The Elephant in the Room

Sudha Singh
  • 5.0 (2)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

The Elephant in the Room Podcast is a curated safe space to have uncomfortable conversations about the pervasive inequalities in society and our workplaces. The idea of the podcast was born from my sense of conflict about identity, self and the concept of privilege and fuelled by my own need to understand how my overlapping identities and experiences had impacted and would continue to impact my life chances. Two years ago I decided to ‘opt out’ to find my own purpose and focus on passion projects including learning about the systemic biases that are endemic in business and society. The Podcast is my very own listening project, a step towards being more intentional in my learning. The Elephant in the Room Podcast is for people who want to be a part of the change, for those who want to step up & speak out, for those who want to learn more about biases, barriers and best practice, for business leaders and for individuals, anyone who is interested in a fairer, more inclusive and compassionate society and workplace. Each week I will interview inspiring speakers from across the world on issues that are taboo and deserve to be mainstream including(but not limited to) systemic and institutionalised racism, discrimination based on further eight protected characteristics, poverty, mental health, climate change. The podcast will also talk about cognitive inclusion, culture, purpose, ethics and the importance of empathy, cultural intelligence and how conversations on identity and disadvantage would be incomplete without considering intersectionality. With the podcast I hope to share stories of people with lived experiences, stories that may have never been told, stories that galvanise us to take action for change and keep the conversations alive by raising the decibel on issues of inequity, inequality in our search for a fairer and more inclusive world.

  1. JAN 16

    142: Social Justice, sustainability and innovative pathways for climate action: A conversation with Ashok Sinha

    Shownotes Against the mounting backdrop of rising global temperatures, record-breaking extreme weather, and the UK's wettest winter on record in 2024, governments and major corporations are increasingly retreating from climate commitments. The EU reported concerning rise in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, the UK has postponed key net zero targets, Germany has scaled back renewable investments, (let’s not talk about the US) and fossil fuel giants such as Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies have revised or deferred climate pledges and clean energy projects, citing economic pressures and regulatory uncertainty. As we witness the global momentum on climate action wane — particularly in the West, where initiatives have been de-prioritised and progress has slowed — the urgency for innovation and collaboration has never been greater. In the latest episode of The Elephant in the Room podcast, I explore the evolving landscape of climate justice with Ashok Sinha, a prominent climate and social justice activist and current CEO of Ashden - a climate solutions charity. Ashok co-founded the UK Make Poverty History campaign; was a key figure in the Jubilee Debt Campaign; a Director at Stop Climate Chaos (now the Climate Coalition) – playing a pivotal role in securing UK’s Climate Change Act 2008; he was also the CEO of the London Cycling Campaign. Ashok brings critical insights from his extensive experience at the forefront of landmark campaigns and policy change, offering a pragmatic perspective on the challenges and opportunities ahead for climate action worldwide. We also spoke about 👉🏾 The urgent need for collective action, and the importance of partnerships and coalitions in driving impact 👉🏾 The role of the private sector in accelerating and deepening change and the need for regulatory frameworks that encourage investment and innovation 👉🏾 The significance of storytelling in climate advocacy and how personal narratives can galvanise support for sustainable practices and policies 👉🏾 Climate misinformation/disinformation 👉🏾 AI as a risk or an enabler for the sector; Climate fatigue; Skills shortage in the sector We also spoke about Just Transition - advocating for equitable opportunities for marginalised communities affected by climate policies and changes. Ashok ended the conversation with an unwavering belief in humanity’s capacity to overcome adversity and foster positive change through collective effort and resilience. #Collaboration #Inspiration #ClimateAction #Sustainability #SocialJustice #ClimateInnovation #JustTransition #ClimateLeadership #ClimateSolutions #Ashden #ClimateJustice #ZeroCarbon Episode Transcript: Sudha Singh: Good morning, Ashok. Thank you for being a guest on the Elephant in the Room podcast today. Ashok Sinha: My pleasure entirely Sudha. Thank you so much for inviting me. Sudha Singh: Let's start with a quick introduction. Who is Ashok Sinha? How would you describe yourself as a climate activist, evangelist or campaigner? You do have a great track record for leading some great campaigns including Make Poverty History, Climate Coalition, London Cycling Campaign. Wow. Ashok Sinha: Well, that's kind of you to say. I have done a lot of different things, so I, find it quite hard to categorize myself and it's not something I normally try to do actually. I'm not sure how sensible or useful it is. It all started with me because I loved science and I...

