Good Things Happening! Just under the surface...

Good Things Happening! Just under the surface...

By Derek Sabori | The UnderswellSociety & CultureBusinessEducationCoursesCareers
Download on the App Store

Good Things Happening! Just under the surface... episodes

  • Lewis Perkins, Apparel Impact Institute | Industry Decarbonization & Beyond

    Lewis Perkins is President at the solutions-oriented industry partner Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) - an industry organization driving collaboration between fashion industry stakeholders. Aii identifies, funds, and measures the impact of sector decarbonization solutions and is aligned with some of the industry’s heaviest hitters. In fact, you might have heard about the announcement of their lead funders for a game-changing $250M Fashion Climate Fund, uniting brands, philanthropic donors, and industry stakeholders.

    This is an ambitious task, but Lewis is an ambitious (yet very realistic) leader.  

    And it’s not just me saying that - Lewis has been recognized as one of Vogue Business’ 100 Innovators: Sustainability thought leaders at the forefront of sustainability, hand-selected by Vogue Business editors, and featured on The Earthshot Prize’s Expert Advisory Panel.

    In addition to an impressive sustainability resume that includes time at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Mohawk Industries, Lewis has drive, passion, and an intense understanding of the landscape and what it will take to drive, fund, and scale change.

    In this conversation, Lewis essentially leads a masterclass on how sustainability in the industry has evolved and where it’s headed.

    If you’re leading a movement, seeking systems change, feeling challenged with the idea of scaling the solutions you’ve been piloting, or wondering how to get the money to fund your world-changing solution, then this one’s for you.

    Here are some of the key takeaways from our talk:

    • Circularity/ Redesigning Systems
    • Financing solutions, specifically the concept of catalytic capital 
    • Unlocking the Trillion-Dollar Fashion Decarbonisation Opportunity
    • The importance of Supplier Engagement
    • The pivot point that drew him into the impact space
    • The importance of getting out of the pilot phase cycle and moving into the era of scale and permanence
    • Convincing and winning over investors
    • And so much more.
    • SDG Alignment: #6 Clean Water & Sanitation, #7 Affordable and Clean Energy, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure,, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

      Links:

       

      • Cradle to Cradle Institute | https://c2ccertified.org/
      •  

        • Cradle to Cradle “Fashion Positive” | https://fashionpositive.org/circular-materials/#:~:text=Fashion%20Positive%20was%20launched%20at,impact%20on%20people%20and%20planet.
        • Sustainable Apparel Coalition | https://apparelcoalition.org/
        • Net Impact - https://netimpact.org/ 
        • BSR | Business for Social Responsibility | https://www.bsr.org/en/ 
        • We Mean Business Coalition | https://www.wemeanbusinesscoalition.org/ 
        • Global Fashion Agenda | https://globalfashionagenda.org/ 
        • Unlocking the Trillion Dollar Opportunity | https://apparelimpact.org/reports/unlocking-the-trillion-dollar-fashion-decarbonisation-opportunity-report/ 
        • Catalytic Capital - https://www.macfound.org/programs/catalytic-capital-consortium/ 
        • World Resource Institute | https://www.wri.org/ 
        • Fashion Conveners | https://www.fashionconveners.org/quarterly-briefings/q3-2023?utm_source=Social-Media&utm_medium=LinkedIn&utm_campaign=Q3-TE-LinkedIn
        • Aii Clean by Design | https://apparelimpact.org/what-is-cbd/
        • NRDC | https://www.nrdc.org/
        • Dr. Linda Greer on Lewis and Friends Podcast! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qnZkyqkhGc 
        • Lewis & Friends Podcast | https://www.youtube.com/@lewisperkins2230/videos
        • USGBC | LEED Certifications | https://www.usgbc.org/leed
        • Also:

          Be sure to check out our insightful conversation with Jessica Marati Radparvar, founder and lead impact strategist at Reconsidered: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148280074 

          We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

          Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

          PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

          #sustainability #apparelindustry #decarbonization #leadership #careers #marketing #keeplearning #scopethree #supplychain #carbonstrategy #fashion #changemakers #lewisperkins #aii #sustainablefashion

          Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

          Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

          –

          1 hr 19 min
        • Jessica Marati Radparvar | Founder, Reconsidered, The Change Hub

          Jessica Marati Radparvar is the founder and lead impact strategist at Reconsidered. Home of The Change Hub, her latest project, Reconsidered is an impact strategy and communications studio focused on helping sustainable business leaders drive bigger, bolder, more sustainable change. If you ask her passionate and loyal community and network, they’ll tell you she’s doing just that.

