The Responsible Edge Podcast

The paint industry increasingly presents itself as sustainable. Labels highlight “water-based”, “low VOC”, and other environmental claims.

But what actually sits inside the tin?

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Charlie Martin speaks with historic building envelope consultant and paint manufacturer Michiel Brouns about the gap between sustainability language and material reality in the coatings industry.

Michiel explains how his work began in historic building preservation in the Netherlands before moving to the UK in 2006. While advising architects on heritage glazing, he repeatedly encountered the same question: which paint should be used on historic timber?

The answer, linseed oil paint, had centuries of proven use. Yet many architects had never encountered it. “Somebody has to manufacture it,” Michiel recalls. That realisation led to the creation of Brouns & Co.

The conversation then turns to the wider industry debate. Discussing the British Coatings Federation’s guide on environmental claims, Michiel argues the sector often relies on terminology rather than material transparency. He describes the approach as “a perfect example of flooding the zone.”

The discussion explores the structural power of petrochemical supply chains, the environmental implications of modern coatings, and the growing demand for natural materials in construction.

Michiel also outlines the single change he believes would shift the market most quickly: honest ingredient listings on building materials.

Listen to the full episode for a detailed discussion on natural paints, historic buildings, and the communication gap inside the sustainability conversation.

#ResponsibleBusiness #SustainableBuilding #Greenwashing #NaturalMaterials #Architecture

Sustainability standards are designed to drive real-world impact. Certification schemes cite income gains, biodiversity protection and improved environmental management. But do they transform systems, or simply standardise compliance?

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Pooran Desai, founder of OnePlanet.com and creator of the One Planet Living framework, examines the evidence behind sustainability standards and where they fall short.

Drawing on his experience in sustainable forestry, Pooran describes Forest Stewardship Council certification as “an absolute nightmare,” arguing that auditors often had “nowhere near their knowledge and understanding” compared to the woodland workers they assessed. For him, certification can shift authority away from practitioners and toward box-ticking.

He challenges the reliance on evidence-led policymaking, stating, “Evidence is only what you look for.” Metrics capture what is measured, not necessarily what matters. Standards, he argues, should act as a minimum safeguard. “Regs for the dregs,” he says, suggesting compliance should be a floor rather than a signal of leadership.

The discussion moves beyond certification to corporate governance and shareholder primacy. If sustainability requires systems thinking, can it be delivered through predefined metrics alone?

Listen to explore the tension between compliance and authenticity, and whether standards can ever substitute for stewardship.

#SustainabilityStandards #ResponsibleBusiness #SystemsThinking #ESG #CorporateGovernance

The built environment produces more than one third of global waste. Yet only around one percent of building materials are reused.

In this episode, Tina Snedker Kristensen, founder of BuildDirection and former Head of Sustainability & Communications at Troldtekt A/S, examines why circularity in construction remains structurally constrained.

Drawing on more than two decades inside the building materials industry, Tina explains how certification frameworks such as Cradle to Cradle shifted sustainability from communication to operational discipline. “It’s not just a stamp that you get,” she says. “You have to work continuously and improve on all five criteria.”

The conversation moves from theory to site-level reality. Dismantling decades-old materials is labour intensive. Technical performance must be reverified. Ownership is often unclear. Virgin materials remain cheaper because industrial systems are optimised for linear production.

Denmark’s tightening building regulations are beginning to shift demand. Reused materials can now count as zero CO₂ in life-cycle assessments. But legacy buildings lack documentation. “If I had a magic wand,” Tina says, “I would hope that it could sort of scan a building and define which kind of materials are there.”

This episode examines where circular ambition meets commercial constraint, and what must change for reuse to move beyond one percent.

Listen to understand the operational reality behind the circular construction narrative.

#CircularEconomy #SustainableConstruction #BuiltEnvironment #ESGStrategy #CradleToCradle

Compostable packaging is widely presented as a sustainable alternative to plastic. But does it solve the core issue?

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Clare Brass, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Moree, examines why compostables often fail in practice and why recycling cannot keep pace with rising consumption.

“Very often if you switch one material for another material, you’re just putting the problem somewhere else,” she says.

Claire explains how contamination undermines recycling streams, why recycled material degrades in quality, and why disposal systems were never designed to absorb endless growth. “We have to turn off the tap.”

The conversation then turns to reuse. At Moree, Claire works with coffee roasteries to replace single-use one-kilogram bags with reusable five-kilogram vessels, supported by tracking software and clear commercial incentives. Over time, most clients reduce packaging costs while cutting waste and emissions.

The episode explores upfront cost barriers, incumbent business models built on volume, and why start-ups may be better positioned to test alternative systems.

Listen to the full conversation for a detailed examination of what systemic change in packaging really requires.

#CircularEconomy #ReusablePackaging #Sustainability #CoffeeIndustry #SystemsThinking

Most boards believe they are prepared for a cyber attack.

Joseph Hubback reviewed research showing that 94% of boards feel comfortable with their security posture. Yet cyber attacks continue every week.

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Joseph explains why cyber risk becomes an executive decision the moment systems fail. “When the attack happens, the CSO will do all they can,” he says, “but it’s the CEO and the executives that will be in the limelight.”

He challenges two familiar responses.

First, education. Many organisations focus on phishing simulations and awareness campaigns. Joseph argues that leaders should begin with assets. What revenue streams matter most? What digital systems keep the company trading? Protection should start with value.

Second, collaboration. Industry groups share ideas, but few organisations define what support will look like in a crisis. Joseph asks what agreements are in place before the breach. Who provides capacity if systems go down? How will customers and suppliers respond?