    39 min

  2. 10/30/2025

    141: Cottsbury Founder Ruchi Chawla on navigating challenges of building a sustainable fashion brand

    Show Notes: As a small business owner what does it mean to run a sustainability brand? Is it true that sustainability brands rooted in demonstrable solutions are generally more successful than those that use vague or superficial eco-friendly messaging? And how useful are authenticity and a genuine commitment to addressing environmental and social problems to building consumer trust? What is their contribution to financial sustainability, long-term loyalty and profitability? Ruchi Chawla, Founder of Cottsbury a GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified sustainable fashion brand was my guest on the 141st episode of The Elephant in the Room podcast. In the episode we attempted to answer some of the questions above while Ruchi shared her inspiring journey towards establishing a sustainable fashion brand rooted in organic cotton. We also spoke about 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 -      Her journey from working in the fashion industry to taking a more conscious entrepreneurial path driven by the desire to bring meaningful change in the industry -      The fashion industry’s overreliance on harmful chemicals and environmental negligence that is responsible for significant pollution and resource depletion -      How Cottsbury distinguishes itself from conventional fashion brands through ethical sourcing, transparency, getting certified, including 100% traceable production and a zero-waste policy. -      How consumer behaviour is driven by levels of market maturity (UK/India) for sustainable products/brands. This in turn is driven by consumer awareness, economic factors and cultural contexts (amongst others) o  Consumer resistance and price sensitivity -      Ruchi emphasizes the importance of mentorship and support networks, attributing her perseverance and success to the guidance she has received throughout her entrepreneurial journey The episode culminates in a thoughtful reflection on the future of sustainable fashion and the collective responsibility of consumers and entrepreneurs to advocate for more ethical practices. Ruchi emphasizes the need for ongoing education and engagement to shift perceptions about sustainable products, dispelling the notion that such choices are inherently elitist or inaccessible. Episode Transcript: Sudha: Good afternoon, Ruchi. Wonderful to have you as a guest on the Elephant in The Room podcast today. Ruchi: Good Afternoon, Sudha. My pleasure to be here and talk to you. Sudha: Brilliant. So just give us a quick introduction before we launch into the questions. Ruchi: I'm Ruchi. I'm from India. I have studied and worked in India and also in Europe, in Amsterdam and Belgium. I've been in the fashion industry since my post-graduation and in various functions in the fashion industry with various brands and companies. I've travelled all around the world for work and for leisure and that brings me to my current passion project, which is Cottsbury which I'm running now, for last two years plus Sudha: Brilliant. So what inspired you to get on this journey into organic and sustainable fashion and launch your brand Cottsbury. Can you share the story behind discovering Pure Certified Cotton and why it became the...

    20 min

  3. 10/30/2025

    140: The Role of Communications in Sustainability: Insights from Sangeeta Waldron, Author - What will your legacy be?

