The Responsible Edge Podcast

Charlie Martin, Host
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The Responsible Edge Podcast features conversations with leaders and founders exploring how to grow, compete, and build better businesses in a complex, fast-changing world. Sponsored by truMRK, the mark of trusted sustainability communications.

  1. MAR 25

    Why Ethics Disappears Under Leadership Pressure

    In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Pablo Lloyd examines why ethics often fails in real business environments. The common explanation is lack of time. Leaders are under pressure, dealing with targets, and moving quickly. Ethics is seen as an additional burden. Pablo challenges that directly. The issue is not time. It is how leadership is defined. Drawing on his experience as a CEO, he describes operating at speed where “the world is coming at you.” In that environment, anything treated as optional disappears. He reframes ethics as a decision tool rather than an added responsibility. “This is actually a tool to help the stress become bearable.” When used properly, ethics reduces the number of viable options and clarifies decisions. The episode explores how this works in practice, why it creates internal friction, and why there is no single standard that resolves it. This is a discussion about how leaders actually make decisions under pressure, and what changes when ethics is part of that process. #BusinessEthics #Leadership #DecisionMaking #CorporateResponsibility #Strategy

    48 min

  2. MAR 22

    Why CSOs Can’t Turn 15-Year Climate Risk into 12-Month Profit

    Sustainability strategy is increasingly central to business. But financial systems are not built to support it. In this episode, Amelia Woodley explains why Chief Sustainability Officers face a structural challenge. Businesses operate on short-term reporting cycles, while sustainability risks unfold over decades. Amelia draws on over 20 years of experience embedding ESG into commercial strategy. She explains how sustainability often loses out in capital allocation decisions because it cannot demonstrate immediate financial return. “Businesses are just bunkered down short term in a survival mode.” She also addresses the perception problem facing sustainability leaders. “They’re perceived as being kind of moral highwaymen.” The discussion explores how sustainability must be reframed. Instead of positioning ESG as a separate agenda, it needs to connect directly to revenue growth, cost reduction, and risk management. The episode also examines the future of the CSO role. As sustainability becomes embedded across organisations, the question is whether the role becomes less visible or more critical. This is a conversation about financial systems, not just sustainability. It focuses on how businesses price risk, allocate capital, and define value. Listen to understand where sustainability strategy succeeds, where it fails, and why the gap remains unresolved. #ESG #SustainabilityStrategy #CorporateResponsibility #BusinessStrategy #ClimateRisk

    42 min

  3. MAR 14

    How Charlie Bigham's Eliminated Edible Food Waste

    Food waste remains one of the largest inefficiencies in the global food system. Around one billion tonnes of food are wasted every year. In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Charlie Bigham discusses how these issues appear inside a real food manufacturing business. Charlie started the company from his kitchen table in 1996. Today the business produces prepared meals from two kitchens and employs around 750 people. The conversation explores why Charlie believes many companies start in the wrong place when discussing responsibility. "I think you're much better off saying, let's focus on your product or your service and make that extraordinary." For Charlie, responsibility follows product quality rather than replacing it. The episode looks closely at operational decisions inside food production. Charlie explains how measuring production processes allowed the company to reduce waste dramatically and redirect surplus food to charities. Over three years the business eliminated edible food waste and redistributed more than half a million meals. Charlie also discusses ingredient discipline, the debate around ultra-processed food, and why packaging decisions can involve real commercial trade-offs. Later in the discussion the conversation turns to the broader role of business. "Business cannot exist purely for profit. It has to do more than that." Listen to the full episode to hear how operational discipline shapes responsible business in practice. #ResponsibleBusiness #FoodIndustry #FoodWaste #BusinessLeadership #Sustainability

    48 min

  4. MAR 7

    The Hidden Reality Behind “Green” Paint

    The paint industry increasingly presents itself as sustainable. Labels highlight “water-based”, “low VOC”, and other environmental claims. But what actually sits inside the tin? In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Charlie Martin speaks with historic building envelope consultant and paint manufacturer Michiel Brouns about the gap between sustainability language and material reality in the coatings industry. Michiel explains how his work began in historic building preservation in the Netherlands before moving to the UK in 2006. While advising architects on heritage glazing, he repeatedly encountered the same question: which paint should be used on historic timber? The answer, linseed oil paint, had centuries of proven use. Yet many architects had never encountered it. “Somebody has to manufacture it,” Michiel recalls. That realisation led to the creation of Brouns & Co. The conversation then turns to the wider industry debate. Discussing the British Coatings Federation’s guide on environmental claims, Michiel argues the sector often relies on terminology rather than material transparency. He describes the approach as “a perfect example of flooding the zone.” The discussion explores the structural power of petrochemical supply chains, the environmental implications of modern coatings, and the growing demand for natural materials in construction. Michiel also outlines the single change he believes would shift the market most quickly: honest ingredient listings on building materials. Listen to the full episode for a detailed discussion on natural paints, historic buildings, and the communication gap inside the sustainability conversation. #ResponsibleBusiness #SustainableBuilding #Greenwashing #NaturalMaterials #Architecture

