Business & Society

Limited Series - One Planet Podcast
  • 4.7 (3)
  • MANAGEMENT

Limited series co-hosted by Dr. Bruce Piasecki and Mia Funk. Piasecki is the founder of the global management consulting firm, AHC Group, Inc. and a New York Times bestselling author on shared value and social response capitalism. He has been an agent of climate solutions for over 40 years, advising major corporations on sustainability and innovation. Tune in to hear conversations about the environment, public policy, and the changing landscape between business and society. www.ahcgroup.com www.doingmorewithlessbook.com

  1. 12/09/2025

    Security, Sustainability & the Physics of Social Order w/ ED SALTZBERG - SSF, The Stability Brief

    “I grew up in a pretty unstable time in the 1960s, in the United States. Right now, what's going on in the world is probably even more threatening because of whatever the normal stuff that happens in politics, you've got climate change kind of riding over the top of that. Young people, especially, I think, are very anxious about what the future looks like.” Today on Business and Society, Bruce Piasecki and I are joined by Ed Saltzberg, Executive Director of the Security and Sustainability Forum, an organization he founded in 2009 to bring global experts together for free, accessible conversations on climate, energy, and community resilience. SSF has now produced more than 400 webinars used by educators, professionals, and students worldwide to stay informed on the evolving challenges shaping our environmental and social future. Ed’s work extends far beyond SSF. Through his Substack, The Stability Brief, and his collaborations with Native American tribes on long-term energy and resilience planning, he weaves together science, civic responsibility, and lived experience. His perspective is grounded in a lifetime of public service—and even a formative 1966 road trip that shaped how he sees a changing planet. Today, we’ll explore what he’s learned, what concerns him, and what practical steps communities can take to build a more stable, sustainable future. Episode Website Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    40 min
  2. Writing, Imagination & Memory w/ Author & Filmmaker JAY PARINI

    06/27/2025

    Writing, Imagination & Memory w/ Author & Filmmaker JAY PARINI

    “Poetry is the prince of the literary arts to me. It's at the very top because it's language refined to its apex of memorability. I am interested in poetry as memorability and poetry as something you live by. These are the words you live by. These words stay in your brain and guide your life. That's what I am interested in. My memoir slash autofiction is called Borges and Me, and as you know, it's a story of my time in 1970 when my best friend Billy was drafted for the Vietnam War, and so was I. He went to Vietnam, and I went to Scotland to hide out and do my graduate work. I spent nearly seven years in Scotland, but I certainly spent the next five years definitely in Scotland. I was there before as an undergraduate for a bit, too. During that time, Billy was killed in Vietnam, and I was a nervous wreck. My memoir talks about my depression, my anxieties, and then, through my friend Alastair Reid, I met Borges, the great Argentine writer. We went on a little road trip through the Highlands, and this conversation with Borges really restored me back to myself and what was important in life. I felt that I owed a huge amount to that contact with Borges… I was lucky that suddenly, out of nowhere, came a wonderful director-producer named Mark Turtletaub. He had read my book and loved it, and he approached me. We had a conversation, and he said, ‘Look, I want to make this movie.’ So off we went.” It’s a real pleasure today to welcome a writer whose voice has been a guiding force in American letters for decades. Jay Pariniis the author of acclaimed biographies of literary giants like John Steinbeck, Robert Frost, William Faulkner, and Gore Vidal—as well as an illuminating portrait of Jesus in The Human Face of God. He’s also a celebrated poet, novelist, essayist, and teacher whose work reflects a lifelong devotion to the arts, the humanities, and the power of language to tell the truth, gently. From his poetry to his prose, Jay's writing brings rare insight and deep compassion to the page. He doesn’t just study his subjects—he inhabits them, helps us hear their voices, and see the world through their eyes. And of course, he’s one of the few people who can say they've gotten into the heads of both Jesus and Gore Vidal...and lived to tell the tale. Episode Website Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    44 min
  3. The Healing Power of Music, Community & Belonging with ROBERT & VICTORIA PATERSON

    05/22/2025

    The Healing Power of Music, Community & Belonging with ROBERT & VICTORIA PATERSON