          Through her company, Jessica creates resources, teaches courses, and consults on ESG strategy and communications for leading brands and organizations — all toward a vision of a more thriving, just, and resilient world, but not at the cost of her autonomy and balanced life.

          Jessica has an undergraduate degree in History from Princeton University, received her MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business, worked at PVH, and counts brands like Etsy, Eileen Fisher, Mailchimp, and J. Crew as her clients.

          We spoke about all that, and how she draws inspiration and motivation from her native Chamoru and Italian roots; her upbringing in Guam, San Francisco, and Rome; the time she spent living abroad, and how she’s doing all this and making time for the park with her toddler son.

          Like previous guests on the show, Jessica’s career path has meandered and was built on a solid education, but as she told me, it always felt like all paths were leading her to this work. Impact and sustainability work that, while definitely not exclusive to it, often focuses on fashion, apparel, and textiles.

          I had such a relatable conversation with Jessica, and I’m so excited for you to dive in and hear all her uplifting stories and valuable advice on things ranging from work-life balance to dealing with the - as she says: fire-hose of new changes that are coming at sustainability practitioners and leads today. If you know, you know - It’s not getting any easier out there….

          So, whether you’re already working in sustainability or are hoping to someday, or are wondering where to start with ESG, want your company doing more, or are thinking about raising a family as an entrepreneur… this one’s for you.

          Here are some of the key takeaways from our talk:

          • Reconsidered’s exciting Change Hub
          • Experience at/with world-class brands/groups
          • Freelance journalism & world experience
          • Consulting & communications
          • The ins-and-outs of ESG, Sustainability, Social Impact
          • Adding value (resources) for your audience
          • The entrepreneurial journey (striking a balance)
          • Working Mom, prioritizing autonomy
          • Careers aren’t linear, but you do have to connect the dots
          • Gratitude and appreciation for community
          • Resilience when things don’t go as planned
          • Making the most of your college experience
          • The power of multi-cultural exposure
          • Degrowth as a solution
          • Industry Burnout
          • Change Management
          • #3 Good Health & Well Being, #4 Quality Education, #5 Gender Equality, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action

            Links:

            • Reconsidered - https://www.reconsidered.co/
            • Reconsidered’s Industry-recognized newsletter - https://www.reconsidered.co/sign-up
            • Reconsidered’s jobs board - https://jobs.reconsidered.co/ 
            • Reconsidered’s private LinkedIn community https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13847179/
            • Change Hub - https://www.changehub.co/
            • Jessica Marati Radparvar - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamradparvar/
            • NYU Stern’s Center for Business and Human Rights - https://bhr.stern.nyu.edu/
            • FTC Green Guides - https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides
            • McPherson Strategies - https://www.mcpstrategies.com/
            • Also: Be sure to check out our conversation with Jill Stoneberg, Sr. Director of Social Impact and Sustainability at Virgin Voyages - the award-winning cruise ship division of the Virgin Group: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148230147

              We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

              Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

              PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here  https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

              #sustainability #community #entrepreneur #consulting #careers #marketing #keeplearning #socialimpac #communications #strategy #fashion #changemakers #changehub #esg #reconsidered

              Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

              Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

              –

              1 hr 8 min
            • Jill Stoneberg, Virgin Voyages | Creating an Epic Sea Change for All

              Jill Stoneberg is Sr. Director of Social Impact and Sustainability at Virgin Voyages - the award-winning cruise ship division of the Virgin Group - helping create a Sea Change for All in the cruise industry. If you haven’t heard, they’re turning heads and helping push the cruise industry (not typically considered a beacon of sustainable development) forward into a more sustainable future.

              While many professionals in this role worked their way into it through product design, marketing, communications, or engineering tracks, Jill was seemingly born into this work. She attended an environmental studies high school and has been on a steady path of sustainability-focused positions since her undergraduate studies under an environment/society hybrid major she created.

              Since then, she’s earned an MBA in Sustainable Management and worked in sustainability for companies like Avaya and Intuit before landing what sounds like a dream job for her. Jill leads the company's sustainability and social impact strategy and collaborates cross-functionally to identify priorities and define goals and KPIs. Additionally, she regularly briefs senior management on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics and performance.

              You might be surprised to learn how holistic sustainability was already baked into the vision of the Virgin Voyages company - even before Jill arrived - and how many initiatives Jill has executed and rolled out since her hiring back in 2018 (before the first ship's maiden voyage). But what likely won’t surprise you is how passionate Jill is about this work, how much she believes still needs to be done, and what she hopes to achieve in her lifetime.

