The Striving

Should your brand become a B Corp? Or is it just expensive “greenwashing”?

In this episode, we break down one of the most misunderstood certifications in business.

I’m joined by Armelle, who leads the B Corp community in Germany, to answer the questions founders, startups, and operators are actually asking:

👉 What does B Corp really mean beyond the logo?

👉 How long does certification take (months… or years)?

👉 Is it worth it for startups or just big brands like Patagonia?

👉 And will it help you stay compliant with new EU regulations?

What you’ll learn in this episode:

What the B Corp certification actually measures (and why it’s so rigorous)

The real timeline & resources required to become a B Corp

Why B Corp is more than a badge; it’s a framework for building better companies

How it helps with investors, hiring, and long-term resilience

The truth about greenwashing vs. real accountability

Why startups should consider it earlier than they think

How B Corp aligns with new EU sustainability regulations (like the Green Claims Directive)

Key takeaway:

B Corp isn’t about being perfect, it’s about building a business that’s accountable, transparent, and future-proof. And whether you certify or not, the framework itself might be one of the most valuable tools for running a better company.

Let us know in the comments: Would you consider becoming a B Corp, or is it not worth the effort?

Burning plastic sounds wrong.

But what if the real problem isn’t plastic — it’s the fact that half the world isn’t connected to waste collection at all?

In this episode, Axel Pieters — former executive at GeoCycle, one of the world’s largest waste treatment companies — explains co-processing: how cement kilns use waste as fuel at extremely high temperatures, leaving zero residue behind.

We talk about:

• Why landfills may be the real climate villain

• Why technology isn’t the bottleneck — money is

• The economics of waste in developing countries

• Lock-in effects and investment risks

• Why zero waste is unrealistic

• And why solving plastic pollution requires funding operations — not just building infrastructure

This is a grounded, practical look at what it actually takes to manage waste at scale.

If you want climate realism instead of slogans, this episode is for you.

Episode Summary

From German punk dropout to Indonesia's most influential plastic pollution educator, Benedict Wermter has lived multiple lives before turning 40. In this conversation, Benedict shares his journey from anti-establishment teenager to investigative journalist to social media educator reaching 5+ million Indonesians monthly. He reveals shocking realities of waste management in Indonesia, including how plastic waste is burned to steam tofu, and explains why he believes behavioral change—not recycling—holds the key to solving our plastic crisis.

Guest Bio

Benedict Wermter, known online as "Bule Sampah" (White Trash), is a German investigative journalist turned environmental educator based in Indonesia. He was the first trainee at Correktiv, Germany's premier investigative journalism outlet, and produced documentaries including "The Recycling Myth" that aired on BBC and German television. Today, he reaches over 5 million Indonesians monthly through social media, educating communities about plastic pollution and waste prevention. He also founded a foundation and developed the SampApp for waste education.

Key Topics Discussed

The Punk Years & Early Rebellion

• Dropping out of school at 16 in industrial West Germany
• Joining punk communities and questioning capitalist structures
• The transition from rebellion to purposeful activism
• How anti-establishment attitudes evolved into investigative journalism

Investigative Journalism Career

• Training at Correktiv with founder David
• Learning that most scandals happen "in front of everybody's eyes"
• Power dynamics and conflicts of interest in media
• The complexity of truth in environmental reporting 

Indonesia's Waste Crisis Reality

• Structural waste burning every afternoon across villages
• Children living on dump sites
• Plastic waste burned to steam tofu in factories
• Motor oil dumped directly onto trees
• The gap between tourist perception and reality

Building Bule Sampah

• Why he chose to educate rather than investigate
• Reaching 5+ million Indonesians monthly on Instagram
• Consumer behavior change vs. recycling solutions
• Measuring impact through surveys and the SampApp 

Solutions & Hope

• Why "zero waste" is misleading - better to have 10 people reduce waste 10% than 1 person reduce 80%
• The importance of connecting households to proper infrastructure
• Extended Producer Responsibility and regulatory frameworks
• Economic incentives for waste collection and management

Memorable Quotes

"The majority of scandals are not the secret things that need to be uncovered... the power abuse and the things that are actually scoops are happening in front of everybody's eyes."

