Straight Talking Sustainability – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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Straight Talking Sustainability

Emma Burlow

Éducation

Société & Culture

Business & Entrepreneuriat

Fréquence : 1 épisode/7j. Total Éps: 102

Welcome to Straight Talking Sustainability! I'm your host, Emma Burlow. If you're feeling lost in all the sustainability talk or struggling to see real results in your business, this podcast is for you. We’ll clear up the confusion and focus on practical, straightforward actions that actually work. Join me as I talk with experts, share real-world stories, and tackle the common roadblocks that stop businesses from making progress. This is all about making sustainability easier and sharing what truly makes a difference. Let’s keep it simple, effective, and make sustainability stick!

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Données mises à jour le 02/10/2026

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Liens partagés entre épisodes et podcasts

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https://www.lighthouse-sustainability.co.uk
60 partages
https://www.wavemakersaudio.com/book-a-call
34 partages
https://lighthouse-sustainability.co.uk/
26 partages

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmaburlow/
82 partages
https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-korbel-2425264/
3 partages
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-taylor-pd/
2 partages

https://youtu.be/jsbF9z6adAo?si=3IjiZGyEU8ZddEuU&amp
2 partages
https://youtu.be/hO8MwBZl-Vc?si=eliVIhaZkyqk0kz3
2 partages
https://youtu.be/4zLmWpMDY8Q
2 partages

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'Plan for 2... Stress test for 4' with Sarah Mukherjee CEO of ISEP

Épisode 101

dimanche 27 septembre 2026 • Durée 46:07

Emma Burlow talks with Sarah Mukherjee, CEO of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals, about the pressures facing sustainability professionals, the business case for climate resilience, AI, public engagement, optimism, and why failure is part of progress.

In this episode

Why professional standards matter in sustainability, and how ISEP evolved from IEMA 01:10
How ISEP supports more than 21,000 members across over 120 countries 05:43
What the latest State of the Profession report reveals about political headwinds, resilience, and funding 08:29
Why businesses are reframing sustainability as resilience, risk management, and business continuity 08:40
The insurance and finance implications of weak climate adaptation plans 11:19
Sarah Mukherjee’s advice: “Plan for 2, stress test for 4” degrees of warming 14:16
How sustainability professionals can bring climate risk into boardroom conversations 16:53
Why blaming and shaming people over flying can alienate the audiences sustainability needs to reach 19:40
Focusing on material emissions and savings instead of treating every intervention as equal 25:51
The opportunities and risks of AI for sustainability professionals 29:18
Why AI-generated work still requires professional judgement, accountability, and human oversight 30:33
The case for optimism, even when progress feels slower than the challenge 35:34
Why sustainability professionals need permission to experiment, fail, learn, and try again 41:38

Key quotes“Plan for 2, stress test for 4.”Sarah Mukherjee explains how organisations can test whether their business models remain viable under more severe climate conditions 14:16.“If you save carbon, if you save inputs, it’s going to save money.”Sarah Mukherjee makes the case for connecting decarbonisation with resource efficiency and business savings 26:13.“The way of losing it is to give up.”Sarah Mukherjee reflects on the importance of persistence in sustainability work 38:12.“The most important thing you can do is fail and then recover.”Sarah Mukherjee discusses resilience, career setbacks, and the role of failure in professional development 42:30.Listen for

Emma Burlow and Sarah Mukherjee challenge narrow sustainability messaging and argue for a more practical focus on resilience, business continuity, material emissions, financial risk, and solutions that people can realistically adopt 24:25.

Sarah Mukherjee MBE | LinkedIn

ISEP - Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals

State of the Profession - ISEP

Book a Power Hour with Emma

https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma

Website

Emma Burlow | LinkedIn

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What 100 Episodes Have Taught Me

Épisode 100

dimanche 20 septembre 2026 • Durée 20:56

Emma Berlow marks 100 episodes of Straight Talking Sustainability by reflecting on why she started the podcast, what has surprised her, and where the show goes next.

In this episode

Why a podcast felt more achievable than writing a book after nearly 30 years in sustainability 03:07
The need for more female voices in sustainability podcasting 03:59
How the podcast helps Emma Berlow share experience, connect with others, and create more impact 05:06
Reaching 12,000 downloads, with an average of 128 downloads a week 01:57
The importance of process, even for people who prefer to wing it 08:40
Why podcasting is a “dark art” and why authenticity matters more than polished production 09:30
The slow growth of podcast numbers and the danger of fixating on them 11:15
Creating conversations that feel more like the valuable, informal discussions after a conference 12:29
A sharper focus on practical questions, useful experiences, and getting “to the nub of the issue” 13:29
Plans for more book reviews, a resource Padlet, and video episodes 15:47