              This was such a fun, insightful, and inspiring conversation. Jill’s love of the company, her work, and her hopes for the future are infectious, and one can’t help but get drawn into her vision and hopes. This ability to draw you in and get you on board (pun intended) is what it takes to be a sustainability leader today. Even if you have all the right credentials.

              Our conversation included:

              • Fitting in at a company like Virgin
              • How deep sustainability work requires full leadership support
              • What it takes to drive change in an organization
              • The progress Jill’s been able to make at Virgin Voyages
              • The challenges that still lie ahead
              • Managing sustainability investment costs
              • Putting people at the center of your initiatives
              • Making sustainability part of your organization’s culture Advice to aspiring sustainability professionals (and others in the workforce)
              • And much more
              • Links:

                • Virgin Sea Change Promo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylxXSuGAgPw
                • Sustainability at Virgin Voyages - https://www.virginvoyages.com/sustainability
                • Virgin Voyages 2022-2023 Impact Report - https://www.virginvoyages.com/ahoy/stories/virgin-voyages-impact-report-2023
                • thinkPARALLAX - https://www.thinkparallax.com/
                • PangeaSeed Foundation - https://pangeaseed.org/
                • Presidio Graduate School - https://www.presidio.edu/ Mote Marine Lab - https://mote.org/
                • Virgin Unite - https://unite.virgin.com/index.html?region=us
                • Branson Center of Entrepreneurship - https://bransoncentre.co/ Climeon - https://climeon.com/
                • Ceres - https://www.ceres.org/
                • SDG Alignment

                  #3 Good Health & Well Being, #5 Gender Equality, #6 Clean Water & Sanitation, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #14 Life Below Water

                  Also: Be sure to check out our conversation with Richard Yelland, Director of the film Seeding Change, and Professor Nichole Wissman, who’s using it to inspire students: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148192137

                  We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                  Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                  PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                  #sustainability #cruiseIndustry #seachange #virginvoyages #careers #triplebottomline #keeplearning #purpose #impact #empowerment #oceans #womeninleadership #collaboration #CSR #ESG #changemakers #sustainabilityreporting #presidio #environmentalstudies

                  Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                  Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                  1 hr 19 min
                • Seeding Change Documentary | Richard Yelland & Dr. Nichole Wissman

                  The film Seeding Change debuted on Earth Day 2021, eventually reaching its intended audience: academia. Enter Dr. Nichole Wissman, an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of San Diego and the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the school’s Environmental Integration Lab. She saw the value in showing this to her students and reached out to the film’s director Richard - Producer & Writer, Chief Storyteller, and Director at Curtis Birch - an Emmy® nominated and Webby Award-Winning shop - and the two immediately teamed up to share the powerful sustainability and triple bottom line stories with future business leaders at the college.

                  Seeding Change is about “triple bottom line” businesses that consider the social, environmental, and financial impacts of their companies and address some of today’s most challenging issues–whether it’s soil degradation, climate change, or the ocean plastic crisis. It’s gone on to win multiple sustainability and social change awards and is currently available to watch for free here.

                  My conversation with Richard and Dr. Wissman is an intersection of our collective experiences with this film and the thoughts that have come from talking to others who have watched it, and/or appreciate its story. We covered a lot of ground here, but it was fun weaving together the perspectives of the filmmaker, a sustainability consultant, and an academic.

                  Links:

                  • Seeding Change | The Power of Conscious Commerce - https://seedingchangefilm.com/
                  • Knauss School of Business, University of San Diego - https://www.sandiego.edu/business/
                  • UC San Diego’s Environmental Integration Lab - https://www.sandiego.edu/sustainability/get-involved/environmental-integration-lab.php
                  • About Dr. Nichol Wissman - https://www.sandiego.edu/business/faculty-and-research/biography.php?profile_id=7890
                  • Curtis Birch Production Company - https://curtisbirch.com/
                  • USD Changemaker Hub - https://www.sandiego.edu/changemaker/
                  • Ashoka Changemaker Campus - https://www.ashoka.org/en-us/ashoka-changemaker-campus
                  • Sambazon | Why We Exist - https://www.sambazon.com/pages/why-we-exist
                  • About Paul Hawken - https://paulhawken.com/
                  • Paul Hawken’s Regeneration - https://regeneration.org/the-book
                  • Checkerspot | bio-based petroleum replacement - https://checkerspot.com/
                  • Inversa | Luxury leather from invasive species - https://www.inversaleathers.com/
                  • Roco Films - https://rocofilms.com/films/seeding-change/
                  • Planetary Boundaries, Stockholm Resilience Centre - https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html
                  • SDG Alignment

                    #1 No Poverty, #3 Good Health & Well Being, #4 Quality Education, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #11 Sustainable Cities & Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #15 Life on Land, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                    Also: Be sure to check out our conversation with Sierra Brown, Co-Founder of Changing Current - an organization committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the surf travel industry: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148154775

                    We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                    Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                    PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                    #sustainability #amazon #rainforest #fairtrade #careers #triplebottomline #keeplearning #acai #seedingchangefilm #empowerment #sandiego #documentary #collaboration #storytelling #academia #changemakers #socialentrepreneurship #KnaussSchoolofBusiness

                    Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                    Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                    1 hr 10 min
                  • Sierra Brown, Co-Founder at Changing Current | Empowering melanated surfers to travel

                    Sierra Brown just wants to surf. But she’s pretty busy now as the co-founder and program Coordinator at Changing Current - an organization committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the surf travel industry. Changing Current’s hope is to foster a community of empowered individuals who not only gain access to new experiences but also become advocates for a more just and equitable society.

                    And while that’s an impressive title, Sierra’s a little reluctant to own up to it. Namely, because Sierra is still so new to all this… she’s new at being a founder, she’s new at running a non-profit, she’s relatively new to surfing, to modeling… and if you ask her, she’s still trying to figure it all out herself. But that said, Sierra has some very wise words and a perspective that I was eager to hear more from.

                    You see, Sierra and I are both surfers. But as a black woman who surfs, Sierria’s experience has been much different than mine. Of course, as we discuss, those facts definitely don’t define her. But they provide the backdrop for her lived experience, and that’s an experience I wanted to learn more about.

                    In our conversation, Sierra shares her journey from getting the job, quitting the job, taking that first surf lesson, making that first trip to Costa Rica, and realizing that, yes, surfing and traveling were for her.

                    Sierra’s been through a lot these last few years, and in our chat, she speaks openly about being in - and working her way out of - a dark place. She shares stories that many of us might be familiar with: struggling to get that lucky break, feeling overworked, and overwhelmed with adulting… but all in all, this is a story of joy. Knowing where to find it, how to tap into it, and how to create it for others. And it’s a story about going places; both physically and figuratively. There’s a lot in here to soak up.

                    Here are some of topics we touched on:

                    • Chasing your dreams after college is tough (period)
                    • Learning where you thrive and where you don’t is crucial
                    • Chasing the entertainment industry dream can be brutal
                    • The growing pains of growing up
                    • Making tackling mental wellness your priority
                    • The frustrations of developing a career
                    • The value of self-discovery
                    • Dealing with stress and depression
                    • Finding purpose
                    • The power of the ocean and the joy of surfing
                    • Finding your community and support network
                    • Appreciating shared values above all else
                    • The realities of being a Black surfer
                    • The power of travel and global experiences
                    • The challenges that come with starting a non-profit organization
                    • The excitement of what lies ahead
                    • SDG Alignment: #5 Gender Equality, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                      Links: 

                      • Sierra Raequel - https://www.instagram.com/sierraraequel/reels/ 
                      • Eliette Singleton -https://www.instagram.com/eliettesingleton/reels/
                      • @Black.surfers https://www.instagram.com/black.surfers/?hl=en
                      • @Kayitaj - https://www.instagram.com/kayiitaj/?hl=en
                      • Textured Waves - https://www.instagram.com/texturedwaves/
                      • Ebony Beach Club - https://ebonybeachclub.com/
                      • @Brick - https://www.instagram.com/____brick/?hl=en
                      • Intrsxtn Surf - https://www.instagram.com/intrsxtn_surf/?hl=en
                      • Color the Water - https://www.colorthewater.org/
                      • WOW Surf Camp - https://www.wowsurfcamp.com/
                      • OneOC for nonprofits - https://oneoc.org/
                      • Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson (the book Sierra was reading)- https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/57926137
                      • Also: Be sure to check out our conversation with Michael Stewart, Co-Founder of Sustainable Surf and their SeaTrees blue carbon and EcoBoard sustainable surfboard projects: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148116934

                        We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                        Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                        PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                        #diversity #equtity #inclusion #surfing #careers #adulting #keeplearning #ocean #nonprofitmanagement #empowerment #blacksurfers #ebonybeachclub #changingcurrent #travel #founder #surftrip #womenthatsurf

                        Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                        Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                        1 hr 8 min
                      • Michael Stewart, Co-Founder, Sustainable Surf, SeaTrees, EcoBoard Project

                        If you ask Michael Stewart, he owes it all to the ocean – and art school. Michael is the co-founder of Sustainable Surf, whose SeaTrees, Ecoboard Project, and Ocean Positive programs highlight the need to reverse climate change and serve - for all of us - as onramps to living a more sustainable lifestyle.