    Show Notes: On the 140th episode of The Elephant in the Room podcast my guest was Sangeeta Waldron an industry veteran with over 3 decades of experience. Sangeeta's story is shaped by both personal and professional transitions, including navigating a recession and shifting her aspirations from advertising to government communications. Her bold decision to leave the security of a civil service role for a not-for-profit organisation working with the developing South marks a pivotal moment in her career, reflecting her commitment to meaningful work aligned with her heritage and values. In the episode our conversation delves into how these early experiences shaped Sangeeta’s perspective on identity, inclusion and sustainability communications 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 -      Her resilience in overcoming challenges as a British Indian woman in a predominantly white industry -      The current state of inclusivity within the public relations highlighting the persistent underrepresentation of diverse voices -      'What Will Your Legacy Be?' Sangeeta’s latest book where she explores climate change and the role of businesses in fostering sustainable practices -      The importance of representation in storytelling and the necessity for brands to engage with broader demographics to effectively communicate in today's global society -      Our collective responsibility towards creating a more equitable and compassionate world, urging listeners to contemplate their own legacy and contributions to societal progress The discussion links her individual journey to the broader context of responsible communications, emphasising how personal identity and lived experience can drive impactful change in sustainability narratives and foster greater inclusion in the workplace.  Head to the podcast to listen to the episode (link in comments) 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 Episode Transcript: Sudha: Good Morning Sangeeta. Wonderful to have you as a guest on The Elephant in the Room podcast today. Sangeeta: Thank you for inviting me. I'm really excited about our conversation this morning. Sudha: So let's get started with a quick introduction Sangeeta: So it's a quick one. I mean, I've been over 30 years in this industry. In a strange way, I was born here, but I completed my degree in India, my college and university. So when I left India, I came as a postgraduate thinking I'm just going to, like most postgraduates or graduates, think they're just gonna be snapped up for a job. I wasn't. And the country at that time, the UK was going through a recession. And so it was very hard to find work. And I really wanted to be a copywriter in advertising when I was at university. That was my thing. That's what I really wanted to do. So I was trying to desperately get into advertising when I came back to the UK, but the recession had really affected. Well, we know that media and communications is always the first industry to suffer from recessions and knockbacks. So no one really wanted me. And I didn't have any office skills either. So I sat the civil service entrance exam. And I got through. So I spent the first five years of my career writing speeches for a previous prime minister and ministers, but there is just so much...

    32 min

  4. 10/28/2025

    139: Empowering Women in the Climate Sector: A Conversation with Shalini Bharat, Founder & CEO, Nadhi 'She-for-Climate' initiative

    Show Notes: The global climate movement/industry is not very inclusive; amongst other things it struggles with gender gap. This is especially true in a country like India where the climate industry, particularly the clean energy sector, suffers from a significant gender gap, with women severely underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. While women disproportionately bear the burden of climate change impacts, social and systemic barriers limit their participation in the very sectors that could offer solutions and economic empowerment. In India there are several government initiatives focused on women’s participation, along with several grassroots and third sector initiatives that are working to build skills and capacity. One such initiative is #Nadhi -SheforClimate a women led initiative building climate resilience through human capital development. #Nadhi is the brain child of Shalini Bharat a banker turned climate entrepreneur and social leader. After a 17-year career in finance, including serving as the COO of Corporate Bank at Deutsche Bank India, Shalini founded the climate community platform with a vision to empower 100,000 women to become climate leaders by the year 2030. So, what inspired this banker to leave the safety of 9-5 for climate entrepreneurship? In the course of our conversation, we spoke about.... - Her motivations for creating a platform dedicated to increasing female representation in climate leadership - The overwhelming lack of women in decision-making roles in this critical space - Initiatives that facilitate capacity building, fostering community, and provide career support for aspiring female climate leaders - The importance of partnerships in advancing these objectives, highlighting how collaborations with various organizations can amplify the impact of their mission - Authenticity and purpose as critical drivers for meaningful change within the climate space #Nadhi works at the intersection of gender equity and climate adaptation by enabling women to enter and thrive in green careers building long-term individual and community economic resilience. They also support micro-entrepreneurs in climate-aligned sectors such as sustainable agriculture, clean energy, circular economy, and low-carbon services and help create community-driven knowledge network. ShaliniBharat is also the founder of the circular economy startup The KindBusiness #WomenInSustainability #ClimateLeadership #BreakingBarriers #BreakTheBias #GenderAndEnvironment #RepresentationMatters #AmplifyHerVoice  Episode Transcript:  Sudha: Good morning, Shalini. Wonderful to have you as a guest on The Elephant in the Room podcast today. Shalini: Thank you. My pleasure to be here and thanks for inviting me. Sudha: Let's start with a quick...

