Communicating Purpose with John Higginson Communicating Purpose with John Higginson

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast, with Bert van Son, founder of MUD jeans.
MUD are the worlds first, and only, circular denim brand, producing jeans using recycled cotton and granting customers the option to lease or buy their jeans.

Bert founded MUD following a career in fashion, as CEO of clothing manufacturers Sahinler and Leomil.

In our discussion, we covered:
👖 How MUD developed their ‘lease a jeans’ model
👖 Why the fashion industry is so behind on sustainability
👖 The difficulties he has faced in sustaining a circular business model through the pandemic and the war in Ukraine

Bert also told the fascinating story of when IKEA came to MUD to ask for advice on becoming a circular business.

John Higginson

Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast, with Ben Tolhurst, Director of Business Declares.
 
Business Declares is a non-profit organisation which works with businesses to raise awareness for the climate, ecological and social crisis by declaring a ‘Climate Emergency’.
 
Previously, Ben held a UK Board role at the Commercial Real Estate firm JLL, and director level roles at Capita, Serco and BT.
 
In our discussion, we covered:
🎙️ The ‘climate epiphany’ that led Ben to leaving his corporate job to setting-up Business Declares
🎙️How businesses can convincingly pose as activists 
🎙️ How Ben mobilised more than 300 business executives to join Extinction Rebellion’s ‘The Big One’ protest this year
John Higginson

Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast, with Zoe Ruthven, Director of Communications & Marketing at Triodos Bank.
Zoe has worked across the private sector, politics and now a purpose-driven bank. Before joining Triodos she was Head of the Mayors Office for fromer Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson.
At Triodos, Zoe is responsible for communicating their aim to be the world’s most sustainable bank.

In our discussion, we covered:
🎙️ Why Zoe moved from her corporate job, to politics and then to purpose-led communications
🎙️The communications challenges that come with being a ‘challenger’ bank
🎙️ How Triodos adapt their messaging for different media

Zoe also shared her exciting news about how she spent her 9 week vitality leave away from work.

Thanks for listening,

John Higginson

Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast, with Laura Elms, Head of Sustainability at Human Forest for National Bike Week.
HumanForest is London’s most sustainable e-bike app. It’s fleet of bikes are 100% electric and are free for the first 10 minutes of riding. They are trying to get Londoners out of cars and onto bikes in a bid to cut carbon emissions.

Laura worked in agency and at AI platform Dataminr before joining Human Forest.

In our discussion, we covered:

🚲The difficulties of running their service through the pandemic

🚲How they countered bad perceptions of their app through a very human campaign

🚲Why it's so important their messaging reflects the team at Human Forest

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of the Communicating Purpose podcast, with Celia Pool, Co-founder of Dame.
Dame provides sustainable, chemical free and carbon negative period products. Dame created the world’s first reusable tampon applicator, period pads and pants.

They are now stocked in stores such as Sainsbury's, Boots, Ocado, Waitrose, ASOS and Next, and are a fellow B-Corp.

Before setting up Dame, Celia worked at art trader Sotheby’s and founded Sanitary Owl, which offered period products as a subscription service.

In our discussion, we covered:

🎙️The battle to get people talking about taboo subjects like period products

🎙️The importance of design increating a brand for sensitive subjects

🎙️Why Celia pushes herself to read views that she disagrees with

Celia also shared with us why she was so impressed by Girls Gils Girls magazine’s ‘Be a lady, they said” campaign.

It’s my pleasure to share with you the latest episode of Communicating Purpose. In today's podcast is Stop Food Waste Day. I've spoken to Emilie Vanpoperinghe, Co-Founder & CEO of Oddbox.
As it’s name suggests Oddbox brings people the wonky shaped fruit and veg that might otherwise be scrapped. 

Before setting up Oddbox in 2016, Emilie had a 15-year career in finance. Sheworked in France, India and the UK for 3M, BT and charity The Girl Effect. 

In our discussion, we covered:

🍎 Why Emilie gave up finance for a purpose-led business

🍎 How Emilie changed her mind on influencer marketing

🍎 How Oddbox created a campaign featuring inclusive sexual proclivities, such as BDSM, to pull in a younger audience