Why Businesses Must Influence Policy to Succeed in Climate Tech – with Chris Moyer, Founder of EchoComms.

Policy isn’t just a government affair - it’s your business strategy. In this eye-opening episode of Pricing For The Planet, host Fabien Cros is joined by Chris Moyer, founder of Echo Communications Advisors, to unpack why every business working on sustainability, energy, or climate tech must engage with public policy now - not later.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or executive, this episode will change the way you think about stakeholder mapping, go-to-market, and risk mitigation.

🚨 Why You Should Listen

✅ You’re missing a stakeholder. Most startups focus on customers, partners, and investors - but forget policymakers, regulators, and local officials who can either unlock your growth or quietly block your path.

✅ Policy shapes markets. The most influential climate entrepreneurs today don’t just ride regulation - they help shape it. And that gives them a strategic moat.

✅ Silence is dangerous. If you don’t tell your story to decision-makers, someone else will—often with inaccurate or hostile narratives that erode public and political support.

🧠 Key Learnings from the Episode

1. Policy is proactive, not reactive

“Don’t wait until the law threatens your business - start building relationships when you don’t need anything.”

2. Regulation can be a growth lever

Chris shares how companies that actively engaged in the policy process secured favorable tax credits, gained first-mover advantages, and scaled faster.

3. Storytelling wins legislation

Funding rounds, job creation milestones, clean energy breakthroughs - all are political capital. Know how to use them with mayors, governors, and senators.

4. Messaging matters more than ever

Climate framing is shifting: today, you must align with values like energy independence, price reduction, and American manufacturing strength to resonate politically—even if your core mission is still climate resilience.

5. Start local, scale up

You don’t need to start in Washington. Your local mayor, council, or governor may be your most powerful ally—and your fastest route to impact.

6. Be part of your industry’s voice

If you can’t go it alone, join (or start) a trade group or coalition to advocate for your sector and protect your long-term interests.

7. Time constraints are real—but manageable

Chris offers pragmatic advice on how time-strapped leaders can engage effectively without being political insiders, including how his firm supports that process.

8. The U.S. policy landscape is volatile—plan accordingly

Rapid swings in regulation (especially between presidential terms) mean companies need to understand and anticipate legislative risk—not just climate risk.

9. Europe vs. U.S.: A tale of two systems

Chris compares the European regulatory depth with the U.S. political unpredictability—arguing that certainty, not light regulation, is the real competitive advantage.

Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismoyerecho

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In this episode of the Pricing For The Planet Podcast, we have the pleasure of speaking with Vastani Saloni Firasta, professor at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and author of Purpose Driven Pricing. Saloni discusses her journey in pricing and how it intersects with sustainability, offering valuable insights for companies looking to make a real impact on the planet. Saloni outlines the four key stages of sustainability maturity and emphasizes the importance of education, internal alignment, and the critical role of pricing in driving sustainability initiatives without compromising profitability.

We explore practical examples, including the concept of Green Premium, societal impact through pricing, and the ways companies can make trade-offs to balance business goals and environmental responsibilities. Saloni also shares powerful real-world examples, such as the transformation of Alazar Park in Cairo, to illustrate the lasting societal benefits of well-thought-out pricing strategies.

Follow Saloni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saloni-firasta-vastani-4b80121a/

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In this special episode of the Pricing For The Planet Podcast, we speak with Rija Goldscheider, co-founder of We Don’t Need Roads, to explore the critical steps needed to turn sustainability commitments into real-world actions. With a background in communication and digital transformation at companies like Google, Rija shares his journey into the sustainability sector and how We Don’t Need Roads is supporting major global brands in their sustainable transitions. Rija emphasizes that anyone can contribute to sustainability, regardless of their background, and explains how his firm helps businesses move from strategy to impactful action.

Throughout the episode, Rija discusses topics like decarbonization strategies, circular economy models, and the importance of monetizing sustainability to create long-term business success. He also introduces the concept of "redesign thinking," which combines economic viability with sustainable impact, ensuring that companies can thrive while respecting planetary boundaries.