    29 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    138: Alicia Solanki, Team Lewis on breaking barriers, cultural stereotypes and leading with authenticity

    Show Notes: Black and Ethnic Minority representation in leadership positions in the UK PR Industry leaves much to be desired and is well below FTSE 100 @11% and FTSE 250 @9% (Parker Review 2025). However, I am an optimist and do believe that direction of travel has been set by advocates and agencies… Collective progress may be slow, but equity & inclusion is mainstream and there are more role models than ever before… Alicia Solanki, Senior VP EMEA @Team Lewis is one such role model challenging cultural expectations and stereotypes to make space for herself in the UK industry. In this fast-paced conversation on The Elephant in the Room podcast we spoke about the dynamics of leadership and representation in the industry from the perspective of a woman of colour. Alicia also spoke about the importance of mentorship in fostering resilience and empowerment amongst underrepresented communities. -      Authenticity and cultural sensitivity -      Work life balance decoded -      Codeswitching – life saving hack or demotivating burden? -      Evolving definitions of leadership and empathy in leadership -      DEI alive or dead? Are clients continuing to prioritise DEI initiatives or are they backtracking on their previous commitments? Each and every time I hear somebody speak about their lived experiences, I am blown away by how unique our experiences are to each one of us. How important it is for us to understand that Black and Ethnic Minorities or the global majority are not homogenous. That understanding context and intersectionality are key to informed equitable interventions for inclusive workplaces and thriving communities.  Her advice to young Black and Ethnic minority professionals entering the industry - ‘make your own magic’.   Episode Transcript Sudha: Good morning, Alicia. Wonderful to have you on the Elephant in the Room podcast today. I'm delighted because I've been following you on LinkedIn for some time and it's a great pleasure to have you here today. Alicia: Thank you, Sudha. It's a pleasure to be here today. And yes, my friends and family always laugh about how obsessed I am with LinkedIn, so I'm glad you found me on there too. Sudha: Brilliant. So let's start with a quick introduction.  Alicia: So I'm Alicia Solanki. I'm SVP EMEA at Team Lewis. Team Lewis is a global marketing agency here in London, but we're also global. We're around the world in 25 offices. I've done my whole career agency side. Before that I was in the Omnicom family. So, yeah, I guess I love the buzz of agency. I love the discipline of PR and how it's really expanded now. I have two children, Ella, who's 11, just started high school. So lots of change came going on in our house at the moment. And then I have a little boy called Ethan, who's eight. So, yeah, married, busy life, juggling loads of plates. But I kind of like it that way. So that's a bit about me. Sudha: Yeah. Oh, my God, it sounds really busy and with life changing stuff.  I mean, moving

    29 min

  6. 10/28/2025

    137: The Crucial Role of Nature in Climate Mitigation Strategies: A conversation with Swapan Mehra, Founder, CEO Iora Ecological Solutions

    Show Notes:  Shifting political priorities and economic pressures over the past couple of years have seen several countries scale back climate commitments contributing to the growing gap between climate pledges and real-world emissions (still rising). What does this mean for a ‘Just Transition’ and Net Zero? While there is no silver bullet, IUCN and UNEP emphasise Nature based Solutions (NbS) can be pivotal for climate mitigation and adaptation, when pursued alongside rapid decarbonisation globally. To discuss NbS, and climate change I recently caught up with Swapan Mehra a global leader in climate action and ecosystem conservation. In this deeply insightful conversation Swapan spoke about how NbS is a holistic approach to addressing the climate crisis, through a spectrum of actions designed to protect and restore ecosystems while simultaneously delivering co-benefits for biodiversity, communities and individuals. We also spoke about… 👉🏾 How NbS are fundamental in agrarian contexts like India, where communities are inextricably linked to their natural environments. 👉🏾 The practical implementations of NbS in India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), that highlight the ambitious targets set for increasing forest carbon stocks by 2.5 to 3 billion tons by 2030 👉🏾  The challenges to adoption by the private sector  ·      Lack of standardised financial mechanisms, regulatory hurdles, and insufficient data and knowledge about NbS performance and returns 👉🏾 NbS frameworks including IUCN; Voluntary carbon markets integrity initiative 👉🏾 Investor expectation vs reality 👉🏾 Voluntary carbon markets, carbon credits and greenwashing We also spoke about India’s carbon trading and green credit scheme, leadership commitment, the impact on SMEs, projects he is particularly proud and being a climate optimist…… “To me, just transition means ensuring that climate action doesn't come at a cost of life, livelihoods, equity, inclusion, but rather climate action promotes life, livelihood, equity, inclusion. In the context of the global south, especially India, where our communities have such a direct relationship with nature, with our landscapes, this means putting farmers first, indigenous communities first, it means ensuring investments which are locally contextualized to the needs of the communities and ensuring that a large part of the benefit flows to them. These are communities who have not played a major role in actually causing climate change, and now yet we are dependent on them to solve the problem for us.”  Episode Transcript: Sudha: Good afternoon, Swapan. Wonderful to catch up again after a long time Swapan: Good afternoon, Sudha. Very good to catch up. Sudha: Let's get started with a quick introduction. Tell us a bit about yourself and IORA Ecological Solutions. Swapan: Sure. So, firstly, thank you for having me on your podcast Sudha. I'm Swapan Mehra, I'm the founder and CEO of IORA Ecological Solutions. IORA Ecological Solutions is a leading developer of nature-based solutions, policies, implementation plans and action on ground in India. Over the last 15 years, we worked across 200 projects in the areas of forest conservation, forest restoration, and sustainable agriculture, while also helping India and many other countries develop leading policies to not only plan action