    45 min

  5. FEB 27

    When Certification Replaces Stewardship

    Sustainability standards are designed to drive real-world impact. Certification schemes cite income gains, biodiversity protection and improved environmental management. But do they transform systems, or simply standardise compliance? In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Pooran Desai, founder of OnePlanet.com and creator of the One Planet Living framework, examines the evidence behind sustainability standards and where they fall short. Drawing on his experience in sustainable forestry, Pooran describes Forest Stewardship Council certification as “an absolute nightmare,” arguing that auditors often had “nowhere near their knowledge and understanding” compared to the woodland workers they assessed. For him, certification can shift authority away from practitioners and toward box-ticking. He challenges the reliance on evidence-led policymaking, stating, “Evidence is only what you look for.” Metrics capture what is measured, not necessarily what matters. Standards, he argues, should act as a minimum safeguard. “Regs for the dregs,” he says, suggesting compliance should be a floor rather than a signal of leadership. The discussion moves beyond certification to corporate governance and shareholder primacy. If sustainability requires systems thinking, can it be delivered through predefined metrics alone? Listen to explore the tension between compliance and authenticity, and whether standards can ever substitute for stewardship. #SustainabilityStandards #ResponsibleBusiness #SystemsThinking #ESG #CorporateGovernance

    43 min

  6. FEB 20

    Why Only 1% of Materials Are Reused in Construction

    The built environment produces more than one third of global waste. Yet only around one percent of building materials are reused. In this episode, Tina Snedker Kristensen, founder of BuildDirection and former Head of Sustainability & Communications at Troldtekt A/S, examines why circularity in construction remains structurally constrained. Drawing on more than two decades inside the building materials industry, Tina explains how certification frameworks such as Cradle to Cradle shifted sustainability from communication to operational discipline. “It’s not just a stamp that you get,” she says. “You have to work continuously and improve on all five criteria.” The conversation moves from theory to site-level reality. Dismantling decades-old materials is labour intensive. Technical performance must be reverified. Ownership is often unclear. Virgin materials remain cheaper because industrial systems are optimised for linear production. Denmark’s tightening building regulations are beginning to shift demand. Reused materials can now count as zero CO₂ in life-cycle assessments. But legacy buildings lack documentation. “If I had a magic wand,” Tina says, “I would hope that it could sort of scan a building and define which kind of materials are there.” This episode examines where circular ambition meets commercial constraint, and what must change for reuse to move beyond one percent. Listen to understand the operational reality behind the circular construction narrative. #CircularEconomy #SustainableConstruction #BuiltEnvironment #ESGStrategy #CradleToCradle

    35 min

  7. FEB 16

    Why Compostables Preserve the Problem

    Compostable packaging is widely presented as a sustainable alternative to plastic. But does it solve the core issue? In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Clare Brass, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Moree, examines why compostables often fail in practice and why recycling cannot keep pace with rising consumption. “Very often if you switch one material for another material, you’re just putting the problem somewhere else,” she says. Claire explains how contamination undermines recycling streams, why recycled material degrades in quality, and why disposal systems were never designed to absorb endless growth. “We have to turn off the tap.” The conversation then turns to reuse. At Moree, Claire works with coffee roasteries to replace single-use one-kilogram bags with reusable five-kilogram vessels, supported by tracking software and clear commercial incentives. Over time, most clients reduce packaging costs while cutting waste and emissions. The episode explores upfront cost barriers, incumbent business models built on volume, and why start-ups may be better positioned to test alternative systems. Listen to the full conversation for a detailed examination of what systemic change in packaging really requires. #CircularEconomy #ReusablePackaging #Sustainability #CoffeeIndustry #SystemsThinking

    38 min

  8. FEB 13

    Boards Say They’re Prepared for a Cyber Attack. Are They?

    Most boards believe they are prepared for a cyber attack. Joseph Hubback reviewed research showing that 94% of boards feel comfortable with their security posture. Yet cyber attacks continue every week. In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Joseph explains why cyber risk becomes an executive decision the moment systems fail. “When the attack happens, the CSO will do all they can,” he says, “but it’s the CEO and the executives that will be in the limelight.” He challenges two familiar responses. First, education. Many organisations focus on phishing simulations and awareness campaigns. Joseph argues that leaders should begin with assets. What revenue streams matter most? What digital systems keep the company trading? Protection should start with value. Second, collaboration. Industry groups share ideas, but few organisations define what support will look like in a crisis. Joseph asks what agreements are in place before the breach. Who provides capacity if systems go down? How will customers and suppliers respond? This is a conversation about governance, accountability and complacency. Cyber security is tested under pressure. The real question is whether boards understand what they stand to lose. Listen to explore why confidence may not equal preparedness. #CyberSecurity #BoardLeadership #RiskManagement #Resilience #CorporateGovernance

    46 min
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About

The Responsible Edge Podcast features conversations with leaders and founders exploring how to grow, compete, and build better businesses in a complex, fast-changing world. Sponsored by truMRK, the mark of trusted sustainability communications.

Information

  • Creator
    Charlie Martin, Host
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    156
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Charlie Martin, Host
  • Show Website
    The Responsible Edge Podcast

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