In this episode of The Green Fix, Dr. David Ireland discusses the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and governance. He defines wicked problems, particularly climate change, and emphasises the importance of horizon scanning for organisations. David highlights the transformative role of AI in sustainability and the need for businesses to adopt innovative practices. He also addresses the challenges boards face in governance and the impact of mandatory climate reporting. The conversation concludes with insights on how sustainability practitioners can effectively communicate risks and opportunities to leadership teams.

David's Recommendation to our listeners:

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI
by Yuval Noah Harari

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Vicki Mullen, Senior Consultant at Finity Consulting, takes us deep into the world of mandatory climate disclosure as Australian corporations transform what might seem like a compliance burden into a strategic advantage.

Drawing on her 30 years of experience across public policy and financial services, Vicki explains why viewing climate reporting as an exercise in "business imagination" creates unexpected opportunities. She explains how the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards require companies to test their resilience against different climate futures through scenario analysis – examining both a rapid transition to net-zero and a "hothouse" scenario well above 2°C warming.

The conversation reveals how insurance companies have functioned as early warning systems for climate impacts, with the increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters already affecting their business models. Vicki shares practical advice for companies navigating potential legal pitfalls between greenwashing and "greenhushing," emphasising the importance of backing climate commitments with robust data and meaningful plans.

With renewable energy now approaching 50% of the national electricity mix and nearly half of standalone homes equipped with rooftop solar, this transformation creates enormous potential for innovative products and services, highlighting why forward-thinking companies are responding to shifts in consumer preferences.

Whether you're in a large corporation preparing your first Sustainability disclosure, a smaller company trying to understand your reporting obligations, or a sustainability professional driving change within your organisation, this episode offers invaluable insights on turning climate reporting from a compliance exercise into a commercial advantage.

Listen now to discover how breaking down organisational silos and fostering cross-functional collaboration can help your business not just survive but thrive in a climate-transformed economy.

Vicki's recommendation for our listeners:

Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency
Olivia Laing

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Struggling to make sustainability strategically relevant to your business? Double materiality might be the missing piece you need.

Sydney Straver, Managing Director at &Bloom, joins us to unpack this powerful framework that's transforming how businesses approach sustainability. Drawing from her extensive European experience, Sydney explains how double materiality bridges the gap between sustainability efforts and financial performance – making it easier to get buy-in from even the most skeptical executives.

"Double materiality is effectively the cornerstone of a good sustainability strategy," Sydney explains. By examining both how your organisation impacts stakeholders (impact materiality) and how sustainability issues affect your enterprise value (financial materiality), companies can identify 5-6 key priorities that truly matter.

The beauty of this approach? It's not about creating additional work but providing a framework to organise what you're already doing.

Whether you're just starting your sustainability journey or looking to take your existing efforts to the next level, this episode provides the roadmap you need to move beyond compliance toward strategic value creation.

Ready to start embedding sustainability into your business strategy? Listen now and discover how double materiality can help you surf the green wave with confidence.

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Filmmaker Damon Gameau has made a career of turning complex sustainability challenges into compelling, hopeful narratives. After his groundbreaking documentary 2040 inspired climate action worldwide, he noticed something extraordinary while visiting hundreds of schools – today's children possess remarkable knowledge about environmental issues yet lack meaningful platforms to share their insights beyond protest movements.

Future Council follows eight remarkable young people from different countries as they board a yellow school bus for an epic European road trip to challenge and collaborate with executives from major corporations including Nestle, ING, and Decathlon. What unfolds is a fascinating journey that reveals the unique value children bring to sustainability conversations – their "unbridled, refreshing creativity" and "much-needed morality" that cuts through corporate complexity.

The film captures the evolution of these interactions beautifully. Beginning with confrontational energy at their first corporate meeting, the children gradually develop a more collaborative approach as they recognize that behind corporate facades are human beings often trapped within complex systems. By the final meeting, they've discovered their superpower: offering fresh perspectives that even sustainability professionals hadn't considered. As Gameau explains, "I don't think we need the children to solve all the problems...but they do have something to offer right now."

Beyond documenting these meetings, Future Council addresses the growing epidemic of eco-anxiety affecting 60% of Australian children. Rather than avoiding difficult emotions, the film shows young people processing their climate grief and channeling it into meaningful action – a powerful model for viewers of all ages. The film also introduces the concept of "Groth" (growth without wisdom) to explain our flawed economic architecture in accessible terms.

Most remarkably, Future Council has already catalyzed real-world change, with several featured corporations committing to ongoing work with council members. Australian retailer Officeworks is now collaborating with them to design regenerative products, with profits partially funding nature restoration. These tangible outcomes demonstrate that bringing children into corporate conversations isn't just about making them feel heard – it's about tapping into unique perspectives that generate novel solutions adults might never consider.

Ready to experience a refreshing approach to climate action that will leave you feeling both challenged and hopeful? Watch Future Council and discover how intergenerational collaboration might be the key to addressing our greatest ecological challenges.

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Comedy might just be our most powerful tool in the fight against climate inaction. When data and spreadsheets fail to move hearts and minds, laughter creates an opening for truth to slip through defenses and take root.

Award-winning podcaster and media strategist Dan Ilic joins The Green Fix to share his remarkable journey from viral video creator to climate activist extraordinaire. Long before digital content could "go viral" with the tap of a share button, Dan was pioneering comedic climate communication, demonstrating how humor can distill complex information into "memetic versions of truth" that stick with audiences in ways data never could.