    29 min

  7. 07/29/2025

    136: What business Purpose, inclusive culture and ESG reporting mean in global citizen services businesses: A conversation with Shikhar Aggarwal, JMD, BLS International

    Shownotes: 5 years post COVID I continue to ask the question – Do organisations need to have a business purpose? And what does having a business purpose mean in practice? For the 136th episode of The 🐘 in the Room podcast I spoke with Shikhar Aggarwal, the Joint Managing Director of BLS International one of the world’s largest global service delivery company (visa, passport, consular, and citizen services). Themes covered in the episode include 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 -      What it means to be a purpose driven business providing citizen services and facilitating mobility -      Insights on global cultural integration for a listed Indian entity (the only one in the industry) with 60,000 employees and a footprint across 70 countries -      Lessons from the pandemic: agility, empathy and building trust -      Evolving challenges in the industry including geo-political crises, cybersecurity and inclusivity in service delivery -      Commitment to Sustainability & ESG reporting: The aspiration to set global benchmarks in citizen services -      Role models in the industry and beyond #TCS #L&T #Wipro #Azim Premji To learn more head to the podcast, link in comments 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 #BLSInternational #CitizenServices #GlobalMobility #ShikharAgarwal #Leadership #Sustainability #ESG #Innovation #PurposeDrivenBusiness  Episode Transcript: Sudha: Good afternoon, Shikhar, thank you for being a guest on The Elephant in The Room podcast today. Shikhar: Thank you so much for inviting me. Sudha: Brilliant. So let's start with a quick introduction to who you are and what you do.. Shikhar: My name is Shikhar Aggarwal. I'm the joint Managing Director of BLS International. I started in Delhi; I'm a chartered accountant. I worked in a couple of companies before joining BLS International in 2014. So it's been an 11-year wonderful journey. And here we are, listed company with presence in 70 plus countries today. Sudha: Awesome. Since I'm from a comms background, and Bhavya is also I'd like to hear your elevator pitch for BLS International. What is your mission and vision for the company? It's quite a huge business. Shikhar: At BLS International, we are a trusted global tech enabled service provider to governments worldwide, committed to simplifying access to essential citizen services. We are operating in 70 plus countries and have processed more than 360 million applications till date. Our mission is to be the world's most trusted and efficient partner for government to citizen services. Also, our mission is to be the largest Indian company in global service delivery. There have been a lot of IT companies out of India, global IT companies, but I feel that a global service delivery company out of India, we are probably the primary one and we want to be the largest one. Our vision is to touch the lives of a billion people across the globe by delivering citizen services that are seamless, secure and powered by innovation. We aspire to be the global benchmark for inclusive technology driven service delivery that empowers...