"There is no way you can hate plastics. Plastics are the tool of our time. We all use them every day. It's clearly the age of plastics."

"Zero waste is also misleading. Like nobody can be zero waste. It's a bullshit term. We want 10 people to be 10% less wasteful."

"Waste management starts with consumption, obviously, and not with managing waste."

Episode Summary

From German punk dropout to Indonesia's most influential plastic pollution educator, Benedict Wermter has lived multiple lives before turning 40. In this conversation, Benedict shares his journey from anti-establishment teenager to investigative journalist to social media educator reaching 5+ million Indonesians monthly. He reveals shocking realities of waste management in Indonesia, including how plastic waste is burned to steam tofu, and explains why he believes behavioral change—not recycling—holds the key to solving our plastic crisis.

Guest Bio

Benedict Wermter, known online as "Bule Sampah" (White Trash), is a German investigative journalist turned environmental educator based in Indonesia. He was the first trainee at Correktiv, Germany's premier investigative journalism outlet, and produced documentaries including "The Recycling Myth" that aired on BBC and German television. Today, he reaches over 5 million Indonesians monthly through social media, educating communities about plastic pollution and waste prevention. He also founded a foundation and developed the SampApp for waste education.

Key Topics Discussed

The Punk Years & Early Rebellion

• Dropping out of school at 16 in industrial West Germany
• Joining punk communities and questioning capitalist structures
• The transition from rebellion to purposeful activism
• How anti-establishment attitudes evolved into investigative journalism

Investigative Journalism Career

• Training at Correktiv with founder David
• Learning that most scandals happen "in front of everybody's eyes"
• Power dynamics and conflicts of interest in media
• The complexity of truth in environmental reporting 

Indonesia's Waste Crisis Reality

• Structural waste burning every afternoon across villages
• Children living on dump sites
• Plastic waste burned to steam tofu in factories
• Motor oil dumped directly onto trees
• The gap between tourist perception and reality

Building Bule Sampah

• Why he chose to educate rather than investigate
• Reaching 5+ million Indonesians monthly on Instagram
• Consumer behavior change vs. recycling solutions
• Measuring impact through surveys and the SampApp 

Solutions & Hope

• Why "zero waste" is misleading - better to have 10 people reduce waste 10% than 1 person reduce 80%
• The importance of connecting households to proper infrastructure
• Extended Producer Responsibility and regulatory frameworks
• Economic incentives for waste collection and management

Memorable Quotes

"The majority of scandals are not the secret things that need to be uncovered... the power abuse and the things that are actually scoops are happening in front of everybody's eyes."

"There is no way you can hate plastics. Plastics are the tool of our time. We all use them every day. It's clearly the age of plastics."

"Zero waste is also misleading. Like nobody can be zero waste. It's a bullshit term. We want 10 people to be 10% less wasteful."

"Waste management starts with consumption, obviously, and not with managing waste."

Get ready to sail the high seas of policy and pollution!