    “In an age of seeming isolationism, where some countries tend to isolate, this is such a great way to bring people together. When you're doing music and the arts, all those barriers just fall away. People are just collaborating and having fun. It’s such a bridge-building endeavor. I don't mean that to sound cheesy either, because I just think it is really amazing. They end up being ambassadors who go back to their own country and say, “Wow, I had a great time at this festival in America or in the Netherlands.” It ends up being one more step in our way, with our organization, of trying to connect people together in an age when so many people seem to want to hide out and not connect. We’re big advocates of connecting, and that’s another great reason why I think we love to do this. too.” Today’s guests are composer Robert Paterson and violinist Victoria Paterson, the visionary duo behind Mostly Modern Festival & Projects, an organization dedicated to celebrating music by living composers through performance, education, and community outreach. Robert’s work is known for its rhythmic energy, emotional range, and inventive themes—from environmentalism and mythology to technology and modern relationships. Based in Saratoga Springs and NYC, he’s been recognized with numerous honors, including the Classical Recording Foundation’s Composer of the Year at Carnegie Hall and a Grammy® for Three Way. His music is performed by major orchestras and ensembles across the globe and regularly featured on NPR. He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of the Mostly Modern Festival, which takes place in both Saratoga Springs and the Netherlands. Victoria has built a multifaceted career across classical, Broadway, and commercial music, performing everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The Today Show. As General Director of Mostly Modern Projects, she leads year-round programming that brings music into hospitals, public parks, and senior centers, while also mentoring emerging artists across the country. Episode Website Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    47 min
  4. How can we meet the Climate Accords thru Environmental Credit Solutions? with BILL FLEDERBACH

    03/25/2025

    How can we meet the Climate Accords thru Environmental Credit Solutions? with BILL FLEDERBACH

    How can we meet the Paris Climate Accords through Environmental Credit Solutions? Bill Flederbach is the President & CEO of ClimeCo and is a respected leader in the global environmental commodities market. Following his favorite motto, “To make a difference each day and always do the next right thing,” Bill has created scalable Greenhouse Gas reduction efforts while creating a work culture at ClimeCo that nurtures creativity and empowers his team to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit. Today, ClimeCo operates at the forefront of an exciting transformation as global businesses, governments, and environmental advocates recognize that market-based solutions are the most efficient way to address environmental challenges. Through his leadership, ClimeCo is well known for its technical role in developing a diverse portfolio of environmental credits and for providing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) solutions for clients navigating a path to a more sustainable future. He is passionate about supporting clients’ success while encouraging new practices and technologies that will benefit all.Insights for Impact Episode Website Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    51 min
  5. The Power of Collaboration & Speaking Truth to Power with GORDON LAMBERT & BRUCE PIASECKI

    02/06/2025

    The Power of Collaboration & Speaking Truth to Power with GORDON LAMBERT & BRUCE PIASECKI

    Gordon Lambert shares insights from his decades-long journey, addressing his roles, strategies, and contributions to environmental change and corporate evolution. Lambert has been engaged in business and sustainability in the energy sector for 40 years. In 2015, Lambert was appointed by the Premier and Cabinet to the five-person panel that designed the Alberta Climate Leadership Plan. In 2016, he chaired the Alberta Climate Leadership Technology and Innovation Task Force, with $1.4 billion in carbon levy revenue being committed to innovation as an outcome. He also serves on the Export Development Canada CSR advisory council and as the Suncor Energy and Sustainability Executive in Residence at the Ivey Business School.“The number one most powerful place to intervene in a system is mindsets. Collaboration is a joint effort to achieve common goals. That's needed more than ever in this world we are in, with these large, significant problems that no one entity can solve on their own. But it's a higher bar than cooperation. I term cooperation or define it as the pursuit of individual interests jointly. You can feel the difference between collaboration, where everyone has skin in the game, there are no free riders, and everyone's pulling on the oars together.” Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    43 min
  6. The Future of Renewable Energy with Minnesota Power’s JULIE PIERCE