    17 min

  8. 07/17/2025

    135: Transforming and building trust in Carbon Markets : Insights from Shreya Garg

    There is research to show that climate washing is on the uptick along with a growing trend by companies worldwide to utilise carbon credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions. The trend (carbon offsetting) is driven largely by companies making net-zero pledges. However in the absence of standardised frameworks and regulations claims of greenwashing can undermine the credibility of carbon mitigation efforts examples: overstating the impact, under reporting harm to communities or environment To understand the ecosystem better I spoke with Shreya Garg, a seasoned climate professional and auditor to share her expertise on the dynamics of the carbon markets. Independent auditors are key to building trust in carbon markets by provide objective assessment of projects, prevent misrepresentation of data. In our wide-ranging conversation we spoke about additionality, permeance, community impact…... 👉🏾 The evolution of the Indian carbon market from niche, compliance driven model to a more dynamic and voluntary environment 👉🏾   The burgeoning international interest in Indian carbon credits and what is fuelling the demand 👉🏾 How global net-zero commitments and increased scrutiny around climate disclosures are major factors driving the evolution of voluntary carbon markets 👉🏾 The difference between compliance and voluntary carbon markets and how they can shape corporate reputation and sustainable practices 👉🏾 Why greenwashing remains a huge challenge 👉🏾 The need transparency, integrity and community engagement and technology in the evolving landscape of carbon markets.   In our conversation Shreya highlighted the necessity for equitable benefit sharing and community engagement to restore trust in climate initiatives. We also spoke about the need for more women in the climate space, emphasizing the unique perspectives they bring to community engagement and project sustainability. To know more about carbon markets and climate washing head to the podcast 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾 Episode Transcript: Sudha: Good morning, Shreya, Thank you for being a guest on The Elephant in the Room podcast today. Shreya: Morning Sudha. it's totally a pleasure. Sudha: Brilliant. So let's get started with a quick introduction to who you are and what you do. Shreya: So I'm Shreya, I'm a climate professional for about 14 years and I've been working in the carbon markets. Right now I'm associated with different organisations, gold Standard there’s FCF, India and Isometric. And my main work is guidance around the carbon credit quality strategies and market synergies. Prior to this, I was vice president operations at Earthood where I led a team of auditors who were working on validation and verification of climate projects. Sudha: Brilliant. How has the carbon credit market transformed over recent years and what are the main factors contributing to this change? Especially when we consider a diverse country like India. I read a recent report that the carbon credit market in India is booming. Shreya: Definitely. I think the carbon markets have evolved to a great degree. They've evolved from a niche compliance driven market to a broader, more dynamic voluntary markets. We have seen that there are no commitments per se, that are being made by the countries,...

    22 min
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About

The Elephant in the Room Podcast is a curated safe space to have uncomfortable conversations about the pervasive inequalities in society and our workplaces. The idea of the podcast was born from my sense of conflict about identity, self and the concept of privilege and fuelled by my own need to understand how my overlapping identities and experiences had impacted and would continue to impact my life chances. Two years ago I decided to ‘opt out’ to find my own purpose and focus on passion projects including learning about the systemic biases that are endemic in business and society. The Podcast is my very own listening project, a step towards being more intentional in my learning. The Elephant in the Room Podcast is for people who want to be a part of the change, for those who want to step up & speak out, for those who want to learn more about biases, barriers and best practice, for business leaders and for individuals, anyone who is interested in a fairer, more inclusive and compassionate society and workplace. Each week I will interview inspiring speakers from across the world on issues that are taboo and deserve to be mainstream including(but not limited to) systemic and institutionalised racism, discrimination based on further eight protected characteristics, poverty, mental health, climate change. The podcast will also talk about cognitive inclusion, culture, purpose, ethics and the importance of empathy, cultural intelligence and how conversations on identity and disadvantage would be incomplete without considering intersectionality. With the podcast I hope to share stories of people with lived experiences, stories that may have never been told, stories that galvanise us to take action for change and keep the conversations alive by raising the decibel on issues of inequity, inequality in our search for a fairer and more inclusive world.

Information

  • Creator
    Sudha Singh
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    143
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Sudha Singh
  • Show Website
    The Elephant in the Room