Episodes recommended

The 52 Sustainability Hacks series, including spring, summer, autumn, and winter editions 17:42
Getting Past “Yes in Principle” 18:41
Is Climate Anxiety Actually Healthy? 19:07
Early episodes on working in communities and sustainability leadership 18:18

Key quote“Winging it is great until it isn’t great.” 08:54

Emma Berlow invites listeners to share feedback, suggest future topics and books, and recommend the podcast to a friend or colleague. 19:52

Book a Power Hour with Emma

https://calendly.com/emma-lighthouse/power-hour

Connect with Emma

Website

Can Sex Sell Climate Change? With Jessica Riches, Adult Content Creator

Épisode 99

dimanche 13 septembre 2026 • Durée 49:15

Emma Burlow talks with Jessica Riches, independent filmmaker and existential crisis communication strategist, about using sex, entertainment, humour, and trusted creators to make climate communication cut through.

In this episode

Why climate communicators need to “jump off the cliff of the norm” rather than take small steps, as Jessica Riches explains at 02:57.
The three reasons people shut down when confronted with existential risks: unfamiliar unknowns, exponential risk, and the feeling that they have no agency 06:42.
How parasocial relationships and trusted voices can communicate complex ideas more effectively than distant institutions or experts 09:29.
Why Jessica Riches turned to OnlyFans as a space for reaching audiences who are often overlooked by climate campaigns 14:51.
The thinking behind Headline Newds, a campaign delivering climate news through adult-content creators 24:24.
How the project worked with creators as co-creators rather than handing them a rigid communications brief 23:38.
Why facts alone haven’t shifted public understanding of climate change, and why the messenger matters as much as the message 29:56.
The campaign’s reach, including hundreds of thousands of views and strong levels of shares and saves despite widespread shadow banning 32:28.
Why climate communicators should stop treating people as corporate audiences and start recognising them as humans with existing interests, relationships, and communities 44:55.
Jessica Riches’ advice to take bigger creative risks, challenge conventional impact metrics, and consider a “little mini revolution” 45:48.

Memorable moments

“Better facts are not going to make this better.” Jessica Riches argues that climate communication has focused too heavily on accuracy, while overlooking story, trust, and cultural relevance at 30:00.

Jessica Riches describes Headline Newds as a way to combine climate facts with “a few puns and some sexual innuendo” while reaching communities that climate campaigns rarely prioritise 43:15.

The central challenge for sustainability professionals: being boring is rarely safer than being unexpected, especially when the goal is to reach people beyond the usual sustainability audience 45:07.

Content warning

Should We Be Talking About 1.8°C?

Épisode 98

dimanche 6 septembre 2026 • Durée 19:40

The conversation focused on the implications of the UNEP report Limiting Overshoot, which warns that global warming could reach 1.8°C even under the best-case pathway, with current policies potentially leading to 2.6°C.

The discussion explored whether sustainability professionals should replace the 1.5°C message with 1.8°C, or stay focused on the existing target. The answer depends on the audience. People who already understand the science may be ready to discuss overshoot in more depth. For others, introducing another number could create confusion, weaken existing targets, or encourage a “what’s the point?” response.

Key takeaways

The UNEP report says overshoot is unavoidable, but warming can still be brought back down through a “peak and decline” strategy.
Current policies could lead to 2.6°C of warming 04:18.
Every fraction of a degree above 1.5°C increases the risks 04:40.
The required actions include immediate emissions cuts, methane reductions, a rapid transition to net zero, carbon dioxide removal, and adaptation 05:15.
Don’t add complexity before people understand the basics of climate change, urgency, and agency 07:21.
If an organisation already has a 1.5°C target, introducing 1.8°C without context could muddy the waters 10:00.
Sustainability messaging should reflect the audience’s level of awareness and readiness 10:52.
If the basics aren’t in place, focus on carbon literacy training, lunch and learns, e-learning supported by real engagement, or showing the National Emergency Briefing 14:08.
If the basics are in place, identify what’s preventing faster emissions reductions, stronger advocacy, supply-chain transformation, or industry leadership 15:46.
Overwhelm can be reduced by finding the “nugget of truth,” breaking the issue down, and acting on what’s achievable 12:19.
Supporting sustainability teams matters, even when sustainability isn’t part of the job title 13:43.

Ask honestly:

Do the climate basics exist across the organisation?
Is the current target driving real progress?
What’s stopping faster and bigger carbon reductions?
Is there a rock in the way that needs to be identified and removed?

From Collecting Data to Successful Net Zero Strategy – with Louise Rehbinder, COO Exponential Roadmap Initiative

Épisode 97

dimanche 30 août 2026 • Durée 42:18

This episode explores how businesses can bridge the gap between setting net zero targets and actually achieving them, moving from data collection to actionable strategies. Emma Burlow is joined by Louise Rehbinder, who delves into the Exponential Roadmap Initiative’s Five Pillars framework and its essential role in forming resilient, actionable net zero strategies for businesses of all sizes.