    10/15/2024

    The Future of Renewable Energy with Minnesota Power’s JULIE PIERCE

    How did a century-old power company become a leader in renewable energy? How can industrial giants adapt to cleaner power? What role are women leaders and community initiatives playing in the renewable energy transition? Julie Pierce stands as a beacon of innovation and foresight in the energy sector. As Vice President of Strategy and Planning for Minnesota Power, a part of the Allete family, she’s helping transform the landscape of renewable energy with a focus on sustainable development and community collaboration. "Minnesota Power and its customers in Northeast Minnesota made the decision about a decade ago to start moving in this direction. We wanted to ensure that we took the right time, pace, and path that was thoughtful for our customers and communities to transform. Through the past decade of hard work with our communities and customers, and leveraging new technology in wind, solar, and hydro, we transformed from a 95% fossil-fuel-based portfolio to 50-60% clean energy. Essentially, in the last decade, we've worked to reduce our carbon emissions by half and increase our renewable energy production by 50-60%. It has been a very exciting time. We had over 50% of our board members as women for well over a decade. So we started at the top and then with our leadership teams. The promotion of a diverse, collaborative discussion on any topic within our organization has been paramount." Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    45 min

  7. 09/16/2024

    Leading Change: An Interview with GORDON LAMBERT on Business, Sustainability & Creative Tension

    Gordon Lambert shares insights from his decades-long journey, addressing his roles, strategies, and contributions to environmental change and corporate evolution. Lambert has been engaged in business and sustainability in the energy sector for 40 years. In 2015, Lambert was appointed by the Premier and Cabinet to the five-person panel that designed the Alberta Climate Leadership Plan. In 2016, he chaired the Alberta Climate Leadership Technology and Innovation Task Force, with $1.4 billion in carbon levy revenue being committed to innovation as an outcome. He also serves on the Export Development Canada CSR advisory council and as the Suncor Energy and Sustainability Executive in Residence at the Ivey Business School. From November 2018 to April 2020, he served as the interim CEO of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). For 17 years, he led Suncor Energy’s sustainability strategy, innovation, and embedding efforts, retiring in January 2015. He played a key role in the design and creation of Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA), involving a globally unique collaboration model, that has resulted in the sharing of $1.3 billion worth of intellectual property to accelerate environmental performance improvement. Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    50 min
  8. The Daily Pursuit of Excellence with SAM SMOLIK

    08/01/2024

    The Daily Pursuit of Excellence with SAM SMOLIK

    How can cultivating curiosity within an organization transform it from a place of work into a community driven by passion and purpose? Why is wetland conservation crucial for combating climate change, and how can public-private partnerships make a difference? What are the keys to maintaining operational excellence and how can we pursue excellence in our personal and professional lives? Sam Smolik retired as Senior Vice President, Americas Manufacturing for LyondellBasell Industries in 2017. He previously served as Global Vice President for Environment, Health, and Safety for LyondellBasell, Shell, and The Dow Chemical Company. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Axalta Coating Systems, FlyGuys, and Ducks Unlimited Inc. He also serves on the Engineering Advisory Board at The University of Texas at Austin. Sam authored The Power of Goal ZEROand The Daily Pursuit of Excellenceto share the many proven performance improvement concepts that he and his colleagues developed and perfected throughout a 50 year global career. His focus is on leadership, people development, culture, operational excellence, management systems, ESG, sustainable development, and achieving superior performance in organizations. Sam Smolik graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in Houston, Texas. Season 3 of Business & Society focuses on CEOs, Sustainability & Environmental SolutionsBusiness & Society is a limited series co-hosted by Bruce Piasecki.

    30 min
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4.7
out of 5
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About

Limited series co-hosted by Dr. Bruce Piasecki and Mia Funk. Piasecki is the founder of the global management consulting firm, AHC Group, Inc. and a New York Times bestselling author on shared value and social response capitalism. He has been an agent of climate solutions for over 40 years, advising major corporations on sustainability and innovation. Tune in to hear conversations about the environment, public policy, and the changing landscape between business and society. www.ahcgroup.com www.doingmorewithlessbook.com

Information

  • Creator
    Limited Series - One Planet Podcast
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022
  • Show Website
    Business & Society