The Corporate Activist

Who do you trust these days? According to today's guest, Emily Chan, most people put their trust in the people they work with, based on research found in the annual Edelman Trust Barometer.

Emily is the Executive Vice President and US West Lead of Social Impact and Sustainability for Edelman. She is a sustainability expert with a focus on corporate strategy who has consulted with clients from startups to the Fortune 50 for nearly 20 years.

Emily and her team lead advisory services to help clients research, create and execute impactful strategies and programmes.

In this very informative conversation we discuss a wide range of topics around corporate activism and what it means in today's dynamic business environment.

Here are the highlights:

(4:15) Edelman's findings on business trust

(9:08) Corporate trust, ESG, and social impact

(16:42) Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder engagement

(21:51) Navigating ESG backlash and measuring impact

(33:31) Corporate activism and sustainability

Find out more:

https://www.edelman.com/

https://www.edelman.com/trust/trust-barometer

https://www.lego.com/en-us/sustainability

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/sep/24/lego-abandons-effort-to-make-bricks-from-recycled-plastic-bottles

https://www.netflix.com/mc/title/81506279

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

Welcome to season 2 of the Corporate Activist Podcast. 

My guest for this episode is Giles Gibbons. 

Giles is the CEO and founder of Good Business, one of Europe's leading corporate responsibility consultancies. 

Giles is also the founder of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, a not-for-profit membership organisation helping restaurants to become more sustainable. 

So, join us as we discuss his experience in the industry, and how our businesses can make a difference.

Here are the highlights:

(4:51) Social responsibility in the 1990s

(9:58) Different marketing strategies

(14:05) Purpose-driven campaigns

(18:51) CEOs using business as a platform for value

(23:37) Sustainability in business and its impact on society

(33:25) Corporate activism and political issues

(39:10) Corporate activism and social impact

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

Find out more: 

https://good.business/

https://thesra.org/

https://www.avonworldwide.com/responsible-business

https://talkingtaboos.com/

In this episode, I’m joined by Perween Richards, Director of Research at Stance Advocacy Services. 

As the final episode in our first series we wanted to do a Question and Answer session to provide advice to listeners on how to best navigate some of the key issues around Corporate Activism.

We share best practices on how businesses can leverage their resources for good, as well as the issues and challenges which may arise from it.  We hope our advice will help inspire listeners and help everyone to be a Corporate Activist.

Perween is a publishing professional with advocacy and public affairs experience across a variety of organisations, with a focus on women’s and human rights in the Middle East. Born in Egypt, she earned her undergraduate degree in journalism and later moved to the UK to pursue a career in publishing. She is a literary translator in Arabic and was awarded an English PEN Translation grant in 2017.   

Highlights 

(01:52) Should your company take a stand? 

(07:09) How to get others on board 

(13:11) Guarding against backlash 

(22:02) How to be your whole self at work 

(27:05) Get clear on your goals 

(35:11) Find issues your stakeholders care about 

(40:19) Which companies are raising the bar? 

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

https://www.katespade.com/social-impact/on-purpose

https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

I am joined by Rebecca Holliday, the Director of Social Impact at Groundswell, for a wide ranging discussion about development and the future of philanthropy. Rebecca has a cross-sector background, having worked for the US Government, a large humanitarian non-profit and one of the world's largest multi-national corporations.

At Groundswell she is focused on helping corporations and their employees use a new approach and new technology to donate to - and engage with - causes that they care about most.

Highlights

(6:13) What is Groundswell?

(13:57) How important is corporate fundraising for nonprofits?

(18:51) Finding partners at the corporate and local level.

(22:17) The challenges of writing big checks for nonprofits.

(28:14) The role of an impact team in an organisation.

(31:45) The path to getting into the field.

Links

https://groundswell.org/

https://tonyschocolonely.com

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

In this episode, Edmund Le Brun joins me and we explore the work he is doing in countries impacted by conflict or political instability.

