EP 3 - Trailblazing Sustainability in China: An Expert's Two-Decade Journey with Multinationals

In today's episode, we sit down with Rich Brubaker, the founder of Collective Responsibility. With over two decades of working and living in China, Rich has established himself as one of the leading pro-active and hands-sustainability experts. His firm, Collective Responsibility, is a Shanghai-based strategic advisory and sustainability strategy consultancy, advising multinational companies.

We dive into the various layers of organizational levers that drive sustainability, drawing inspiration from compelling case examples at Starbucks and Lego. We also explore the idea of addressing potentially small but real problems as a strategic entry point for companies looking to make a meaningful impact on sustainability, rather than trying to tackle the overwhelming challenge of global climate change all at once. Join us for an insightful conversation on how businesses can promote and embody sustainability in today's world. 

Key Discussion Points: 

• How driving local initiatives will make more significant change happen over time 

• Innovation through failure: how embracing setbacks is key to progress 

• Exploring the sustainability efforts of multinational companies in China 

Timestamped Outline:   

[00:00] –Introduction   

[01:55] –Rich’s work in Asia doing sustainability, CSR, and social innovation. 

[07:07] - Multinational perspectives: Rich’s advice on sustainable practices.  

[17:15] - Organizational dynamics: unveiling the four key layers for change. 

[22:55] - Strategies to overcome mid-management hurdles.  

[25:53] - The Lego Group: failure as a feature of sustainable innovation. 

[34:48] - Interface: biomimicry in sustainable product design 

[38:49] - Balancing authentic storytelling narratives with tangible problem-solving 

[44:19] - Systems, raw material economics, and climate-driven inflation 

[51:14] - Rich’s content recommendations for moving beyond broad strokes content. 

Referenced in the show: 

UN WWDR: https://www.unwater.org/publications/un-world-water-development-report 

UN Migration: https://www.migrationdataportal.org/?i=stock_abs_&t=2019 

McKinsey: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/sustainability/our-insights 

BCG: https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/climate-change-sustainability/overview 

Alan Watts on YouTube 

Find Rich Brubaker on:  

Website: https://www.coresponsibility.com/  

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbrubaker/  

Rich Brubaker’s YouTube Channels 

https://www.youtube.com/@RichardBrubaker 

https://www.youtube.com/@Coresponsibility 

Follow the pod:   

www.youtube.com/@ecoinsiderspodcast