The conversation takes us behind the scenes of his most audacious stunt – crowdfunding billboards in Times Square that publicly shamed the Australian government's climate policies during COP26. What began as a modest $12,000 campaign for a single billboard in Glasgow snowballed into a six-figure international media sensation that ultimately pressured then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison to attend the climate summit he'd planned to skip. "If I could do one thing, making Scott Morrison go to COP was the one thing I could do for the movement," Dan reflects.

For sustainability leaders navigating corporate environments, Dan offers refreshingly practical advice: show your actual emissions reduction work rather than relying on consultants or generic ESG messaging. "Find meaningful and tangible ways to do great work, reduce actual emissions, and then talk about it authentically," he urges, suggesting companies could even introduce their own "carbon tax" by charging polluting clients differently or offering incentives for climate action.

Ready to infuse your sustainability communication with humor that cuts through the noise? Listen now to discover how comedy might be the secret weapon we've been overlooking in the climate fight.

You can find Dan's work at:

A Rational Fear
Not A Real Media Company
Instagram

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Hey Green Fix Listeners, we are excited to welcome a new season of the Green Fix Podcast - keep an eye out for the first episode of the season the 29th of July! 

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

The technological revolution transforming Australian businesses carries a hidden environmental cost that few sustainability practitioners fully understand. In this revealing conversation with digital sustainability expert Tim Prosser, we uncover the substantial climate impact of our digital lives and explore how organisations can address this overlooked aspect of their sustainability strategy.

Did you know that 40% of an individual's carbon budget aligned with a 1.5-degree target is consumed by digital services? Or that by 2030, data centres could require 8% of Australia's power grid – equivalent to the entire steel industry? These startling figures highlight why sustainability practitioners must engage deeply with their technology counterparts as mandatory climate reporting approaches.

Tim draws fascinating parallels between the evolution of IT and sustainability functions within organisations. "About 10-15 years ago, there was a real flip where organisations went from having an overall strategy supported by an IT function to being an IT company in a specific sector," he explains. "I see an opportunity for sustainability to go through that transition."

We explore how the AI revolution is complicating sustainability efforts, with major tech companies already reporting missed climate targets due to energy-intensive AI deployments. Yet Tim also reveals the tremendous opportunity: research shows 84% of technology professionals prefer sustainability outcomes over cost-cutting measures, representing an army of potential champions waiting to be engaged.

For sustainability practitioners preparing for mandatory reporting, Tim provides practical guidance on establishing accurate technology emissions baselines, addressing e-waste challenges, and initiating productive collaborations with IT departments. He outlines common pitfalls in emissions calculations and explains how to move beyond spend-based approaches toward more meaningful measurements.

This episode offers essential knowledge for any sustainability professional looking to develop a comprehensive climate strategy that addresses the full environmental impact of their organisation's operations. Listen now to ensure your sustainability roadmap isn't missing this critical piece of the puzzle.

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

What happens when you trade corporate success for climate advocacy? For Liz Courtney, award-winning filmmaker responsible for 55 climate documentaries, it began with a crucial "sliding door moment" – choosing courage over fear to join an Antarctic expedition despite her doubts. That decision launched an extraordinary career documenting climate systems across the globe, from dog sledding across Greenland's melting ice sheets to researching atmospheric microbes in Antarctica.

Liz shares her profound insights on effective climate communication, developed through collaborations with leading scientists worldwide. She's identified that successful science communication requires simplification, relatable analogies, connecting research to local impacts, and showing how data can drive better planning. Her experience reveals how sustainability professionals can bridge the gap between complex environmental science and everyday understanding, making climate issues accessible and actionable for broader audiences.

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Ever wondered how to get your Sustainability initiatives on the Chief Risk Officer's radar? Ruby Yadav, former Chief Risk Officer turned entrepreneur, reveals powerful strategies for building bridges between the Sustainability and Risk functions in this illuminating Green Fix episode.

Whether you're a sustainability practitioner seeking to influence your organisation's risk framework or a risk professional looking to better integrate climate considerations, this episode provides practical wisdom for breaking down silos and creating powerful partnerships. Listen now to discover how shared language and mutual respect can amplify your impact in addressing our most pressing environmental challenges.

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]

Dr. David Cooke's journey from transcendental meditation teacher to corporate leader offers a masterclass in values-based business leadership that delivers both purpose and profit. He shares how his "save the world gene" found expression in the corporate environment, culminating in his groundbreaking work as the first non-Japanese Managing Director of Konica Minolta Australia and New Zealand.

A simple but powerful declaration: "I want us all to work together to build a company that cares" became the foundation for remarkable business growth during a decade when the printing industry faced digital disruption and market contraction.

We tackle the hard questions around modern slavery in supply chains, navigating cross-cultural leadership challenges, and maintaining ethical standards during geopolitical turbulence

Whether you're a sustainability professional seeking greater influence, a leader navigating uncertain times, or simply someone who believes business can be a force for good, Cook's experiences offer both inspiration and practical guidance for creating value through values.

Topics:
Kind Business, Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability, Ethical Leadership, Modern Slavery, ESG, Business Ethics, Leadership, Profit and Purpose, Employee Engagement

Your Hosts:
Dan Leverington
Loreto Gutierrez

Liked this episode?
Subscribe to our podcast to get the latest Sustainability insights every two weeks. And follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.

Email us your ideas, feedback and interviewee suggestions at [email protected]