This is a conversation about governance, accountability and complacency. Cyber security is tested under pressure. The real question is whether boards understand what they stand to lose.

Listen to explore why confidence may not equal preparedness.

#CyberSecurity #BoardLeadership #RiskManagement #Resilience #CorporateGovernance

Should agencies be held responsible for the harm caused by their clients?

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, we examine one of the most difficult questions facing consultancies and creative agencies today. As scrutiny around greenwashing, ethics, and accountability intensifies, neutrality is no longer an easy defence.

Becky Holland, founder and CEO of BH&P, has spent her career inside marketing, consultancy, and behaviour change. She works with organisations in energy, finance, and technology, sectors where impact is complex and rarely clean. Her view is grounded, pragmatic, and shaped by lived experience.

“There’s a lot of damage that can be done by good people working inside bad systems,” Becky says.

This conversation explores:

- Whether agencies can ever be morally neutral

- How to interrogate the brief behind the brief

- Why refusing work is sometimes easier than doing it responsibly

- The limits of standards, certifications, and absolutes

- What real accountability in consultancy could look like

Becky argues that most organisations operate in grey areas, and that walking away does not always reduce harm. Instead, responsibility lies in rigour, judgement, and an honest assessment of impact.

This episode is essential viewing for anyone working in consulting, marketing, strategy, or sustainability who is grappling with where responsibility truly sits.

#ResponsibleEdge #EthicalConsulting #AgencyAccountability #BehaviourChange #PurposeAndProfit

Many organisations are busy without being effective.

Projects multiply, initiatives overlap, and leaders spend increasing time maintaining activity rather than deciding what should stop. In this episode of The Responsible Edge, John reflects on why motion is often mistaken for progress, and why responsible leadership requires restraint as much as ambition.

Drawing on a career that spans military service, non-profit leadership, global corporate work, and the founding of Anthropy, John explains why middling projects are harder to end than failing ones, how emotional attachment distorts decision-making, and why organisations rarely apply clear endpoints to internal initiatives.

The conversation explores purpose not as a slogan, but as a practical filter for decisions. John describes how clarity of purpose can simplify choices, reduce distraction, and allow authority to be delegated without constant escalation.

The episode also addresses the wider context leaders operate within. Short-term reporting cycles, constant media noise, and social distraction make focus harder to sustain. John argues that courage and maturity are now more valuable leadership traits than speed or visibility.

The discussion closes with a grounded note of optimism, drawn from John’s work with emerging leaders who are already practising a quieter, more deliberate form of leadership.

#ResponsibleLeadership #PurposeInBusiness #LongTermThinking #OrganisationalFocus #EthicalLeadership

Artificial intelligence is moving fast into executive search. Promising speed, scale, and efficiency, it is reshaping how leaders are identified and shortlisted.

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Simon Heal, founder of Myco Search, explains why judgment cannot be automated when leadership decisions shape long-term outcomes. Drawing on more than twenty-five years in executive search and his current work in food and agri-food technology, Heal explores where AI adds value and where it creates risk.

The conversation covers:

- How AI tools are changing recruitment workflows

- Why historical data can reinforce narrow leadership patterns

- The danger of filtering out potential in emerging industries

- What transparency should look like in executive search

- Why food system leadership carries ethical weight

“AI is very good at spotting patterns,” Heal says. “It cannot spot potential.”

This episode is for founders, boards, recruiters, and anyone thinking seriously about how technology should support, not replace, human responsibility in hiring.

Listen, reflect, and consider where judgment belongs.

#ExecutiveSearch #AIandWork #FoodTech #Leadership #ResponsibleBusiness

The UK’s emissions are falling. But what if the numbers are hiding a deeper problem?

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Charlie Martin speaks with Sarah Le Gresley, Group Innovation and Sustainability Director at Michelmersh Brick Holdings, about the difference between territorial and consumption-based emissions and why it matters for British industry.

Sarah explains how emissions reductions across the UK ceramics sector are partly the result of factory closures, not just cleaner production. As manufacturing moves overseas, consumption remains unchanged, jobs disappear, and supply chains become more fragile.

“It’s not just an impact to our emissions,” Sarah says. “It’s an impact to our jobs.”

The conversation explores energy costs, offshoring, skills loss, and the unintended consequences of climate accounting that focuses on borders rather than behaviour.

“We are effectively offshoring manufacturing products to other countries,” Sarah says. “But we’re still consuming those products.”

This episode looks beyond headline targets to ask what responsibility really requires from climate policy, industry, and consumers.

#ResponsibleBusiness #ClimatePolicy #UKManufacturing #Sustainability

Recruiting for frontline roles has become increasingly difficult. Employers face high turnover, rising training costs, and constant pressure on customer-facing staff.

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, we speak with Christy Acton, founder and CEO of Standing Tall, about why some employers are finding stronger performance by hiring people who have experienced homelessness.

Standing Tall places people into demanding frontline roles alongside secure housing and twelve months of ongoing support. Employers are not choosing this model for reputational reasons. They are choosing it because it works.

Christy explains how lived hardship can translate into emotional intelligence, why recruits who have fought to re-enter work often stay longer, and how inclusive hiring can solve real workforce problems rather than create new ones.

The conversation challenges the idea that social value sits apart from commercial outcomes. Instead, it shows how recruitment decisions shape who succeeds inside an organisation, and why widening the talent pool can improve service where pressure is highest.

This episode is a grounded discussion about labour shortages, overlooked capability, and what happens when business need leads the way.

#InclusiveRecruitment #FrontlineWork #WorkforceStrategy #SocialValue #EthicalBusiness