The Target-Action Gap:

Many companies have ambitious net zero goals, but employees are often unclear on how to achieve them. This episode discusses concrete ways to close that gap (Emma Burlow 00:01:19).

Intro to Exponential Roadmap Initiative:

Louise Rehbinder explains the organization’s mission, straddling think-tank and consultancy, and how they support corporates with up-to-date climate action guidance (Louise Rehbinder 00:02:16).

The Five Pillars Explained:

The Exponential Business Playbook is structured around five key pillars:

Reducing a company’s own emissions (Scope 1 and 2)
Value chain emissions (Scope 3: upstream, downstream, suppliers, customers, products)
Providing solutions that replace high-emission practices
Enabling mechanisms: finances and investment
Policy and social narrative for systemic change

(Louise Rehbinder 00:07:59 – 00:10:22)

Applicability to Small Businesses:

The playbook isn’t just for big corporates; it is designed to be accessible, with free tools like SME Climate Hub for smaller organizations (Louise Rehbinder 00:04:42).

Moving Beyond Data Collection:

The importance of balancing effort between getting accurate carbon accounting and actually implementing actions. Companies can make significant progress with available data without waiting for perfection (Louise Rehbinder 00:19:18).

Memorable QuotesResources MentionedTakeaways

Are you a Lurker?… plus an Update from STS & Lighthouse

Épisode 96

lundi 24 août 2026 • Durée 16:07

Emma returns post-surgery with updates on Straight Talking Sustainability (STS) and Lighthouse Sustainability. She addresses current sustainability fatigue and the importance of moving beyond passive "lurking" online to taking action. The episode previews upcoming guests, reflects on the impact of community support and trainer development at Lighthouse, and shares ways listeners can get involved and stay motivated.

Sustainability Fatigue & The Need for Action

Many feel despair and fatigue about climate discourse right now (01:15).
Emma Berlow calls out the issue of “lurking” on social media instead of participating and emphasizes that wars are not won by lurking (04:22).
Upcoming episodes will tackle climate denial and focus on building resilience and collective action (03:05, 03:28).

Exciting Guest Line-Up

Louise Rehbinder (COO, Exponential Roadmap Initiative) to discuss the revised 5 Pillars model (episode 68 referenced) (05:28).
Sarah Mukherjee (CEO, ISEP, formerly IEMA) shares results from the State of the Environment Survey and job market trends (06:38).
Jo Alexander, who transitioned from fossil fuels to sustainability (07:11).
Rob Hopkins to discuss his book How to Fall in Love with the Future and potential for a podcast book list (08:05).
Jessica Riches, aka the OnlyFans climate change creator, on reaching new audiences with climate messaging (08:52).

Stay tuned for the 100th episode and more inspiring guest conversations!

Links:

Upcoming Carbon Literacy and Train the Trainer Courses

Remember use Code STS50 for 50% off at checkout on Carbon Literacy Open Courses.

Follow - Lighthouse Sustainability Instagram

Follow - Olabode Afurewaju Instagram

The Net Zero Pushback

Épisode 95

dimanche 16 août 2026 • Durée 53:31

This week is a special compilation episode as Emma recovers from surgery. The focus: recent political and media pushback on net zero and why system-based, foundational shifts are still crucial for meaningful progress.

Emma shares her own “pushback” against negative and misleading coverage, then compiles highlights from three recent solo episodes:

Mind the Gap: How to Close the Target Action Gap and Turn Your Workforce into Net Zero Champions
How Does System Change Actually Work? 3 Rules to Accelerate Net Zero
What Are the 5 Pillars of Net Zero? A Simple Maturity Framework

Media & Political Pushback

Frustration about misleading headlines and negative news regarding net zero progress (00:00:36).
Example: Criticism of public contract net zero rules, misleading stories on solar panel damage, and "gravy train" rhetoric (00:01:29).

The 5 Pillars of Net Zero (00:03:28 – 00:18:29)

Cutting Operational Emissions:

Focus on Scope 1 & 2 emissions—what you can control immediately; “start with what you know” (00:05:58).

Decarbonising the Value Chain:

Scope 3 is where the big emissions are—requires supplier and customer engagement (00:07:28).

Building & Scaling Solutions:

Pivot business models, promote climate-efficient solutions, and embrace new opportunities (00:08:53).

Mobilising Finance & Investment:

“Money will drive the transition”; shift towards low-carbon investment (00:10:14).

Shaping Policy and the Narrative:

Don’t underestimate your influence, whether internally (staff) or across sectors (00:12:07); leading and leaving groups as signals for change (00:15:03).