                        Sustainable Surf was formed in 2011 when co-founders Michael Stewart and Kevin Whilden saw an opportunity to use the global appeal of surf culture to convince people that a more sustainable future is within reach. But, founding a nonprofit was a leap of faith, and before that, they both had good day jobs they had to convince themselves to leave to pursue this mission. 

                        Michael’s passion for the ocean and the lessons he’s learned from surfing come through loud and clear (and I think you’ll appreciate them). But, as a lifelong surfer, Michael points out that he was a part of the community seeing the early effects of climate change in the ocean, and that was pivotal in convincing him to take on the challenge.

                        Sustainable Surf takes an optimistic and solutions-focused approach but won’t shy away from the fact that there’s no time to waste. The global scientific consensus is clear - we have until  2030 to reduce our collective carbon footprint to avoid passing a catastrophic climate tipping point. 

                        An action-oriented organization, Sustainable Surf has planted & restored more than 3 Million sea trees, and helped define the sustainable surfboard movement. They’ve partnered with brands & companies (that you’ve likely heard of) well beyond just the “surf” industry, and if you ask him, they’re just getting started.

                        If you’ve got an entrepreneurial spirit, are building or working with a nonprofit, or are looking for ways to make an impact, you’ll want to hear Michael’s story and advice.

                        Here are some of the key takeaways from our talk:

                        • Tapping into the power of surfing
                        • The benefits of ocean ecosystems
                        • Climate action - what you can do right now
                        • Finding a business partner that complements your expertise
                        • Why artists make the best entrepreneurs
                        • Turning your idea into a reality
                        • Taking it slow, nurturing your customer, building trust for the long-run
                        • Running your non-profit like an ecommerce company
                        • The power of storytelling
                        • Life lessons you learn from surfing
                        • Making a career out of what you love
                        • SDG Alignment: #1 No Poverty, #2 Zero Hunger, #3 Good Health & Well Being, #4 Quality Education, #5 Gender Equality, #6 Clean Water & Sanitation, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #13 Climate Action, #14 Life Below Water, #15 Life on Land

                          Links:

                          • Sustainable Surf - https://www.sustainablesurf.org/
                          • SeaTrees - https://sea-trees.org/ 
                          • The EcoBoard Project - https://ecoboard.sustainablesurf.org/
                          • Become an Ocean Positive Brand - https://sea-trees.org/pages/ocean-positive-brands 
                          • Surfrider - https://www.surfrider.org/ 
                          • Save the Waves - https://www.savethewaves.org/ 
                          • Surfers Against Sewage UK - https://www.sas.org.uk/ 
                          • World Mangrove Day - https://www.unesco.org/en/days/mangrove-ecosystem-conservation 
                          • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - https://sdgs.un.org/ 
                          • Also:

                            Be sure to check out our conversation with Tricia Carey, Chief Commercial Officer at Renewcell, makers of CIRCULOSE®  the 100% recycled raw material input for textile fibers: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148091549 

                            We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                            Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                            PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                            #sustainability #surfing #carbon #bluecarbon #careers #marketing #keeplearning #mangroves #ecoboard #climatesolutions #nonprofitmanagement #seatrees #ocean #sequestration #oceanpositive #onepercentfortheplanet #coastalecosystems #climateneutral

                            Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                            Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                            –

                            1 hr 13 min
                          • Interview: Tricia Carey, Chief Commercial Officer, Renewcell

                            This week, I’m talking about recycling unused textiles and circularity with Tricia Carey, an apparel and textile industry veteran who’s seen all the progress and changes that have occurred there since her first job working in the then-all-domestic manufacturing supply chain back in the mid-90s. Today, she’s a well-known and internationally respected advocate for innovation and circularity in the textile and apparel industry with nearly 30 years of industry experience.

                            Currently, Tricia is the Chief Commercial Officer at Renewcell, a very exciting, fast-growing Swedish textile recycling company planning to recycle the equivalent of more than a billion t-shirts every year by 2030 with their flagship technology/product, CIRCULOSE®. Before that, Tricia was in various commercial management positions at Lenzing - the Austrian-based multi-billion dollar global producer of wood-based specialty fibers. She’s held marketing and business development roles and has participated in numerous collaborative collections with mills and brands. Needless to say, she knows a lot about this space.

