Sustainability Leaders

BMO Financial Group
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Sustainability is a rapidly evolving field, driven by billions of dollars in global investment. Join BMO as we introduce you to the innovative minds and diverse perspectives that are pushing the boundaries in sustainability good practice. With topics ranging from climate change to sustainable finance and green bonds to human rights and responsible investing, we explore the world of corporate sustainability through interviews with corporate practitioners, investors, scholars and the NGO community.

  1. 15 HR AGO

    Powering the AI Economy Without Losing Community Trust

    The rapid expansion of AI data centers is reshaping power systems and increasing the importance of social license where some communities are demanding greater transparency. Doug Morrow, Director of ESG Strategy at BMO Capital Markets, explains to host Alma Cortés Selva, Senior Advisor with the BMO Climate Institute, how surging investment in Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and automation is transforming electricity markets and placing data centers under new kinds of public scrutiny. Morrow explores why concerns over rising power bills, water use, and questionable local economic benefits have turned data centers into a flashpoint for communities, investors, and policymakers alike. He discusses what responsible growth looks like in practice—from clearer disclosure of energy and water impacts to emerging industry pledges and community‑first approaches—and why trust and transparency will be just as critical as technology in determining whether the next phase of digital infrastructure build‑out succeeds.  In this previous episode of Sustainability Leaders, Rich Powell, CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association, discusses how innovative approaches – from data center flexibility to technologies such as geothermal and nuclear – are shaping the future of energy markets. Amazon Web Services was the focus of a previous podcast on the topic of energy-efficient data centers. Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Alma Cortes Selva with the BMO Climate Institute.

    24 min

  2. 28 APR

    Farmland and Water as Investment Strategies

    Farmland values, water rights, and climate resilience are reshaping how investors think about agriculture as a long‑term asset class. In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Angela Adduci of the BMO Climate Institute speaks with Alyssa Go, Head of Impact at RRG Capital Management, and Craig Wichner, Founder and Managing Partner of Farmland LP, about how regenerative agriculture and water strategy are being used to unlock durable financial returns. The conversation explores why climate is the “third dimension” investors can no longer ignore when evaluating farmland, and how proactive land and water management can turn physical risk into opportunity. For more thought leadership from Angela Adduci, visit: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/aadduci/ For a Sustainability Leaders episode about opportunities in U.S. organic food, visit: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/insights/exploring-us-organic-food-opportunities/

    35 min

  3. 21 APR

    Unlocking Blended Finance for Regenerative Agriculture: American Farmland Trust’s CEO in Conversation

    Host Melissa Fifield, Head of the BMO Climate Institute, speaks with John Piotti, CEO of the American Farmland Trust, about why farmland should be viewed as essential climate infrastructure and what it takes to invest in it accordingly. They discuss how well-managed farms can deliver measurable climate and environmental benefits, and why connecting public and private capital to regenerative practices matters for resilience across food systems. The conversation covers practical financing pathways—including agricultural conservation easements as a tool to protect land and unlock capital—plus the realities of scaling regenerative practices like cover crops, reduced tillage, and crop rotations.

    27 min

  4. 15 APR

    Redwoods Rising: Restoring Forests, Rebuilding Communities

    This episode explores how large-scale ecological restoration can drive resilience and economic opportunity, using California’s Redwoods Rising project as a case study. Learn how environmental conservation can simultaneously heal landscapes and create jobs in rural communities.   Hosted by Emily Hobbs of the BMO Climate Institute, the conversation features Shelana deSilva (California State Parks), Sally Bolger (Ecological Workforce Initiative), and Alma Cortes Selva (BMO Climate Institute). They focus on the Redwoods Rising initiative, including its forest and watershed restoration work, cross-sector partnerships, and new research showing how investment in nature-based solutions can strengthen local economies, support workforce development, and deliver lasting environmental and social benefits.  The full research report referenced in this episode and additional resources are available at parkscalifornia.org, a partner in this work connecting communities and cultivating new career pathways across California's public lands: https://parkscalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Technical-Report_Design_FINAL.pdf Visit Redwoods Rising to learn more about the initiative discussed in this podcast:    https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/redwoods-rising/ Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Emily Hobbs: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/emily-hobbs/

