I first met Perry Timms when we were both invited to experience a new psychometric tool to support understanding of teams.  Perry is an HR professional who is re-energising the profession. Encouraging both organisations and individuals to aspire to and enact better ways of working, Perry specialises in galvanising latent sources of energy for transformation inside organisations. His forthcoming book, Transformational HR is published in October. Perry and I met at the Renaissance St Pancras to talk about the future of work and his book.  We apologise for the sound quality on this podcast; the microphone has picked up a...

Many people have now interviewed Jos de Blok of Buurtzorg.  I first met Jos at Meaning Conference in Brighton, where he was one of the most informative and entertaining speakers on the day about the challenges and successes of using self-management as part of his organisational set-up to support his mission to change an entire system.  As there are so few organisations who are as established (10 years into the business) he had to be part of The Purposeful Enterprise Summit.  What did you see happening in the home care industry before you set up Buurtzorg that was so radically...

I met last week with Neil Jarvis, International Director of Quality and Industrial Operations and Ethical Trade of The Body Shop. Neil’s responsibilities include making sure all of the community trade suppliers and partnerships in developing countries around the world manage to deliver product that meet the exacting standards of the organisation.  It involves a high degree of reactivity, people skills and understanding, and of course international travel.  I caught up with Neil in the Sussex headquarters to find out how the organisation is growing its commitment to community trade, and how it’s doing since the acquisition by cosmetics giant...

Award winning founder of Choc Chick Galia Orme talks about her journey from chocaholic to successful entrepreneur and founder of a raw chocolate brand, her commitment to supporting farmers collectives in Ecuador and her ambitions to make cacao a staple in everyone’s cupboard. When did your fascination with chocolate begin? My fascination with chocolate started as a young girl when my Argentinian mother used to make chocolate for the whole family at home. It was a time of enjoying the sweet treats my mother produced but I also remember that it was quite hard work to temper and produce the...

Sharon Lawler Jackson of European Sustainability Academy shares her personal journey from corporate life to sustainability entrepreneur, her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, the role of ESA, the challenge of enacting sustainable change in organisations, and the value of connection with nature.

There are so many ways we can give to ‘deserving causes’.  A click of the mouse and money can be winging its way across the world; a cheque from a large corporation is still prized.  But Paul Dunn, founder of B1G1, believes that giving  impacts is a more sustainable model for future giving, primarily because pure donations offer so little long term engagement with the end result.  He also believes that giving has to be made even easier, especially for SMEs who may not be able to afford the high ticket cheque donations of larger corporations. In this Connected Conversation, he shares...

It’s difficult to over-estimate the importance of your start in life in how you thrive in the long term.  More and more research shows us that early years learning and experiences shape our lives. June O’Sullivan, MBE and CEO of London Early Years Foundation has made it her lifetime legacy to try to improve that early experience for many children in the most deprived communities in London with the worst start.  Her mission: to try to even out the life chances of those who are unlucky enough to be born without the best of starts.  In this candid interview about...

There’s a surprise round every corner in life. Last week I was listening to global brands talk about the future challenges of sustainability with an outside chance of becoming purpose-led.  Today I heard the story of an entrepreneur who has been running an entirely purpose-led business for 10 years.  Meet Hattie Hasan of Stopcocks: an energetic crusader for the right of people everywhere to have clean water.  And a woman plumber. You might think choosing to be a plumber and cracking the male dominated trade a big enough challenge for one lifetime.  But underlying the decision to train to become...

Ep7 Sarah Alexander on why developing spiritual intelligence is important for current and future business leaders; and why businesses may follow the Scandinavian model where family is the focus

Simon Jordan is a highly successful marketer in a niche which has exploded over the past decade: coaching. Today he is mentor, coach and marketing guru to small businesses all over the world, but his life wasn’t always that successful.