Systems Change & “Ambition Loops” (00:19:17 – 00:32:45)Closing the Target-Action Gap (00:32:38 – 00:51:13)

Turn your Out of Office into a Secret Sustainability Weapon

Épisode 94

dimanche 9 août 2026 • Durée 22:40

In this summer episode, Emma Burlow reflects on how to communicate about sustainability in everyday work and life, inspired by an out-of-office response from Abby Chicken. Rather than overt activism, Emma Burlow suggests six subtle but powerful strategies for integrating sustainability into your communication and encouraging cultural change—without shouting from the rooftops.

The 6 Significant Shifts for Summer

Update Your Out-of-Office:

Instead of a generic auto-reply, use out-of-office messages to share sustainability stories, highlight your travel choices, or express climate concerns. Abby Chicken's thoughtful message offered a great example at 01:23.

Use Climate Stripes:

The climate stripes graphic (from the University of Reading) visually tells the story of rising temperatures without words. Add them to your LinkedIn banner, email footer, or as a background in meetings (08:45).
LINK #ShowYourStripes

Host a National Emergency Briefing Screening:

Organize a viewing, either subtly for interested colleagues or as a bigger event. The National Emergency Briefing now offers workplace screenings (10:13).
LINK National Emergency Briefing

Get Carbon Literate:

Take the “carbon literacy” training—even for sustainability professionals—to refresh knowledge and direction (11:51). Emma Burlow offers a special discount for listeners (see episode audio for details).
Carbon Literacy Training - Lighthouse Sustainability
Use Code STS50 for 50% off individual Carbon Literacy training places on our Open courses in 2026.

Key QuotesCall to Action

Change is the only constant with Elise Foster Vander Elst, The Design Museum

Épisode 93

dimanche 2 août 2026 • Durée 39:28

In this episode, Emma sits down with Elise Foster Vander Elst from the Design Museum to discuss the significant role museums can play in driving sustainability and tackling the climate emergency. The conversation reveals how museums leverage their trusted status, how collective action sparks innovation, and how every job can contribute to meaningful environmental change.

Key Topics & Highlights

Role of Environmental Impact Lead

Elise Foster Vander Elst shares her dual role at the Design Museum, overseeing exhibitions and leading sustainability practices from material reduction to influencing departmental decarbonisation 01:14.

Staff Numbers & Agility

The Design Museum, with around 100 staff and many volunteers, is described as a “mini speedboat” able to act swiftly, unlike larger institutions 01:51.

Public Expectations vs. Awareness

Insights from the Act Green Survey: 77% of respondents think museums should influence on climate, but only 17% believe museums are prioritising it—highlighting a disconnect 02:58.

Museums as Trusted Messengers

Museums (and curators) are amongst the UK’s most trusted professions, behind only nurses, librarians, doctors, and teachers (05:40).

The Power of Community and Networks

Elise Foster Vander Elst describes collaborative initiatives among museums and cultural institutions, such as the South Ken Zen Network and shared sustainability programmes 08:11.

Local and Sector-wide Collective Action

Discussion about how locality and sector-specific approaches can accelerate change and foster information sharing 10:09.

Design’s Critical Role in Climate Action

Connect & Continue the Conversation

The world is literally on fire...why aren't we acting?

Épisode 92

dimanche 26 juillet 2026 • Durée 21:28

In this episode, Emma Berlow dives deep into the concept of cognitive dissonance—how it impacts our response to climate emergencies, and why so many people seem immobilized or contradictory in their climate actions, especially amid heat waves and wildfires.

Emma Burlow also shares personal reflections on her recent work with Innovate UK’s Battery Innovation Programme, offering listeners a sense of hope about the ambitious projects and funding happening behind the scenes, even when media headlines can feel overwhelmingly bleak.

Key Topics Covered

Personal Reflections & Recent Activities

Sitting on a funding assessment panel for Innovate UK's Battery Innovation Programme, which will invest £452 million between 2026–2030
Experience in the Mighty Heart course with Rhian Sherrington

Cognitive Dissonance & Climate Inaction

Definition and origins of cognitive dissonance (05:00)
Real-life example: the Dorothy Martin “alien flood” case and what it teaches us about entrenched beliefs and resistance to change
Why facts and evidence often fail to change minds where identity and worldview are wrapped up in old paradigms

How to Spot Cognitive Dissonance

Disconnection between language and action (e.g., ambitious targets without real follow-through, greenwashing) (09:26)
Personal and organizational examples
Importance of authenticity and setting an example

Emotional and Societal Barriers

Climate anxiety vs. societal overwhelm (04:01, 15:53)
Difference between apathy, stupidity, and psychological overwhelm
The importance of taking manageable, meaningful action—both micro (daily habits) and macro (community initiatives, industry change)

Moving Forward: What Can You Do?

Memorable QuotesRecommended Actions

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