Next Frontier

In this conversation, Yann Chilvers, Founder and Co-CEO of Covalo, discusses the work of his company in helping consumer goods businesses design more sustainable products. He emphasizes the importance of transparency and providing consumers with access to information and data to make educated decisions. Yann also highlights the challenges and complexities of making ingredients more sustainable, including considerations of packaging, carbon footprint, and supply chain logistics.

The conversation explores various aspects of sustainability and consumer behavior. It highlights the importance of creating awareness and educating consumers about sustainability issues. The role of governments in defining standards and regulations is discussed, as well as the challenges of consumer decision-making and the complexity of sustainability definitions. The conversation also touches on the concepts of circularity and upcycling in product design, the limitations of blockchain for traceability, and the potential and realities of AI in sustainability. The importance of authenticity and finding the right focus in redesigning products for sustainability is emphasized.

Takeaways

• Creating awareness and educating consumers is crucial for promoting sustainability.
• Consumer preferences and sustainability concerns vary across different countries.
• Governments play a key role in defining standards and regulations for sustainability.
• Consumer education and expectations are increasing, leading to higher demands for sustainable products.
• Misinformation and oversimplification can hinder progress in sustainability efforts.
• Circularity and upcycling are important concepts in product design for sustainability.
• Consumer resistance to change and the importance of perception and education should be considered.
• Blockchain has limitations in traceability for sustainability, and AI has potential but must be utilized properly.
• Authenticity and focusing on one important aspect of sustainability are key in redesigning products.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Yann Chilvers

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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Melanie Rideout, humanitarian and climate advisor, discusses her work in sustainability and social impact, as well as her passion for dystopian films! She shares her journey into sustainability and the complexity of evaluating sustainability in supply chains. The conversation also explores the conflict of values in sustainable development and the oversimplification of economic growth. Melanie introduces the concept of degrowth and discusses the problems with the current economic system. The conversation concludes with a discussion on efficiency and circular economy, as well as Melanie's background in journalism.

The conversation explores the flaws in the current economic system and the need for change. It discusses the value of products and the concept of scarcity. The importance of creating new narratives for business is emphasized, along with the role of AI and technology in sustainability. The conversation also highlights the need to build a fabric of community and connection. It suggests finding leverage points for change and shares an example of environmental sustainability in humanitarian response. The importance of balancing sustainability and cost is discussed, as well as the power of conversation and dialogue in finding solutions.

Takeaways

• The current economic system has flaws that need to be addressed.
• The value of products and the concept of scarcity play a role in sustainability.
• Creating new narratives for business is essential for a sustainable future.
• AI and technology can be used to promote sustainability and accountability.
• Building a fabric of community and connection is crucial for sustainable practices.
• Finding leverage points for change can lead to impactful sustainability initiatives.
• Balancing sustainability and cost is possible and beneficial.
• Conversation and dialogue are key in finding solutions to sustainability challenges.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Melanie Rideout

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kenny Kaluiji, founder of Decarbonify and Baobabpad, discusses his journey from working in the oil and gas industry to focusing on sustainability and climate change. He shares his frustration with the lack of attention to climate change in the industry and his decision to transition to Norway to study energy and environment. Kenny also talks about his master's thesis on supply chain issues and the challenges of getting data from suppliers. He highlights the impacts of climate change in Africa and the need for climate equity and investment in infrastructure. The conversation explores the topics of circularity and overconsumption, mitigating social risks in the supply chain, moving labor to low-risk countries, local refineries and resource extraction, moving manufacturing closer to resources and consumption, the challenge of trust in auditing supplier practices, the importance of culture in building trust, and broadening the focus of supply chain sustainability from just CO2 emissions to social and environmental impacts.

Takeaways

• The oil and gas industry often neglects climate change and pollution issues, leading to environmental damage.
• Climate change has significant impacts in Africa, including flooding, droughts, and lack of access to energy.
• Climate equity and investment in infrastructure are crucial for addressing climate change in Africa.
• Circularity is crucial in addressing overconsumption and reducing waste streams that end up in developing countries.
• Companies need to mitigate social risks in the supply chain and avoid exacerbating poverty issues.
• Investing in local refineries and manufacturing facilities can create jobs and reduce costs in resource-rich countries.
• Trust in supplier practices requires understanding the culture and values of the organization.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Kenny Kaluiji

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community!

Feel free to find Thomas on LinkedIn to connect over supply chain sustainability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Geoffoy Henry, CEO of Ofload, discusses the importance of decarbonization and waste reduction in the logistics industry. He shares his background and journey to Ofload, highlighting the need for change in the industry. Geoff also talks about the maturity of Scope 3 regulation in Australia and the role of multinational companies in driving sustainability. He emphasizes the importance of measuring and understanding carbon emissions in logistics and the potential of electric trucks. Geoff also discusses the benefits of intermodal transportation and the social challenges in the trucking industry, such as mental health and safety. He talks about the difficulty of attracting new drivers and suggests potential solutions such as associating with bodies and lobbying to lower the minimum age requirement for a license. Geoff also highlights the risks associated with the freight industry, including the transportation of illegal goods. Finally, Geoff emphasizes the progress being made in sustainability and the changing mentality within the industry.

Takeaways

• Decarbonization and waste reduction are crucial in the logistics industry to drive sustainability.
• Measuring and understanding carbon emissions is essential for making informed decisions and driving change.
• Electric trucks are a viable option for short-distance transportation, while hydrogen may be more suitable for long-distance transportation.
• Intermodal transportation, such as using boats and trains, can help reduce carbon emissions and optimize logistics.
• The social side of ESG in trucking includes addressing mental health, safety, and the well-being of truck drivers. The logistics industry faces challenges in attracting new drivers, and efforts should be made to make the job more appealing and accessible.
• The freight industry carries risks, including the transportation of illegal goods, and companies should be vigilant in inspecting their trucks and shipments.
• There is progress being made in sustainability within the logistics industry, with a growing understanding of carbon footprint and a shift in decision-making towards environmental considerations.
• Transformation and positive change are happening in the industry, and it is important to measure progress and celebrate the small steps taken.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Geoffroy Henry

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community!

Feel free to find Thomas on LinkedIn to connect over supply chain sustainability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Anastasia Kuskova discusses her experience running sustainability for a large company and her journey into the field. She emphasizes the importance of supply chain sustainability and shares insights from her work at ERG, a metals and mining company. Anastasia also introduces Sirius, an AI-driven sustainability copilot for mining and metal companies. She highlights the challenges and best practices of industry collaborations and offers advice on getting started with supply chain sustainability.

Takeaways

• Supply chain sustainability is a critical aspect of corporate sustainability, especially in industries like metals and mining.
• Prioritization is key when tackling supply chain sustainability, considering regional differences and materiality analysis.
• Industry collaborations can be challenging but can also drive meaningful change if dedicated resources are invested and clear goals are set.
• Startups like Sirius are leveraging AI and data infrastructure to simplify and streamline sustainability efforts in supply chains.
• Getting started with supply chain sustainability requires understanding priorities, embracing the process, and taking action.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Anastasia Kuskova

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community!

Feel free to find Thomas on LinkedIn to connect over supply chain sustainability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast is about the successes and failures, learnings, do's and don'ts, and stories coming from real people on their journey in the climate transition. It's called Next Frontier because we focus on the supply chain, which is often both the root cause and the solution to many sustainability problems but it's immensely complex.

Within the overall climate and sustainability movement, the supply chain is very much the next frontier that needs to be conquered. In an era of greenwashing and now also greenhushing, we need to get way better at sharing our learnings with each other. And honestly, we need to make it more interesting. It's heavy to read about the impending doom and gloom of climate change and social issues like slavery and child labor. So our hope with Next Frontier is to package it in a more interesting and entertaining format.

Personally, I'm a climate entrepreneur. I've built two companies now that focus on sustainable supply chain, one focused on logistics and the other one on procurement. So I've been having interesting discussions in this field for a while, both with technologists trying to tackle the problem with technology, but also with working with practitioners who are experiencing real-life issues every single day.

Next Frontier brings you the perspectives of both the practitioners who are on their own journey and the entrepreneurs and advisors who have been working in detail with these problems across companies. We'll try to focus on very tangible and real-world examples and hopefully get away from all of the buzzwords and high-level talk.

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and engage with me directly on LinkedIn or by email.

I hope you'll enjoy listening to Next Frontier as much as I enjoy producing the episodes. See you in the next episode!

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.