The Bottom Line

Plastic is arguably one of the world's greatest inventions. Its' qualities allow it to be used in everything from food packaging to clothes and cars. But discarded plastic clogs up our rivers and oceans threatening marine life creating a consumer backlash. So what can the industry do to restore its reputation and how? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

GUESTS

Lubna Edwards, Global Sustainability Director, Klockner Pentaplast

Roger Baynham, Managing Director, Philip Tyler Polymers and Chair of the Recycling Group, British Plastics Federation

Adrian Griffiths, CEO and Founder, Recycling Technologies.

No supply chain is immune from disruption and shocks. From extreme weather to strikes and cyber crime, what causes a supply chain to fail? Join Evan Davis and guests.

Guests

Tim O'Malley, Managing Director of Nationwide Produce

Business has undergone seismic changes over the past decade; do the rules of business need to be re-written? If so, who should write them and what should they say?

There are thousands of festivals in the UK each year and millions of us go to them. But as an organiser how do you make any money? Do logistics and the British weather make them a risky business? Every year festivals get cancelled and some cease trading. Profit margins are tight, say organisers, and set-up costs are high. A big festival may have to pay more a million pounds to secure a top headline act.

Evan Davis and guests discuss mud, music and hard cash.

Guests:

The UK has been a global leader in the Advertising Industry since the end of the last century. But like many businesses it's now facing disruption from technology. Pop up banners on the internet and social influencers are cheaper and more immediate. Evan Davis and guests discuss whether a data driven approach to advertising will eventually kill creativity.

GUESTS

Sir John Hegarty, Co-Founder BBH

Rohan Midha, Managing Director, PMYB

Rory Sutherland, Vice-chairman, Ogilvy

Producer: Julie Ball.

Commodities are the raw materials which oil the wheels of the modern economy. From minerals to crude oil to coffee, Evan Davis and guests look at how the business of buying and selling commodities works and why it matters to all of us.

GUESTS

Andrew Gowers, Global Head of Corporate Affairs, Trafigura

Jean-Francois Lambert, Founder, Lambert Commodities

Colin Hamilton, MD Commodities Research, BMO Capital Markets.

Social media giants mishandle data, banks mis-sell PPI insurance, engineers arrange for cars to cheat emissions tests. Why do companies sometimes do bad things? Evan Davis and guests discuss whether it's by accident or deliberate. Coverage of business wrongdoing often focuses on bad individuals but how far can a company's culture be blamed?

In some countries politicians have fixed term limits. What would happen if the same principle applied to CEOs? On average bosses in the UK stay for just under six years. But founder chief executives stay much longer. Evan Davis and guests discuss whether chief executives know when their time is up?

Guests:

Martin Gilbert, co-ceo, Aberdeen Standard Investments.

Is becoming a franchisee a good way to start your own business? Evan Davis and guests discuss the ups and downs of franchising.

GUESTS

Ken Deary, Franchisor Right at Home

Rachana Pancholi, Franchisee, Subway

Roz Goldstein Goldstein Legal

Producer: Julie Ball.

Facebook, Apple, Google, or Amazon. Dominant companies that today look unassailable. But similar claims were made about MySpace, Tesco, Microsoft, Kodak and Polaroid. However, these companies turned out to be more vulnerable than anyone thought. Evan Davis and guests discuss invulnerability, complacency and hubris in corporations.

Guests:

Sean Percival, entrepreneur and former Vice President for Online Marketing at MySpace