    29 min

  5. 1 APR

    Banking on Buildings: Green and Climate-Aligned Real Estate Performance

    In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Alma Cortés Selva of the BMO Climate Institute is joined by Michaela Neuberger, Executive Director of Affine Climate Solutions, and James Burrow, Director of Sustainable Finance at BMO, to explore the findings of the Banking on Buildings research. Drawing on more than 20 years of global data, the conversation examines the growing evidence that green and climate‑aligned buildings outperform conventional assets on financial returns, resilience, and credit risk. The discussion unpacks the difference between “green” and “climate‑aligned” buildings, why energy efficiency, lower emissions, and climate resilience matter across the building lifecycle, and how simple, practical upgrades can deliver measurable benefits. The episode also looks at real‑world examples, such as green financing programs, and outlines what partnerships, policy alignment, and simple, scalable steps are needed to accelerate climate‑aligned real estate. Click here to learn more about the study mentioned in this podcast. In this previous episode of Sustainability Leaders, the BMO Climate Institute participates on a panel discussion about understanding physical climate risk resilience in real estate. Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Alma Cortés Selva, Senior Advisor, BMO Climate Institute.

    24 min

  6. 24 MAR

    Regenerative Agriculture: The Intersection of Soil Science and Ethics

    Leah Weatherill, Head of National Agriculture with BMO Commercial Bank in Canada, is joined by Kate Congreves, Jarislowsky and BMO Research Chair in Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. Their conversation explores regenerative agriculture as both a scientific approach and an ethical framework for farming, touching on soil health as the foundation of agriculture, the vital role of nitrogen in food production, and the challenge of balancing productivity with environmental stewardship. Congreves explains how regenerative agriculture goes beyond a checklist of practices to reflect deeper values about reciprocity between people and the land.   Visit https://commercial.bmo.com/en/ca/industry-expertise/agriculture/ to learn more about how the company supports the agriculture sector through all cycles. Learn more about BMO’s recent Green Bond, the proceeds of which will be used to support sustainable food and agriculture, as well as renewable energy and green building projects: https://newsroom.bmo.com/2026-03-16-BMO-Issues-Green-Bond-to-Finance-Renewable-Energy,-Green-Buildings-and-Sustainable-Agriculture-Projects BMO also supported critical research into regenerative and digital agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan: https://commercial.bmo.com/en/ca/insights/bmo-donates-2-million-university-saskatchewan-accelerate-research-critical-future-food/

    19 min

  7. 17 MAR

    Human Rights and Sustainability Developments for Business: Litigation Trends, Risks, and Opportunities

    Michael Torrance, BMO’s Chief Sustainability Officer, sits down with Stuart Neely, Partner with Norton Rose Fulbright in London, to discuss how regulations are driving developments with sustainability in human rights, the role of multinational standard setting, and important litigation trends to monitor globally.   In a previous episode of Sustainability Leaders, Michael Torrance discusses how risk management is an important driver of why companies form their own human rights policies: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/insights/the-business-case-for-human-rights-policies/ Visit https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/michael-torrance/ for more thought leadership from Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer, BMO.

    30 min

  8. 10 MAR

    Beyond the Bin: Making Reuse the Default in Food Packaging

    Jayen Veerapen, Senior Advisor with the BMO Climate Institute, sits down with Kayli Smith, CEO and Co‑Founder of Friendlier, a reusable packaging company, to explore why single‑use packaging is such a stubborn climate and waste problem—and why most of its impact happens long before disposal. Smith explains Friendlier’s “packaging‑as‑a‑service” model: durable, trackable containers, a deposit-and-return flow, and the infrastructure that can make reuse work at scale for campuses, workplaces, and other high‑volume food settings. They also discuss what drives adoption (from consumer expectations to policy tailwinds), and how the company is planning to scale its business across North America.

    25 min
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About

Sustainability is a rapidly evolving field, driven by billions of dollars in global investment. Join BMO as we introduce you to the innovative minds and diverse perspectives that are pushing the boundaries in sustainability good practice. With topics ranging from climate change to sustainable finance and green bonds to human rights and responsible investing, we explore the world of corporate sustainability through interviews with corporate practitioners, investors, scholars and the NGO community.

Information

  • Creator
    BMO Financial Group
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright BMO Financial Group
  • Show Website
    Sustainability Leaders

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