ESG in Action

How can organisations create workplaces where every type of brain can thrive? 

In this episode of ESG in Action, we’re joined by Maisie Cass, founder and Chief Curiosity Officer at Diversity Does, to explore how curiosity can help organisations build more neuroinclusive workplaces.  

From understanding the language of neurodiversity – and how it’s changed – to removing barriers in recruitment, onboarding, and day-to-day working practices, Maisie shares practical advice on creating environments where people can perform at their best.  

If you’re curious about how we can support every type of brain, listen to Maisie and Alex’s discussion about: 

• How neuroinclusive policies support all employees – not just neurodivergent individuals 

• How to improve hiring journeys for greater transparency, and greater access to talent 

• Why looking for small areas of friction is the key to unlocking and supporting the talent in your organisation.  

What can businesses learn from rewilding, rewetting and reconnecting people with nature?

In this episode of ESG in Action, Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Henry Rossiter, Business Development Director at Belmont Estate, to explore how land stewardship, regenerative thinking and nature connection can support long-term environmental and social impact. And how businesses can play a practical role in nature recovery, supporting local communities, schools and their own employees.

Alex and Henry discuss:

• How rewilding and rewetting can help nature recover – beyond simply "shutting the gates and walking away"
• Why biodiversity net gain can create opportunities for developers, landowners, and communities while funding long-term habitat improvement
• What Belmont’s increase in recorded species from 342 to around 2,739 shows about the impact of giving nature space to recover
• The real-life impact of Belmont’s nature connection programmes, including contributing to one young person’s first full night’s sleep
• Why investing in nature can support business resilience and recruitment, as well as colleague wellbeing.

How can nature become part of the infrastructure businesses rely on – and what does that mean for investors, risk management and long-term resilience?

In this episode of ESG in Action, Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Kirsty Wilman, Chief Operating Officer at Rebalance Earth. Rebalance Earth is a natural capital fund manager that views nature as critical infrastructure, creating projects that restore ecosystems while generating financial, environmental and social returns.

Together, Alex and Kirsty explore how natural capital investment can help organisations respond to climate and nature-related risks, and why nature should be seen as a practical resilience solution rather than a ‘nice to have’.

They discuss:

• Why nature can be understood as an asset class and what investors can learn from real estate and infrastructure
• How nature restoration projects, from oyster reefs to beaver-led landscape engineering, can deliver measurable environmental and social benefits
• The challenge of reporting on financial, natural, social and inspirational returns
• Why businesses should look again at their risk registers, resilience plans and supply chains through a nature and climate lens
• The practical steps individuals and organisations can take to align money, values and long-term resilience

How can organisations create healthier, more productive workplaces without lowering professional standards? What does mindful working look like in practice and what is it really costing your business when you don’t get it right?

In this episode of ESG in Action, Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Richard Martin, CEO of the Mindful Business Charter to explore a different approach to workplace wellbeing, one that focuses not on just supporting people once they struggle, but on removing the root causes of unnecessary sources of workplace stress in the first place. They cover how small, practical changes in how we work can improve not just wellbeing, but also performance and quality, discussing:

• Why wellbeing is a business issue – and why high performance depends on people being well

• The hidden drivers of unnecessary stress – from email overload to meeting culture and client expectations

• The role of clients, suppliers and professional relationships in creating healthier working cultures

• Why leaders should look more closely at the data behind wellbeing, retention and productivity

• Practical steps to reduce pressure, protect time and work more effectively day-to-day

How can contracts help businesses manage sustainability risks, meet climate targets and support a just transition?  

In this episode of ESG in Action, Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Clarissa Lambourne, Principal Legal Engineer at The Chancery Lane Project, a UK non-profit using the power of contracts to support climate action.  

Together, Alex and Clarissa discuss why climate-aligned contracting is relevant to every lawyer and every organisation, and how contracts can either block or enable sustainability action.  