Follow Rija on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rija-goldscheider/

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Sorouch shares his personal journey into sustainability, insights on how Schneider Electric integrates sustainability into its business model, and real-world examples of companies that successfully merge business performance with climate impact. We also discuss the evolving role of sustainability leaders, the importance of ecosystem collaboration, and what companies can do today to future-proof their strategies.

💡 Key Takeaways:

✅ Sustainability is not an enemy to business - it’s an opportunity.

✅ Companies must look beyond their own footprint and engage their ecosystem.

✅ The shift towards servitization and circular models is accelerating.

✅ There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach—each industry must find its unique path.

✅ Sustainability leaders today must speak both the language of activism and the language of business to drive real impact.

****Stay Connected with Pricing for the Planet:

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In this episode of the Pricing for the Planet podcast, host Fabien Cros interviews Daniel Jeanroy, a certified Chief Value Officer (CVO), to explore how the CVO role transforms the traditional understanding of value in business. Daniel discusses the need to move beyond purely financial measures and integrate environmental and social impacts into value creation. He emphasizes the power of rethinking ROI, applying risk management tools from finance and insurance to long-term sustainability challenges like climate change.

Key Takeaways and Aha Moments:

-Value Beyond Profits: Businesses must consider long-term sustainability, not just immediate financial returns. Traditional ROI models are insufficient for 21st-century challenges.

-Double Materiality: This emerging concept requires companies to assess both their financial and environmental/social impact, creating a more holistic view of risk and opportunity.

-Leverage Financial Expertise for Sustainability: Techniques from risk management and insurance can be applied to model and mitigate climate-related risks, positioning CVOs as strategic players in sustainability.

-New Frameworks in Action: Daniel explains how companies can operationalize sustainability through updated accounting standards like IFRS and CSRD, enabling better decision-making on sustainability initiatives.

Aha Moments:

-Recalibrating ROI: Daniel illustrates how Chief Value Officers are crucial in shifting business focus from short-term profits to long-term resilience by integrating climate risk into financial models.

-CFO and CSO Collaboration: The collaboration between CFOs and Chief Sustainability Officers is key to bringing sustainability projects into the core business strategy.

-Modeling Risk for the Future: Businesses are increasingly using risk models from the financial sector to understand the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss on their operations.

Top Advice for Aspiring CVOs:

-Risk Management as a Gateway: Daniel's journey highlights how a background in risk management, finance, or insurance can be leveraged to transition into sustainability roles.

-Seek Specialized Training: Daniel recommends pursuing a Chief Value Officer certification or similar executive education to master the integration of sustainability into business operations.

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In this episode of the Pricing for the Planet podcast, host Fabien Cros sits down with Maria Costa, Head of Sustainability Wealth Management and Insurance at Santander UK, to discuss how to forge a successful career in sustainability. Maria shares practical advice on breaking into the field, essential skills you need to thrive, and how to leverage both innovation and technology—especially AI—to accelerate your impact. Whether you’re looking to transition into sustainability or advance your existing career, this episode is packed with actionable insights and tips.

Key Takeaways:

-Build resilience: Sustainability is a field full of challenges. You’ll hear "no" often, but persistence is key to success.

-Network shamelessly: Reach out to people in the industry. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice—most people are willing to help.

-Stakeholder management is vital: Knowing how to communicate sustainability’s value to different business areas is crucial.

-Upskilling is essential, but not mandatory: Formal education (like certifications) is helpful, but on-the-job learning and experience are equally valuable.

-AI is the future: Understanding how AI can help accelerate sustainable business strategies will be a key differentiator in your career.

-Big organizations vs. Startups: Choose the path that suits you—startups offer fast innovation, while big organizations provide scale and long-term impact.

Aha Moments:

-You don't need a degree in sustainability to enter the field—build expertise in a niche and keep learning.

-Whether in a startup or large corporation, you can create significant impact in sustainability with the right approach.

-AI and other emerging technologies will play a transformative role in the sustainability landscape.

-Staying ahead of tech trends will give you a competitive edge.

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In this episode, we’re thrilled to have Julia Nitz, an expert in ESG reporting and sustainability, joining us to demystify one of the hottest topics in sustainability right now: double materiality, a key concept from the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Key Takeaways:

1/ Double Materiality Explained – Julia breaks down double materiality into its two core components:

-Impact Materiality: What’s the company’s effect on the environment and society?