Edmund Le Brun is an Oxford University graduate and the co-founder of Ishkar, a trade and travel company, which he began with his wife in 2016. Edmund also currently holds a role leading business development for a global public health tech company operating in Africa and South Asia. 

Highlights

(1:07) Conflict creates misperceptions.

(6:19) Logistics is a challenge.

(12:06) How the company evolved over time.

(14:20) The impact of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan.

(24:47) How customers respond to the mission.

(28:59) Advice for social entrepreneurs starting out.

Links

https://www.lissongallery.com/news/christopher-le-brun-and-his-son-champion-afghan-weavers-in-the-financial-times

https://ishkar.com

https://gethomethings.com

IG: Ishkar.co

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

In this episode, Asanka De Mel joins me.

Asanka founded LOVI to create an authentic and united fashion identity rooted in Sri Lankan ethos. He hopes to share his love of this island paradise, its people and its culture with the world. Two things you should know: he’s a visionary working towards developing Sri Lanka and hell bent on building LOVI into an international fashion brand.

In this episode, we explore the importance of identity and self-worth, the need for the business sector and business leaders to step up in the face of corrupt governments and how he got started in the tech industry.

Highlights

(1:54) Returning to Sri Lanka after 25 years in the US.

(6:40) The switch to fashion is around identity.

(9:07) What is the process of making and designing clothes?

(19:16) The importance of identity and self-worth.

(21:45) Creating a new sense of pride in Sri Lanka.

(27:57) The need for the business sector and business leaders to step up in the face of corrupt governments.

Links

https://www.lovisarongs.com/

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

My guest today is Fred Wellman; an army veteran, democratic strategist, consultant and the host of his own podcast, On Democracy with FPWellman.

On today’s episode, we’ll dive deep into the role of business in both policy and politics.

Highlights

(15:08) Money is everything in politics

(18:05) Expose these companies

(30:18) The Normies!

(33:00) Government is not business

(40:19) Hold them accountable!

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

There has been a significant shift in how younger people connect with businesses.

But what is their general feeling when the companies they like engage in social and political issues?

Today it’s all about the youth perspective.

I’m joined by Millennial and Generations Z representatives to discuss how the action of companies can impact their buying decisions and lifestyle choices.

Highlights

(10:33) Building that trust

(20:51) A real community sense

(22:32) Purpose for companies

(27:56) Advertise ethically!

(37:12) A company should have a voice! 

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

Today, I’m joined by Charles de Segundo.

Charles founded, and is a partner at Impact Delta, a specialist advisory firm created to accelerate the adoption of a more responsible capitalism.

The firm advises its clients on developing and implementing industry-leading approaches to sustainability, in order to drive superior returns and asset-raising performance.

Highlights

(01:58) Unfolding environmental crisis

(12:09) Range of attitudes

(18:03) An overall plan

(18:18) Careful reflection

(25:40) Greenwashing

(39:31) Pro sustainability thinking 

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique

I am joined by Natasha Faruque and Sophie Toh.

Natasha started off her career in content and communications via a baptism by fire within the hallowed halls of The Conde Nast Publications in the UK. Currently, Natasha is Head of Content at the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism, the Pakistani native works as a regional freelance consultant, writer and editor for corporations, CEOs and websites.

Sophie is the Director of the PRCO Group, a global network of more than 100 luxury communications professionals offering best-in-class consumer and lifestyle campaigns to a notable client portfolio across offices in London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong, Milan, Moscow, Munich and Shanghai.

In this episode, we explore how companies communicate their positions on social and political issues and feature case studies of companies who have got it wrong.

Highlights

(07:09) Companies that have taken advantage of the non-binary campaign

(09: 47) The risks of taking a political stance

(21:24) Brands and their associations

(24:17) The BBC and Gary Lineker

(29:39) The World Cup in Qatar and how it impacted the world

(33:12) Advice for corporate leaders on taking an active stance on climate change

Connect with me:

Website: https://www.stanceadvocacy.com/

Twitter: @CorpActivist

Instagram: @corpactivist, @stanceadvocacy

This podcast is proudly produced by The Podcast Boutique