This episode features the amazing Dr. Hannah Dijkstra, a plastic solution researcher, consultant, and communication whiz who has seen the plastic problem from the most remote beach on Earth to the painfully slow United Nations negotiation rooms.Host Joel Tasche and Dr. Dijkstra dive into the high-stakes drama of the UN Global Plastics Treaty, the frustrating tactics used to stall progress, and the heroic innovators working on solutions right now.1. Paradise Lost: The Shocking Reality of Henderson IslandForget paradise; imagine an uninhabited atoll so remote the closest people are "likely on the International Space Station" and it's absolutely smothered in plastic.The Mission: Dr. Dijkstra joined Plastic Odyssey, an organization with a vessel that sails the world doing education and advocacy on a cleanup expedition to Henderson Island.The Haul: Her team of about 13 people removed approximately nine tons of plastic from the beach.The Truth: Scientific studies found the majority of the waste wasn't consumer packaging, but waste of a fishing or maritime origin likely lost at sea or intentionally dumped.The Numbers: They removed a staggering 1,500 buoys and found almost 1,000 PET bottles with waste originating from 20 or more countries.Life at Sea: The vessel is closer to a "hostel" than a five-star resort, constantly rocking and rolling. Dr. Dijkstra confessed seasickness hit hard, and traveling meant days with no land, maybe not even a bird, in sight.2. The UN Plastics Treaty: A Game of Slow Motion PolicyThe global goal is clear: create a legally binding framework to regulate plastic and significantly reduce plastic pollution. The political reality, however, is a grinding bureaucratic battle.The Timeline: The process kicked off with a historic resolution adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) at the end of 2022 which aimed to have a treaty decided upon and adopted within two years.The INC: Negotiation sessions are held by the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC).The 2025 Disaster: The meeting in Geneva in the summer of 2025, which was supposed to be the last, ended in a stalemate. The chair presiding over the process even resigned leaving the two-year deadline firmly abandoned.Next Hurdle (February 2026): The immediate focus is a one-day meeting on February 7th, 2026, to vote for a new chair. The catch? The choice must be by consensus meaning even this step might be delayed, as "delay is also a tactic."3. The Two Camps: Ambition vs. AmbiguityThe negotiations are split between two fiercely opposing coalitions, often debating the difference between words like "must," "should," or "could."4. The Innovators Alliance: Action Over ArgumentsDr. Dijkstra works with the Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty, a coalition of innovators, startups, and entrepreneurs founded by Repurpose Global and The Ocean Cleanup.Their Mission: To act as a bridge, giving a voice to innovators in the high-level policy process and reminding negotiators that solutions—from alternative materials to cleanup—are already available.The 2026 Plan (The Atlas): The Alliance plans to create an "atlas", a map to showcase their members' work across the plastic value chain and link it to large-scale reduction targets. This map will connect real-world solutions (like reuse and refill) to reports like the "Towards Ending Plastic Pollution" report to prove that action, and investment, should start immediately.Where Her Heart Is: Dr. Dijkstra's heart remains with the innovators, who are "not taking no for an answer" and finding creative, self-sustaining solutions despite the policy gridlock.Connect with Dr. Hannah Dijkstra:Find the Innovation Alliance at agpt.orgFind Dr. Dijkstra at hannahdijkstra.comLet's manifest a great 2026 for plastic pollution solutions!

Green Claims & Greenwashing: Why “Climate-Neutral” and “Sustainable” Claims Will Be Banned from September (with Christina Kufer)From September, everything changes for sustainable brands. The EU is getting serious about tackling greenwashing. Terms such as “sustainable,” “environmentally friendly,” or “climate-neutral” will effectively be blacklisted unless they can be backed up with solid evidence.In this episode, I speak with lawyer Christina Kufer about the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) and the Green Claims Directive. We discuss why almost all general environmental claims could soon face legal challenges, what will happen to companies’ own product labels, and why the term “climate-neutral” on packaging may soon become a thing of the past.Christina explains in practical terms what founders and marketing teams need to do now to avoid legal warnings and enforcement action.In this episode, you’ll learn:-The difference: What distinguishes the Empowering Consumers Directive from the Green Claims Directive?-The “sustainable” ban: Why broad terms such as “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” without certification could soon be illegal.-Label confusion: Why self-created environmental icons and logos will be prohibited, and which third-party certifications will still be permitted.-Climate neutrality: Why carbon offsetting can no longer be used to advertise a product as “climate-neutral” — and the difference between product-level and company-level claims.-Future claims: What strict rules apply if you say, “We’ll be Net Zero by 2030.”-Risk of legal warnings: What happens when a lawyer’s letter arrives including cease-and-desist notices, declarations to stop the claim, sales suspensions, and transition periods for using up existing stock.Links:Christina Kufer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-kufer/Fieldfisher Germany: https://www.fieldfisher.com/de-de/locations/germany

Green Claims & Greenwashing: Warum „Klimaneutral“ und „Nachhaltig“ ab September verboten sind (mit Christina Kufer)

Ab September ändert sich alles für nachhaltige Marken. Die EU macht ernst im Kampf gegen Greenwashing. Begriffe wie „nachhaltig“, „umweltfreundlich“ oder „klimaneutral“ landen auf der schwarzen Liste, wenn sie nicht niet- und nagelfest bewiesen sind.