-Financial Materiality: What are the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities for the company itself? It’s about seeing sustainability both as a responsibility and a business imperative.

2/ Why Double Materiality Matters – The CSRD introduces a forward-thinking approach by focusing not only on how financial health is impacted by ESG factors but also how companies impact the world around them. Unlike the U.S. single materiality approach, this dual focus adds depth to sustainability assessments.

3/ Starting with a Baseline – Julia emphasizes that for companies starting their CSRD journey, it’s crucial to first assess where you are. Conducting a double materiality assessment helps set a foundation, determining which sustainability factors are most relevant for the company.

4/ The Realities of Double Materiality Assessments – From her experience leading workshops at NEMAC, Julia shares the "aha moment" of realizing how detailed and collaborative the process can be. Getting cross-departmental input helps uncover diverse perspectives on what really impacts the business and the world.

5/ CSRD is an Opportunity, Not Just a Compliance Headache – For many, CSRD feels overwhelming due to its complexity. But Julia sees it as an opportunity to drive genuine sustainability transformation, especially as companies move from reactive reporting to proactive innovation. The CSRD also fosters transparency, allowing companies to benchmark against competitors more effectively.

6/ It’s Not About Perfection—It’s About Progress – Julia reassures companies that the process doesn’t need to be perfect from day one. Instead, it's about evolving your approach over time, starting with what you know, and adjusting as you gather more data and experience.

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Welcome to another episode of the Pricing for the Planet Podcast, where we delve into the crucial intersection of business and sustainability. In this episode, we're thrilled to host William Nait Mazi, an expert at the forefront of blending AI, data, and sustainability.

Join us as we explore the evolving role of data in sustainability, how AI is being used to tackle environmental challenges, and the importance of data quality in driving effective sustainability initiatives. William shares his journey from marine impact studies to leading roles in sustainability and CSR, and how his work at Ekimetrics is helping businesses become more data-driven in their sustainability efforts.

We also discuss the carbon impact of AI technologies and how companies can ensure that their AI-driven sustainability projects are truly beneficial for the planet.

🔗 Learn more about Ekimetrics: https://ekimetrics.com/

Watch the Ekimetrics Demo on YouTube:    / @ekimetrics  

Key Topics Covered:

-The evolving role of data in sustainability

-How AI can assist in data collection, analysis, and action in CSR

-The impact of AI on carbon emissions and how to measure it

-Practical examples of AI improving sustainability initiatives

-The importance of collaboration across departments in sustainability efforts

Follow William Nait Mazi:   / williamnaitmazi  

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Join us for a masterclass on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) with Fabien Cros and expert guest, Michel Scholte, co-founder of CSRDAcademy.com (https://csrdacademy.com/). This episode dives deep into the nuances of CSRD, its significance in the European regulatory landscape, and its impact on approximately 45,000 companies. Michel provides a succinct overview of how the CSRD extends the language of finance to include crucial elements of nature, society, and governance, aiming to ensure more sustainable corporate practices. Learn about the journey from previous directives to CSRD, the intricacies of the newly mandated European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and the practical implications for businesses across Europe. Whether you're a business leader, a sustainability professional, or simply keen on the future of corporate responsibility, this episode offers essential insights into the transformative power of transparency and regulation in sustainability. Check out the CSRDAcademy: https://csrdacademy.com/

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In this episode, Fabien Cros explores the radical concept of True Pricing with Michel Scholte, co-founder of the Impact Institute. Michel enlightens us on how businesses can adopt True Pricing to incorporate the real social and environmental costs into their products and services, revolutionizing both sustainability and consumer behavior. Through compelling narratives, including a transformative journey of a chocolate company that led to dramatic market success and societal benefits, Michel illustrates the profound impact of True Pricing. This episode unveils the pivotal "epiphany moment" that many businesses experience when they realize that ethical pricing not only aids sustainability but also enhances their market presence and consumer trust. Tune in to learn how implementing True Pricing could be the key to a sustainable business model that also drives economic success.

Check out True Price: https://trueprice.org/

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