Life Matters More

Alice Chapple is an economist, chartered accountant, and the founder of Impact Value. She has spent over three decades working in sustainable finance, long before ESG became a boardroom talking point. 

She developed the sustainable finance online course for the University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership and served as its head tutor. Her work focuses on the systems, incentives, and frameworks that shape behaviour in financial markets, helping funds, institutions, and investors think more rigorously about what impact actually means, how to measure it, and how to embed it into decision-making rather than bolt it on afterwards.

In this conversation, Philippa and Alice explore what it really takes to align capital with outcomes that matter, and what responsible leadership looks like when the financial system is still pulling in the opposite direction.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• How a trip to India at 17, volunteering in remote rural communities, planted the seed for a 35-year career spent chasing a single question: how do you get capital to flow where it's needed most?
• Why the word "impact" is used in so many different ways that it has lost precision, and what the UK's new Sustainability Disclosure Regulations have done to sharpen it
• The measurement problem: from monetising the value of a forest to tracking megawatts and litres of water, why there is no clean universal answer and why listed equity strategies make it particularly thorny
• Why the financial system keeps rewarding misaligned choices even when individuals want to do better, and the uncomfortable truth about the Magnificent Seven and what investors would have missed by avoiding them
• What Alice would change about finance if she could wave a magic wand, and why embedding social and environmental value into financial models is harder than it sounds
• The two things CEOs who genuinely want to do the right thing consistently underestimate, and why the consumer behaviour data is more complicated than the surveys suggest
• What the Global Good Awards looks for when separating real-world impact from a compelling story, including what Paradigm Norton was recognised for and why Alice sees it as a system-changing piece of work
• Why 82% of people say they want their money to do good, but what happens when they follow them into the supermarket
• Her advice for young people entering finance who want their career to mean something, including why working on individual funds and pushing for system change are not either/or choices

Key takeaway

Alice Chapple has spent 35 years working on the gap between what capital could do and what it actually does. The conversation she is most interested in is not whether impact investing works. It is why the default option is still so rarely set to good.

Disclaimer: 

Investing places your capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Sustainable investments carry additional uncertainty - the environmental or social benefits expected may not be achieved. The information and opinions we share in this podcast are based on sources believed to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee they are accurate or complete, so they should not be relied upon as the sole basis for making investment decisions.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Tom Lyas, Head of Resourcing and Social Mobility at Browne Jacobson, where he has built one of the most impactful social mobility programmes in the UK legal sector and the architect behind FAIRE, an initiative that has opened up real work experience to over 87,000 aspiring legal professionals, many from communities historically shut out of the professions entirely.

Under his leadership, Browne Jacobson became the number one ranked employer in the Social Mobility Foundation index. Tom has given evidence in the House of Lords, been named LexisNexis Legal Awards Personality of the Year, and was recently recognised as Leader of the Year at the British Recruitment Awards. His background spans industrial and retail recruitment, including Tesco and Whitbread, before joining Browne Jacobson nearly a decade ago.

Together, they explore what fair access actually looks like when someone decides to build it from scratch, what it takes to change a hiring culture, and why the profession is better for it.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• How Tom's early career in retail recruitment revealed a pattern hiding in plain sight: the candidate who was "a bit more polished" kept winning, and no one was asking why
• What happened when Tom removed Browne Jacobson's academic grade requirements in his first week, the board meeting that followed, and the three bullet points that settled it
• How FAIRE was born from a single data point: 96% of work experience placements were going to partners' and clients' children, and no one had noticed
• Why Browne Jacobson high-fives when a student uses FAIRE to land a job at a rival firm, and what 87,000 participants and 4,500 tangible outcomes says about what the programme is actually for
• The story behind the Reach mentoring programme and how the firm went from hiring one Black trainee in five years to 29% of a training cohort in year one
• The accent bias research commissioned with the University of Nottingham, what the findings revealed about professional services culture, and why having an accent is described as the last taboo
• Why disclosure rates are Tom's single most important measure of culture, and what a 90%+ disclosure rate tells you about trust inside an organisation
• The case for making socioeconomic background a protected characteristic, and where that conversation currently sits
• His advice to young people who feel professional services might not be for them, including a frank observation about what social media does to your sense of what success is supposed to look like