In dieser Episode spreche ich mit Rechtsanwältin Christina Kufer über die Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) und die Green Claims Directive. Wir klären, warum fast alle allgemeinen Umweltaussagen bald abgemahnt werden können, was mit eigenen Produktsiegeln passiert und warum der Begriff „klimaneutral“ auf der Verpackung bald Geschichte ist.

Christina erklärt praxisnah, was Gründer und Marketing-Teams jetzt tun müssen, um Abmahnungen zu entgehen.

In dieser Folge lernst du:

- Der Unterschied: Was unterscheidet die Empowering Consumers Directive von der Green Claims Directive?- Das „Nachhaltig“-Verbot: Warum allgemeine Begriffe wie „sustainable“ oder „eco-friendly“ ohne Zertifizierung bald illegal sind.

- Siegel-Chaos: Warum selbst erstellte Umwelt-Icons und Logos verboten werden und welche Zertifikate (Dritte Seite) noch gelten.- Klimaneutralität: Warum CO2-Kompensation nicht mehr als „klimaneutral“ beworben werden darf (und der Unterschied zwischen Produkt- und Unternehmenswerbung).

- Zukunftsaussagen: Welche strengen Regeln gelten, wenn du sagst: Wir sind bis 2030 Net Zero.

- Abmahngefahr: Was passiert, wenn der Brief vom Anwalt kommt

(Abmahnung, Unterlassungserklärung, Verkaufsstopp & Aufbrauchfristen).Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-kufer/https://www.fieldfisher.com/de-de/locations/germany

The biggest packaging regulation in the world is here! Will your business be ready? In this episode of The Striving, Joel talks with Nairin Jones, an industry expert, about the EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and why it reaches far beyond Europe. What You’ll Learn:The Shift from Directive to Regulation: Unlike previous directives that allowed for individual interpretation by member states, the PPWR is a harmonised law that applies uniformly across the entire EU.Beyond EPR: While Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) focuses on downstream waste management, the PPWR targets the upstream value chain, including product design, recyclability, and the use of minimum recycled content.New Compliance Standards: Learn why businesses can no longer "pay their way out" of compliance and must instead focus on removing "forever chemicals" (PFAS) and ensuring packaging is recyclable at scale.Critical Deadlines: Understand the transition period ending on August 12, 2026, by which time companies must be fully compliant with new standards or risk severe penalties and sales bans.Global Supply Chain Impact: How international manufacturers and recyclers from China to India must adapt to meet strict EU supply chain due diligence and recycled content targets.Actionable Next Steps: Expert Neirin's advice on conducting a product portfolio stock-take, finding the right data management partners, and utilising AI to navigate complex regulatory requirements.Whether you are a B2C brand owner, a manufacturer, or an international distributor, this episode provides the essential roadmap for navigating the new era of circular economy regulations in Europe.Connect with Neirin Jones:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/neirinjones/Email: [email protected]: Rainbow Ventures, a venture studio building circular economy innovations.

Viktor Telegin is the founder of CHPO, a CleanHub brand partner and the creator of nonprofit Skate Nation. This conversation covers why he refused to build a profit maximising brand, how he supports refugees in Sweden and what happened when he opened his home to two teenage refugees. Expect a real talk about values over profit and the moment a business decides to take a stand.

How Simply Home Eliminated Styrofoam from 400,000 Furniture Packages

Yoram from Simply Home got disgusted assembling his own furniture breaking up sheets of Styrofoam that he knew would just sit in landfill forever. So he did something about it.

In this conversation, Yoram shares the surprisingly simple process of eliminating Styrofoam from hundreds of thousands of furniture packages. No committees. No lengthy studies. Just a decision, a call to suppliers, and execution.

We dig into:

• Why "greenwashing" criticism misses the point
• The crude truth about living in our own waste
• Why doing something imperfect beats doing nothing perfectly
• How entrepreneurship gives you the agency to actually change things

This isn't about purity tests or reaching sustainability nirvana. It's about high-agency people making decisions that reduce harm—even when the path isn't perfectly clear.

If you've ever felt paralysed by the complexity of "doing the right thing," this one's for you.