They explore:  

• Why climate risk is business risk – and how contracts can help manage it  

• How lawyers can identify sustainability angles in everyday matters  

• The opportunities and challenges of climate-aligned contracting, from standard form inertia to aligning legal and sustainability teams  

• How contracts can support a just transition by bringing suppliers, employees and communities along on the journey  

• The practical resources available through The Chancery Lane Project, including clauses, guides, case studies and digital tools  

Why is wellbeing about more than physical and mental health? And how can businesses prioritise their people’s wellbeing alongside commercial goals? 

Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Helen Hodgkinson, Chief People Officer at TLT, to discuss why wellbeing is more than a nice to have: it sits at the foundation of a resilient business. 

In this episode, they explore: 

• How effective wellbeing strategies are shaped around real employee needs 

• Why trust and flexibility form the foundations of high performance 

• How leaders – and everyone else – can encourage open conversations and model behaviours to build a culture of openness 

• Why small moments of human connection can have the greatest impact.  

Do you know where your money goes – and why it matters?  

In this episode of ESG in Action, we’re joined by Sian Williams, Chief Risk Officer at Triodos Bank UK. Triodos is a purpose-led sustainable bank, focused on delivering a positive impact for the environment, economy and society. Triodos demonstrates its commitment to transparency by publishing its entire loan portfolio.  

This transparency underpins everything that Triodos does, and in this conversation Sian and Alex discuss: 

• Why transparency can help build trust and support long-term value 

• How different banking models approach sustainability – and what they have in common 

• Projects that Triodos has financed, including Gympanzees, the UK's first fully accessible exercise, play, and social centre for disabled children and young people 

• How impact can be measured alongside financial performance 

Why should we ‘parent out loud’ in the workplace? And why is flexibility more than a ‘warm fuzzy hug’? 

In this episode, we’re joined by Lottie Driver, Relationship Manager at Working Families, the UK’s national charity for working parents and carers. Working Families works with parents and carers, employers, and policy makers to help individuals understand their rights, employers to build flexible workplaces, and drive policy and legal changes to deliver flexibility as the norm.  

Alex and Lottie discuss: 

• The business case for flexible working in building diverse, resilient organisations 

• The importance of consistent policies and supportive workplace cultures of transparency 

• How ‘parenting out loud’ - being open about caring responsibilities – can contribute to meaningful cultural change at work 

Editor’s note: This episode was recorded before the announcement that Working Families will be closing at the end of June 2026. We are grateful to Lottie Driver for contributing to this discussion and recognise the significant impact of Working Families’ work supporting parents, carers and employers. 

What role do education and young people play in shaping a more sustainable future? And what can a sustainable education do for our young people? 

In this episode of ESG in Action, we’re joined by Helen Taylor, Trustee at the Green Britain Foundation.  The Green Britain Foundation supports a range of initiatives, from sustainable education and sport, to land and marine conversation and animal protection.  

TLT host Alex Holsgrove Jones and Helen discuss how nature-led solutions, education and empowerment are driving real environmental and social change across the UK including: 

• Beavers as biodiversity enablers 

• The Ministry of Eco Education, the Green Britain Foundation’s national platform supporting primary school teachers with sustainability resources 

• The Young Green Briton Challenge, an eco-entrepreneurial challenge for secondary school students, supporting employability skills and sustainability learning   

• How sustainable education can empower young people and actually re-engage them with the school system 

How does the Government Legal Department represent the communities it serves? And how does its social mobility programmes put students at the heart of government? 

In this episode, Alex Holsgrove Jones is joined by Richard Cornish, Director General and Chief Operating Officer at the Government Legal Department (GLD).  GLD is made up of around 3000 lawyers and provides legal advice to the UK government on the development, design, and implementation of government policies and decisions. 

Alex and Richard discuss the structural barriers that stop many young people from considering careers in the legal sector. They discuss how GLD’s initiatives – ranging from school engagement and university partnerships to paid sandwich placements and internships with the Sutton Trust – help to break down these barriers by offering students meaningful insight into legal work in the public sector.