Key takeaway

The hiring barriers blocking talented people from the professions were rarely designed to exclude them. They accumulated quietly because the people already inside never had to climb over them. Tom Lyas has spent a decade dismantling those barriers, one decision at a time, with data and a refusal to wait for permission. When you stop filtering for polish and start selecting for potential, the firm gets better too.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Roxanne Folke, Head of Responsible Business at Burges Salmon, where she leads the firm's work across sustainability, inclusion, community engagement and pro bono.

Roxanne brings over two decades of experience working with businesses across Europe on sustainability and responsible business strategy, including contributions to research for the UN, the UK government and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Since joining Burges Salmon in 2019, she has been instrumental in embedding responsible business into the firm's culture, strategy and client relationships.

Together, they explore what it really means to move from policy to practice when it comes to ESG and sustainability - from measuring carbon footprints and influencing supply chains to building inclusive cultures and equipping leaders to take ownership of the responsible business agenda.

This conversation looks beyond the buzzwords to examine the practical, cultural and strategic realities of making responsible business genuinely transformative - and the leadership required to make it stick.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

• How Roxanne found her way into responsible business through communications and consultancy, and what drew her to the intersection of commercial strategy and ESG
  
  
• Why responsible business is not a separate agenda but a strategic lens through which the whole organisation should be viewed
  
  
• How the materiality process helps businesses prioritise the ESG topics that matter most - and avoid the scatter-gun approach
  
  
• The practical steps Burges Salmon has taken on its net zero journey, from converting to renewable energy to tackling the complexity of Scope 3 emissions
  
  
• Why engaging and supporting suppliers - rather than simply shutting the door on those who are behind - is essential to collective progress on carbon
  
  
• How client demand for responsible business credentials has grown significantly, from tender processes to ongoing relationship management
  
  
• Why culture is the enabler or the barrier when it comes to embedding change, and what organisations with consultative structures need to watch out for
  
  
• What leaders can do to ensure responsible business is a core strategic priority rather than a bolt-on - including the importance of authentic, consistent advocacy
  
  
• The emerging trends organisations need to prepare for, from advised emissions and mandatory reporting to biodiversity and inclusive leadership
  
  
• Why incoming generations are one of the most powerful forces for change - and why asking responsible business questions in interviews is good advice for anyone
  
  

Key takeaway

Responsible business is not a sideshow or a set of policies gathering dust on a shelf. It is a strategic framework that intersects with talent, profitability, client relationships and long-term risk. Organisations that invest in understanding their impact - and lead authentically on these issues - will be better placed to attract talent, win clients and build businesses that last.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Ross Fairley, Senior Partner at Burges Salmon and one of the UK’s leading legal voices in clean energy and the transition to net zero.

Ross shares his journey from environmental law into the fast-moving world of renewables, where he has spent more than two decades advising on offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and landmark decarbonisation initiatives such as Bristol City Leap. Alongside his legal work, Ross has helped shape the wider industry agenda through roles including Chair of RenewableUK’s Strategy Forum.

Together, they explore what it really takes to deliver the energy transition in practice - from navigating emerging technologies and evolving regulation to financing innovation and building effective public-private partnerships.

This conversation looks beyond headlines and policy targets to examine the legal, financial and cultural realities of decarbonisation, and the leadership required to turn ambition into action.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• How Ross moved from environmental law into the renewables sector and why the field continues to attract innovators and entrepreneurs

• Why lawyers and advisers must interpret evolving legislation and “give a view” when the law is still catching up with technology

• How understanding energy technologies at a practical level leads to better advice and more effective project delivery

• Why the transition will require every viable technology, rather than a single winning solution

• The policy and funding challenges that create a “valley of death” for emerging clean technologies

• How collaboration between government, industry groups and advisers helps unlock complex infrastructure projects

• Lessons from Bristol City Leap and the role of public-private partnerships in city-scale decarbonisation

• Why the UK is a global leader in offshore wind, clean energy expertise and high-value consultancy - and where it risks falling behind

• The importance of responsible business, sustainability and culture in attracting talent and delivering long-term value

• Why future generations and commercial realities alike are accelerating the shift towards net zero

Key takeaway

The transition to net zero is not a single technological breakthrough but a complex system change. Success will depend on collaboration, pragmatic regulation, sustained investment and leadership that recognises decarbonisation not as a cost, but as a long-term economic opportunity.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa welcomes Amelia Tan, Head of Responsible Investment and Stewardship at Legal & General Asset Management, for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation on what responsible investing really looks like in practice.

Amelia shares her journey from the global financial crisis to helping shape stewardship and engagement strategies at one of Europe’s largest asset managers. Together, they explore how investors can move beyond box-ticking ESG frameworks and instead use capital, influence and long-term thinking to drive genuine change across companies, markets and policy environments.

This episode goes beneath the surface of buzzwords like stewardship, net zero and ESG, unpacking what they actually mean for investors, business leaders and the future of capital markets.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• What stewardship and engagement mean in real terms, and why they matter for long-term investors
• How asset managers engage not just with companies, but with policymakers, regulators and entire ecosystems
• Why voting, escalation and collaboration are essential tools when companies fall short
• The tension between short-term pressures and long-term sustainable value creation
• Where progress on net zero is being made, and where the biggest gaps still exist
• Why responsible investing is not simply about exclusions
• How culture, governance and human capital shape long-term business resilience
• The growing urgency facing investors as climate risks become increasingly financial

Key takeaway

Responsible investment is not about sacrificing returns for values. At its best, it is about aligning long-term profitability with long-term resilience, accountability and sustainability. Stewardship, when done properly, is one of the most powerful levers investors have to shape the future.

Disclaimer: 

Investing places your capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you originally invested. Sustainable investments carry additional uncertainty - the environmental or social benefits expected may not be achieved. The information and opinions we share in this podcast are based on sources believed to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee they are accurate or complete, so they should not be relied upon as the sole basis for making investment decisions.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode of Life Matters More, Philippa speaks with Dana Denis-Smith OBE, founder of Obelisk Support, about what it really takes to build a more flexible, human way of working in a profession that has long rewarded tradition and endurance. 

Together, they explore the gap between what organisations say about flexibility and what people experience in practice, especially at the point where careers and life collide. Dana also reflects on the principles behind creating a business designed around experienced talent, and what “human first” looks like when it becomes a standard rather than a slogan. 

You’ll hear them touch on:

• The moments that shape a career, and what can change when you step away and come back 
• The subtle barriers that keep skilled people on the margins, even when the intention is “support” 
• What flexible work can look like when it is built properly, not treated as a perk 
• Why values matter most when they cost you something, not when they are convenient 
• A perspective on progress that feels practical, not performative
• Dana’s work on the national campaign, “First 100 Years” celebrating the centenary of women in law in 2019. And the “Next 100 Years” championing those in positions of leadership to encourage the next generation of aspiring lawyers to pursue their ambitions.

It’s the kind of conversation that stays with you because it isn’t trying to impress you - it’s trying to tell the truth about work, life, and what happens when we stop pretending those two things live in separate worlds.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa sits down with Joshua Domb, founder of Gen-R Law — a new firm built on the belief that every area of legal practice can and should be viewed through the lens of climate change and ESG. 

After a career in white-collar crime and regulatory investigations, Joshua experienced a growing sense of climate anxiety and a realisation that his work wasn’t contributing to the issues he cared about most. During a year of travelling, he confronted that tension and ultimately sketched the blueprint for Gen-R Law in a field outside Auckland.

Joshua shares the thinking behind his “Planet Before PEP” ethos, why he believes lawyers play a crucial role in the global transition, and how a moment of frustration and honesty led to a radically different vision for legal practice.

He explains:

• Why Gen-R Law is built around seven core principles, including donating 10 percent of profits to environmental causes and investing in green-tech start-ups.
• How climate anxiety, travel, and a lack of climate-focused legal options pushed him from idea to action.
• What “Planet Before PEP” means in practice, and how values shape client selection and firm culture as Gen-R Law grows.
• How clients respond to a mission-driven law firm and why younger lawyers are actively seeking value-aligned workplaces.
• Why governance is the root cause of most greenwashing issues, and how companies can build credible sustainability claims.
• How supply-chain transparency, careful language, and robust internal processes protect firms from greenwashing risks.
• Why credible ESG and transition strategies must link to business value, with clear timelines, metrics and governance.
• What makes him optimistic, from the global “team” working on climate solutions to the next generation of sustainability-minded professionals.

A candid, energetic and deeply motivating conversation with a lawyer reshaping what purpose-driven practice can look like in the climate era.

Top ten books to get educated about climate change! | Gen-R Law

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa speaks with Vanessa Havard-Williams OBE, one of the most influential figures in ESG and environmental law. 

Vanessa joined Linklaters in 1988, became partner in 1999 and, across a 37-year career, built and led the firm’s environmental, climate, human rights and crisis management practices long before ESG became a global priority. 

Her work spans private practice, government and international markets, including leading the UK Transition Finance Market Review and contributing to the Transition Plan Taskforce.

Vanessa reflects on the formative moments that shaped her early conviction about environmental law, the resistance she faced when ESG was seen as a niche specialism, and the tenacity required to build a practice in a field that did not yet exist.

She shares:

• What inspired the early business case for Linklaters’ environmental practice and why US and European regulation signalled a major shift long before it reached the UK.
• How ESG evolved from “non-financial risk” to a core strategic issue, and why boards must recognise both the financial opportunities and the systemic risks.
• Where board-level knowledge gaps persist, and the practical ways non-executives can upskill, horizon-scan and challenge effectively.
• Why inertia is one of the biggest barriers to progress, and how human behaviour, bias and overwhelm influence decision-making.
• Insights from chairing the UK Transition Finance Market Review, including the need for joined-up policy, sector pathways and global collaboration.
• Why SMEs, supply chains and strategic communication matter in accelerating the UK’s transition economy.
• What she is most proud of after three decades in ESG law, and the unfinished business that continues to motivate her work.

A rich, candid and expansive conversation with a leader whose influence has shaped how ESG is understood in law, finance and government — and who remains deeply committed to helping markets transition with clarity and purpose.

This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.

In this episode, Philippa is joined by Simon Colvin, Partner at Weightmans, a long-established environmental lawyer and the firm’s ESG lead. 

With roots in environmental biology and more than two decades specialising in this field, Simon has played a central role in helping Weightmans secure ISO accreditations, a platinum EcoVadis rating and recognition across several Legal 500 ESG categories.

Simon shares:

• How a childhood experience sparked his commitment to environmental work and led him into a career focused entirely on environmental law.
  
  
• What an ESG lead actually does inside a large professional services firm, and how he balances internal change with client support.
  
  
• How Weightmans transformed its early environmental efforts into a structured programme underpinned by accredited management systems and clear governance.
  
  
• Why many organisations struggle to start their ESG journey, and the simple first steps that remove confusion and build momentum.
  
  
• How to distinguish real priorities from noise, including the role of materiality assessments and recognised frameworks.
  
  
• Common pitfalls around greenwashing and the governance processes that help prevent it.
  
  
• Why ESG is ultimately about good business practice, resilience and risk management rather than box-ticking or chasing perfection.
  
  

This conversation gives listeners a grounded, practical look at what authentic ESG looks like inside a modern law firm — and why sustainable progress comes from clarity, consistency and embedding good practice into everyday operations.

A concise, insightful episode for anyone wanting to build credibility and confidence in their organisation’s ESG approach.

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This podcast is intended to be of a general nature, will not be suitable for everyone, and should not be treated as a specific recommendation. We recommend taking professional advice before entering into any obligation or transaction.

Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA Register number is 455083. 

Registered in England. Reg No 4220937, VAT Reg. No 918550904.