Martijn Lindeman is co-founder of Follow - a social travel and experiences network with a focus on positivity, friendship and fun. Follow’s goal is to utilize and leverage their platform for the benefit of people and planet with smart business models.

Host Kate Hutchinson and Martijn discuss how the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are vital to how Follow runs as a company - they are using SDG 3 - (good health and wellbeing) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) to help create SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities).

Follow aims to combine the power of machine-learning based social media platforms (like TikTok) with wellbeing principles like  The Blue Zones (places in the world where people tend to live longer) to  enable people to connect, be inspired and be encouraged - in an action-based bespoke way - to live sutainably.

If you like the idea of making sustainability a core pillar of your business or lifestyle (and hopefully both) then this episode is full of fascinating and useful insights.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

For the last 17 months on 'The 17' podcast, host Kate Hutchinson (Founder - Yorkshire Sustainability Festival) has been talking to sustainability experts about the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. To celebrate our 17th episode, we're putting together a two-part 'Best Of' - featuring all our expert guests. The result is a powerful overview of the challenges facing the planet and the best ideas on how to progress.

This episode is Part 2.

Featured guests and SDG's in this episode:

Sustainability Pioneers:

Mike Berners-Lee (Carbon footprint expert)

Jo Fairley (co-founder of Green and Blacks, a  pioneer of Fairtrade)

John Elkington (visionary author who coined many of the sustainability terms we use today)

Dr Alan James (future sustainable travel expert)

Sri Hollema (young eco-inventor)

SDGs and Episode Themes:

SDG 4 - Quality Education (Guest - UK and international education expert Nathan Atkinson)

SDG 5 - Gender Equality (Guest - Venture capitalist and employment charity Founder Helen Oldham)

Green Skills - Co-Founders of disruptive eco skills and employment consultancy Creaticity, Richelle Schuster and Martyn Long 

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

For the last 16 months on 'The 17' podcast, host Kate Hutchinson (Founder - Yorkshire Sustainability Festival) has been talking to sustainability experts about the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. To celebrate our 17th episode, we're putting together a two-part 'Best Of' - featuring all our expert guests. The result is a powerful overview of the challenges facing the planet and the best ideas on how to progress.

This episode is Part 1, with the second part to follow in September.

Featured guests and SDG's in this episode:

SDG 6 - Clean Water & Sanitation - Niki Roach (Planet Possible)

SDG 8 - Decent Work & Economic Growth - Tim Frenneaux (Economist)

SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure - Eve Roodhouse (Local Government Expert)

SDG 12 - Responsible Production & Consumption - Andrew Ostcliffe (Oxfam)  and Josie Warden (Volans)

SDG 13 - Climate Action - Clover Hogan (Climate Activist) & Areeba Hamid (Greenpeace)

SDG 2 - Zero Hunger  - Dev Sharma (Food Activist and Youth MP), interviewed by guest host and Digital Changemaker Lella Halloum

SDG 15 - Life On Land - Dr Wayne Visser (Nature Expert and Futurist)

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

Kate Hutchinson is usually the host of this podcast but with the recent success of the Yorkshire Sustainability Festival, it's the perfect time for her to sit in the guest's chair. 

Producer Andy takes over interviewing duties and we hear about the key themes from the festival including what high profile keynote speakers Mary Portas and Kevin McCloud had to say. Kate also talks about her own pivot towards sustainability. She explains how sustainability found her - as her company produced more and more events linked to green issues and equality, her interest grew. Then, a chance mention of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a conversation with a mentor led Kate to find out more, lean in to this roadmap to protect the planet... and the rest is history, including this podcast itself.

Kate launched Yorkshire Sustainability Week in 2023, then delivered an even bigger and better event - Yorkshire Sustainability Festival in the summer of 2024. In this episode she maps out her even grander plans for 2025 and beyond and talks inspirationally about how sustainability and business can work hand in hand to make the region, the country and the world... a better place.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

Many governments, policies and projects refer to the future need for "green skills"... but do we really understand what they are, do we have the structures and education system to provide them and are policies and industries ready to take a leading role in harnessing them?

A green industrial revolution has begun. Doing it properly could deliver the sustainable future the planet needs, but a lot will need to change. Education, careers, funding and a totally new approach to innovation. 

In this episode Richelle Schuster and Martyn Long - founders of new company Creaticity which aims to shape sustainable cities by improving skills, innovation and collaboration - share their expertise and a vision of the future where young people are given the platform and opportunity to solve the world's problems.

To find out more about Creaticity, visit wearecreaticity.co.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

This month, we're revisiting past episodes of The 17 podcast to give you the essentials on two crucial SDGs - Climate Action and Zero Hunger.

In Episode 7, Kate Hutchinson spoke to climate activist Clover Hogan and Areeba Hamid from Greenpeace to discuss SDG 13 - Climate Action. What's the current climate crisis situation? Are governments and big business doing enough to improve things? What can we do as individuals? What climate action is necessary?

In Episode 8, Lella Halloum spoke to youth parliament member and food poverty campaigner Dev Sharma about SDG 2 - Zero Hunger. Why are young people like Dev and Lella so concerned about the current nutritional situation both here in the UK and around the world? Were things different in the past and do we need to look backward in history for lessons that can help us build a better food future and achieve zero hunger?