                            CIRCULOSE® is not a fiber, yarn, or fabric - it’s a 100% recycled raw material input for textile fibers. It’s a dissolving pulp that replaces the wood pulp used to make viscose, modal, lyocell and acetate (the fabrics that are likely in your closet or on your bed).

                            The cool thing about CIRCULOSE®; it’s made out of 100% “unused textiles,” a better phrase than “textile waste,” as Tricia points out - and Brands are using it to replace high-impact raw materials like fossil oil and cotton in their textile products.

                            I’ve followed Tricia’s work for years, and we’ve crossed paths multiple times, but this was my first opportunity to sit down with her and talk about the state of sustainability in the apparel and textile industry.

                            If you’re wondering how to have a career in sustainability or circularity, and especially one in the apparel industry, you don’t want to miss any part of my chat with Tricia. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Tricia Carey, CCO at Renewcell.

                            Here are some of the Key Takeaways you’ll appreciate:

                            • Circularity progress in textiles
                            • The realities of textile recycling
                            • The state of sustainability in the apparel industry
                            • Building a stellar career
                            • Working in sustain tech
                            • Understanding systems change
                            • Marketing & selling
                            • The importance of NGOs and nonprofits
                            • Aligning yourself with the right people
                            • Getting out of your comfort zone
                            • Advice on how to get in the game
                            • SDG Alignment:, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                              Links:

                              • Renewcell - https://www.renewcell.com/
                              • Circulose - https://circulo.se/en/
                              • Tricia Carey on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tricia-l-carey/
                              • Circulose Supplier Network - https://circulo.se/en/circulose-supplier-network/
                              • Textile Exchange - https://textileexchange.org/
                              • Canopy | CanopyStyle - https://canopyplanet.org/campaigns/canopystyle/
                              • Canopy Hot Button Report - https://hotbutton.canopyplanet.org/
                              • Accelerating Circularity - https://www.acceleratingcircularity.org/
                              • Transformers Foundation - https://www.transformersfoundation.org/
                              • World Circular Textiles Day - https://worldcirculartextilesday.com/
                              • Also:

                                Be sure to check out our conversation with Alex Schulze, CEO and Co-Founder at 4ocean, the ocean cleanup company at: https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148061020

                                We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                                Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                                PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                                #sustainability #circularity #womeninbusiness #leadership #careers #marketing #keeplearning #textiles #leadership #sustaintech #systemschange #circulose #renewcell #recycling #fashion #denim

                                Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                                Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                                –

                                1 hr 3 min
                              • Interview: Alex Schulze, CEO & Co-Founder, 4ocean Ocean Cleanup Company

                                Alex Schulze is the co-founder and CEO of 4ocean, an ocean cleanup company dedicated to ending the ocean plastic crisis. Founded by him and his co-founding partner, Andrew Cooper after a surf trip that included way more plastic pollution than they could have imagined, 4ocean immediately saw meteoric growth. And that’s unique. But what’s also unique is they’re doing non-profit or NGO-type work, but they’re a purpose-driven for profit organization utilizing the power of community and brand partnerships to fully employ a team of captains and crew in multiple locations around the world.

                                As a Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp, 4ocean harnesses the power of business to fund a global cleanup operation that’s responsible for recovering millions of pounds of plastic (much of that single use plastic) and trash from the world’s oceans, rivers, and coastlines. In fact, they recently reached a whopping 30 million pounds of trash milestone! But if you ask Alex, they’re just getting started.

                                What I discovered in this fun and winding conversation is that they’re NOT just selling bracelets, they’re NOT outsourcing the dirty work, and they’re NOT afraid to admit what’s working, and what’s NOT. You’ll be surprised at how their business model is set up, how passionate and energetic they are, and how committed they are to their team and this work.

                                4OCEAN definitely epitomizes the B Corp mantra, Business as a force for good, and is definitely a place where Good Things are Happening :)

                                Thanks again for listening… I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

                                Here are some of the Key Takeaways you’ll appreciate:

                                • What’s really going on with plastic pollution (ocean-bound and upstream sources)
                                • The wild ride of growing a successful startup
                                • Running a for-profit business that does non-profit type work
                                • Leveraging partnerships and the power of branding
                                • Building a social media presence
                                • Learning the job as you go
                                • Becoming a strong leader
                                • Pursuing your passion
                                • Making sustainability cool
                                • Unique business models have unique challenges
                                • Building a strong team, and keeping them motivated
                                • The importance of mentorship
                                • SDG Alignment: #6 Clean Water & Sanitation, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, #11 Sustainable Cities & Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #14 Life Below Water, #15 Life on Land,, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                                  Links:

                                  • 4ocean - https://www.4ocean.com/
                                  • 4ocean Plastic Offset Program - https://www.4ocean.com/pages/plastic-offset-program  
                                  • 4ocean Videos - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCT_-OGW5IiUuuHwmuyUPYQ
                                  • The 4ocean Mobile Skimmer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stZcW-b8lT0
                                  • B Corp Making Business a Force for Good - https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/
                                  • 4ocean Technology - https://www.4ocean.com/pages/ocean-cleanup-technology
                                  • Greenpeace: Forever Toxic: The science on health threats from plastic recycling - https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/reports/forever-toxic/
                                  • Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Designing Out Plastic Pollution - https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/plastics/overview
                                  • About Public Benefit Corporations - https://www.upcounsel.com/public-benefit-corporation
                                  • YPO - Young Presidents Organization - https://www.ypo.org/
                                  • Also: Be sure to check out our conversation with Jonathan Hanwit, CEO and Co-Founder at thinkPARALLAX, the sustainability strategy, reporting, and communications agency at https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2148027689

                                    We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                                    Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                                    PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                                    #sustainability #triplebottomline #socialentrepreneur #socialpurposeco #businesswithpurpose #careers #entrepreneurialism #keeplearning #CEO #leadership #oceancleanup #plasticpollution #bcorp #leadership #forceforgood #purposedriven #impact #worldoceansday #4ocean

                                    Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                                    Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                                    1 hr 9 min
                                  • Interview: Jonathan Hanwit, CEO, Co-Founder, thinkPARALLAX sustainability strategy and communications agency

                                    Jonathan Hanwit and his co-founding partner, Guusje Bendeler (pronounced Who-sha), started thinkPARALLAX more than 20 years ago in a garage in San Diego, California. Today, they are a full-service sustainability strategy and communications agency, but it wasn't always that way. 

                                    The company has grown, evolved, and pivoted - just like sustainability and ESG have. And wait - is it “sustainability,” “responsibility,” “purpose,” or “ESG”… that’s kind of the running theme of this week’s conversation - a lot has changed, and it still is.

                                    You see, Jonathan, the agency’s CEO, was on the show back in 2018 (find the link to that episode down below), and when we spoke back then, the agency had a different approach, and the climate emergency was gaining that title; sure, it was urgent, but investors hadn’t quite stepped in like they since have since then - and that changed everything.

                                    In our conversation, we discussed all that and a lot more. If you’re building an agency, working for a brand or company, planning on a sustainability or CSR report, rolling out a sustainability strategy, or looking to work in this space, this one’s for you.

                                    Jonathan and I talked about the evolution of ESG over the last 3-5 years, the future state of corporate sustainability and reporting, why “understanding” is so dang important, the importance of CEO buy-in, and plenty more. I asked him for some free advice for those just looking to break into this space, and he delivered.

                                    And yes… that’s a blower/mower just after the 37:00 mark… :) We did our best with it.

                                    I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. So many great takeaways, but here are some of the Key Takeaways you’ll appreciate:

                                    • Confusion around how we speak about sustainability
                                    • How investor pressure moved the needle
                                    • How the sustainability and ESG landscape has evolved over the last few years
                                    • CSR reporting frameworks
                                    • Sustainability strategy hacks
                                    • Every value chain requires a different (but likely similar) approach
                                    • Why “understanding” sustainability is so valuable
                                    • Tackling sustainability at your company: Where to get started & how to get started
                                    • Don’t sit still; keep learning - this space is STILL evolving!
                                    • SDG Alignment: #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                                      Links:

                                      • thinkPARALLAX - https://www.thinkparallax.com/
                                      • tPX ESG Field Manual - https://www.thinkparallax.com/insights/the-esg-field-manual-part-iii-from-action-to-amplification 
                                      • SASB Reporting Standards -https://sasb.org/
                                      • GRI Reporting Standards - https://www.globalreporting.org/
                                      • GreenBiz - https://www.greenbiz.com/
                                      • Sustainable Brands - https://sustainablebrands.com/ 
                                      • B Lab/B Corp - Making business a force for good - https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/
                                      • Dr. Jean Rogers, the Founder of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) - https://www.jeanrogers.com/ 
                                      • Also: 

                                        Be sure to check out our conversation with Brianna Kilcullen, Social Entrepreneur, CEO at Anact (hemp towel, activist company) at https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2147997233 

                                        We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows 

                                        Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs 

                                        PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                                        #sustainability #triplebottomline #socialentrepreneur #csr #businesswithpurpose #careers #reporting #keeplearning #CEO #leadership #ESG #careerjourney #entrepreneur #strategy #agency #leadership #communications #bcorp #forceforgood #purposedriven #impact

                                        Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                                        Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                                        1 hr
                                      • Interview: Brianna Kilcullen, Founder, ANACT & Sustainability & Supply Chain Expert

                                        This week, I chat with Brianna Kilcullen, sustainability & supply chain expert and the founder of the brand, Anact; as in the act of kindness and an act of goodwill. As you’ll hear in our conversation, Brianna believes in simple acts, and she’ll tell you that her simple act was starting this company, but the journey has been anything but simple. Anact was founded to create a sustainable towel made of hemp and organic cotton that is better for ALL people and the planet. But it’s more than that. It’s an activist brand and - as she’ll tell you - an aspiring supply network. Maybe that’s why, in 2019, she helped legalize hemp in Florida while launching the brand.

                                        Prior to starting Anact, she worked in the apparel industry for prAna, a subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear, and the multi-billion $ powerhouse, Under Armour. She has traveled to over 40+ countries and has worked in factories on almost every continent. She was Under Armour’s first-ever full-time sustainability employee. But before that, she spent time in the public sector and in government work - talk about a winding career path… Did I mention she’s only 34?

                                        While Anact’s beautiful hemp towels were launched with a successful Kickstarter, and have been featured in Oprah Magazine and on the Good Morning America show, you can tell, she’s just getting started.

                                        We talk about the power of networking, building a career/resume, saying yes to opportunities, learning on the job, playing to your strengths, founding a company, working with investors, the state of sustainability, staying scrappy, and that, ultimately, you’ve got to TRUST the process.

                                        I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. So many great takeaways, but here are some of the Key Takeaways you’ll appreciate:

                                        • Recognize opportunities when they present themselves
                                        • Take advantage of your network
                                        • Become the expert when others see it in you
                                        • Learn the business; it’s just as important as the sustainability
                                        • There’s a big difference between sustainability engrained and not
                                        • Know when you’re in the right place at the right time and run with it
                                        • Start small, stay scrappy
                                        • Find the thing that will “put you on the map”
                                        • Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart
                                        • Learning to interact with investors
                                        • Add value to everything you do
                                        • Play to your strengths
                                        • Be resilient and resourceful
                                        • There’s hope for US industrialized hemp
                                        • SDG Alignment: #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #15 Life on Land, #16 Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, #17 Partnerships for the Goals

                                          Links: 

                                          • The Video version of this interview on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ17v-0vylQ 
                                          • Anact, the brand - https://anactglobal.com/
                                          • Kickstarter campaign - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/anact/sustainable-towels-better-for-all-people-and-the-planet
                                          • Outdoor Industry Association - https://outdoorindustry.org/
                                          • Fair Labor Association (FLA) - https://www.fairlabor.org/
                                          • Prana Sustainability - https://www.prana.com/sustainability.html
                                          • Under Armor - Fair Labor Association Accreditation - https://about.underarmour.com/en/stories/2019/03/under-armour-s-social-compliance-program-accredited-by-fla.html
                                          • Also:

                                            Be sure to check out our conversation with Ryan Black, Social Entrepreneur, CEO at SAMBAZON at https://www.theunderswell.com/podcasts/good-things-happening-just-under-the-surface/episodes/2147987945

                                            We cover topics like this in our weekly newsletter - Subscribe now and get the free sustainability resource guide - Available at https://www.theunderswell.com/35mustknows

                                            Looking for more structured sustainability learning? Check out our School of Understanding. Link here: https://www.theunderswell.com/pkgs

                                            PS: Recorded on RIverside FM - Interested? Do us both a favor: Click here (https://riverside.fm/pricing?via=derek-sabori ) to create your account. You’ll be impressed, and we’ll be rewarded.

                                            #sustainability #triplebottomline #socialentrepreneur #hemp #businesswithpurpose #careers #towels #keeplearning #CEO #leadership #careers #careerjourney #entrepreneur #womeninbusiness #leadership #venturecapital #textileindustry #womenfounders

                                            Intro/Outro music by QubeSounds from Pixabay.

                                            Thanks for watching and/or listening! Our show is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and YouTube.

                                            1 hr 7 min

                                          About Good Things Happening! Just under the surface...

                                          From the publisher's feed

                                          We’re out to normalize sustainability and climate action, and these are conversations with the people helping to make that happen at the brands and companies you love the most (and some you may not…