Sustainable: The Podcast Earthself

How is white supremacy a symptom of systemic decline? It's a big question but it's one that Nafeez Ahmed, executive director of System Shift Lab, is happy to answer. He says the "othering" of people or communities can often be the result of crisis or instability -- a clash between world views.
The mainstreaming of far-right, xenophobic discourses in the western world and the rise in "illiberal" politics, Nafeez says, have come from the convergence of many global crises, from economic to climate change.
System Shift Lab works to bring together top scientists, technologists and business leaders to co-ordinate and share solution strategies for adaptation and evolution.

Why are diverse leadership approaches needed as we transition to a sustainable world? Dave Stewart, founder of The Fresh Air Leadership Company, explains that all transformations throw up complex problems and opportunities that require different ways of thinking. Dave calls most current leaders "one-trick ponies" and points out that evolving to a sustainable world will require people who understand different contexts and can apply appropriate strategies in each one.
The Fresh Air Leadership Company takes clients out into nature, believing the natural environment to be conducive to creative thinking – a skill necessary for a successful move to sustainability.

How can we address increasing skepticism around sustainability in business following Covid-19? Kevin Wilhelm, CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting and author of How To Talk To The Other Side, explains how "peeling back the onion layers" of skepticism can help understand its cause, and help find common ground. Once common ground is identified, conversations can be held, whether on climate change or the coronavirus pandemic.
And Kevin reveals how taking proactive action on the environment and social justice issues can actually be financially beneficial for businesses.
"Reach out to your skeptic first," says Kevin, "because they're going to tell you the reasons your idea won't work. And if you can figure out how to get past that, you have a greater chance of success."

What does it mean for an organisation to be "sustainable"? Linda Midgley, SDG lead at PwC Europe, defines sustainability as being futureproof -- ensuring a business is flexible, adaptable and successful in the long term.
Linda explains the role of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals in uniting governments and businesses globally in the conversation about sustainability.
Rather than attempting to embrace all 17 SDGs and becoming overwhelmed by them, says Linda, businesses should focus on just three to eight at a time -- by investing money and time in these, they will see cost savings and "quick wins".

Paul Adderley, of consultancy firm Beyond Green, explains how sustainability is not just about resilience but also about dependency — on natural resources, on markets, on consumers and even on competitors. Beyond Green helps businesses understand the value of all of their assets – including people, infrastructures, customers and suppliers – and shows how collaboration, asking questions and sharing risks can not only grow profits but also help protect people and planet.

How do we find the truth, in a chaotic world which bombards us with information? In a break from the norm, Tabitha Jayne is joined by two guests in this podcast edition: Jules Wyman, of JulesWyman.com, and Fiona Scrase, of Action Learning Centre. They discuss how to navigate bias, cope with uncertainty, engage in conversation and form an understanding of the world around us. Jules Wyman is an award-winning confidence coach who offers pragmatic methods for learning resilience; and Fiona Scrase is a coach and consultant specialising in action learning.