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

If women don't have the same rights, opportunities and pathways as men, then as a planet we are not harnessing the full potential of the people who live on earth. 50% of the world's population is female, but at the moment, that is where equality ends.

SDG 5 is… GENDER EQUALITY - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Expert guest Helen Oldham is someone who has blazed a trail of business success in often male-dominated sectors and now works to provide opportunity, investment and support to female founders and women looking to progress in the world of work. In her career Helen Oldham has turned around massive media organisations as a Managing Director. Now she is the co-Founder of Lifted Ventures which backs female entrepreneurs and also a founding trustee of the female employment charity Smart Works.

In this episode, Kate and Helen discuss...

The global context. What is the nature of the challenge to improve the current situation where, if existing rates of progress continue, it will take hundreds of years to get equality in leadership roles? Helen thinks the stats speak for themselves... in a start-up context female founders out-perform male ones... so why don't they get the same access to funding? Releasing the potential of women by giving equal access to funding and opportunity can boost business, innovation and the green sector on a global scale.

A national and regional focus. What particular challenges does the UK face? Helen talks about her work with Smart Works and outlines some of the hurdles women in the UK face getting into work. She also recounts stories from her own career where she has faced obstacles and prejudice. Helen and Kate discuss recent government policy changes around angel investment and Helen has direct feedback to regional investment funds about the levels of female representation on funding panels.

Finally Helen and Kate bring the conversation to a practical focus. What can be done to actually deliver SDG 5 at global, national and regional scales? Plus, how can we help? What one thing can we stop doing, and what one thing can we start doing that will make a real positive difference, right now?

To find about more about Lifted Ventures, go to liftedventures.co.uk

To find out more about Smart Works, visit smartworks.org.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

Education has a vital role to play in meeting every one of the UN's 17 SDGs. To solve an issue, first you must understand it and education gives all humans the foundation on which to build knowledge, and, via curiosity, learn and progress.

But what about education itself? Are people - young and old - around the world getting the opportunities to learn that they deserve? Are they even getting their basic needs met to be in a position to start learning?

SDG 4 is… QUALITY EDUCATION - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Expert guest Nathan Atkinson has a stellar career in education and sustainability is a huge part of his purpose and approach. He's a richly experienced Headteacher who is also co-founder of Rethink Food, which aims to deliver 10 million hours of education in support of improved food security.

In this episode, Kate and Nathan discuss...

The global context. What is the nature of the challenge to improve the current situation where hundreds of millions of young people don't get basic levels of education. Where are the inequalities, what's the direction of travel and how can these macro level problems be addressed? Nathan has experience of working with teachers across the world and is able to bring  to life the vast variety of contexts, approaches and solutions that are out there.

A national and regional focus. What particular challenges does the UK face? Are teachers overwhelmed? What about funding levels? How do we address a growing mental health crisis in young people that drastically affects their education and future prospects? Nathan describes the in-school experiences that inspired him to co-found Rethink Food and explains how food is the perfect vehicle to address basic "ready-to-learn" needs plus provides a clear path to explore and ingrain sustainability.

Finally Nathan and Kate bring the conversation to a practical focus. What can be done to actually deliver SDG 4 at global, national and regional scales? Plus, how can we help? What one thing can we stop doing, and what one thing can we start doing that will make a real positive difference, right now?

To find about more about Rethink Food, visit rethinkfood.co.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

In this 'Pioneers' episode, two experts at the cutting edge of green tech innovation share their insights and expertise.

Dr Alan James has a vision for sustainable national transport systems for the UK and beyond that are powered by renewable energy. As well as updated grid systems capable of storing captured energy from renewables, he introduces us to exciting concepts such as hyperloops which could cut down inter-city travel times to mere minutes.

Also, Dr James - through his personal example at his own house - demonstrates how it is possible to save thousands of pounds of money and achieve hugely significant reductions in CO2 emissions... by installing the latest green tech in the home.

Sri Hollema is a young inventor and green tech entrepreneur whose innovative product - Mat Zero - creates a warm and comfortable sleeping surface for refugees using renewable energy. Sri shares her advice for innovators and makes a case for why business should - and can - be done in a sustainable way.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

The usual format of The 17 podcast is to focus each episode on one of the UN's 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) but the next two episodes are different. They will feature Sustainability Pioneers - the experts, thought-leaders and innovators who have shaped sustainability up to the present day, and will address the challenges of the future.

In this Pioneers episode we talk to:

Mike Berner-Lee, an expert on carbon footprints and net zero and a globally-respected expert on the changes needed at a global systemic level to protect the future of the planet.

Jo Fairley, one of the leaders of the Fairtrade movement, who, as co-Founder of Green & Black's chocolate, changed the game in terms of business being done in a sustainable way.

John Elkington, often referred to as a founding father of sustainability, he pretty much coined the term and has written many influential books grappling with a path through the competing pressures of economic thriving and environmental responsibility.

Asking the questions are Kate Hutchinson and Lella Halloum. These interviews were recorded at Yorkshire Sustainability Week 2023.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk