learned from working with businesses to implement the Kindness Economy, and their hopes for its future. 

To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL

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Architecture is not just about what we build - but how we live. And Amanda Levete CBE believes our homes, shops, offices and public spaces can be radically reimagined in the future. In this fascinating discussion she tells Mary how we can apply those ideas to our vacant department stores as much as the new structures we design.

Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference. 

To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL

Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here:

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Kate Raworth calls herself a rebel economist and it’s true. Now a Senior Research Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, she was in fact switched off economics at university because it didn’t answer the questions she cared about like protecting the environment and challenging inequality. Luckily, she later reconnected with the topic and her 2017 book ‘Doughnut Economics’ has been published in 18 languages. She talks to Mary about the key principles.

Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference. 

To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL

Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

You’re more likely to get divorced than you are to change your bank. But have you ever questioned how your money is being invested? Join Mary as she talks to Triodos UK CEO Bevis Watts about sustainable banking, the huge potential of the financial sector to create positive change and how we can all get involved.

Plus, Mary talks to one of the Portas team about The Kindness Economy in action... looking at businesses this week that are making a difference. 

To purchase the Kindness Economy Report, click here: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy

To get in touch with team Portas, email us at: [email protected]

Want subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL

Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas? Follow us here:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas

Twitter: https://twitter.com/portasagency?s=20

After years of new, new, new, the resale fashion business is booming as more and more of us get savvy about fashion’s impact on people and planet. Vestiare Collective is at the forefront of this movement and in this episode, Mary talks to co-founder Fanny Moizant about what inspired her – and the very feminine values she’s put at the heart of her business.

Can something as simple as making a cup of tea change the world? Maybe not quite. But it certainly can help if the tea is made by a company like Pukka Herbs – who have put respecting people and protecting planet at the heart of what they do. Join Mary in conversation with Pukka co-founder Sebastian Pole as they talk hope, environmentalism and what each of us can do to create change.

Plus the latest updates from the Portas team about the businesses this week that are making a difference. 

Find out more about the Kindness Economy report: https://portasagency.com/the-kindness-economy-report/p/the-kindness-economy

Get in touch with team Portas: [email protected]

Want to subscribe to the Portas POV Newsletter for musings, provaction insights and inspiration? Click here: http://eepurl.com/dgJfwL

Want to keep up-to-date with all things Portas?

Instagram: www.instagram.com/portasagency/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/portas