Can Marketing Save the Planet?
It’s a big question, and one our podcast sets out to explore with marketers, senior leaders, CMOs and sustainability consultants and experts. Our purpose is to drive education, share best practice, inspire and empower listeners to ask questions and importantly… start taking action.
Sitting at the heart of brand, communications, stakeholders and product development, marketers have a significant role to play when it comes to promoting and driving sustainability. As marketers and business leaders developing and marketing products and services, we need to recognise that we’re part of the problem.
In an age of growing authenticity and consumer demands for more transparency, it is more important than ever for brands to communicate their responsible and sustainable practices, to stand up for causes they’re passionate about and importantly, follow through on the promises they may.
In our view, there’s no one better placed to effect change, align with and influence customers and drive hope for a better, more sustainable future, than an 'educated and aware', responsible marketer. For more info visit: www.canmarketingsavetheplanet.com
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Episode 87: Can ‘Advertising’ Do Good? Exploring a data-driven way to do good and align ESG - The Goodnet
Episode 92
Thursday, August 29, 2024 • Duration 35:16
In the final episode of our ‘greening your marketing activity’ mini-series, we caught up with some of our original guests to the podcast, Ollie Deane and Guy Jones from The GoodNet, the ethical intelligence company, focusing on helping ethical brands and products grow. The Goodnet firmly believe that advertising can do good in the world and, we agree with and support their mission!
Ollie and Guy shared their journey since last coming on the podcast a couple of years ago, sharing what is happening in the media space. They introduced us to GoodIQ, their intelligence tool which measures sustainability metrics. They share their advice on what brands, agencies and Marketers need to be considering when it comes to making ethical media choices which not only support their organisations sustainable agendas, but help their audiences lead better, more sustainable lives.
Join us on this episode as we talk to Ollie and Guy about:
Ethical media, sustainability and advertising
GoodIQ, their media planning and measurement tool
Being more sustainable with your marketing spend and how to measure the results
Upcoming regulations and how they are driving focus and conversations
Whether ads are driving more awareness and sustainable behaviour in line with changing market needs?
A great final episode in our greening your marketing channels mini-series. We did cover a few more areas in our latest book too - so you can always pick up a copy for more practical solutions.
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
Episode 86: Can ‘Events’ be Sustainable? with Matilde Riley, Sustainability Consultant at From Now
Episode 91
Thursday, August 15, 2024 • Duration 32:11
“When it comes to including sustainability in events - we’re finding the focus on sustainability is increasingly part of the client brief.”
As we continue with our greening your marketing activity mini-series, we wanted to turn our attention to events. Events can be fun, they allow us to learn and connect, but they also come with a considerable footprint and impact, mainly from travel, food and that infamous swag. However, the events landscape is evolving and sustainability is an increasingly growing focal point. We met up with Matilda Riley, an expert in sustainable events. Matilda talks openly and frankly about all the different areas that events impact and how there are sustainable alternatives and choices for pretty much every element when it comes to planning and running an event. Matilda tells us that she now sees sustainability on the majority (approx. 90%) of all briefs coming in from clients, which is a big and positive step change.
Sharing so many ideas, solutions and ways you can make your event not only more sustainable but, more creative, engaging and successful, you won’t want to miss out.
Join us on this episode as we talk to Matilda about:
What you need to consider when planning and running an event
How sustainability is now included on the majority of briefs
How events are part of your scope 3 emissions so need to be part of your standards
How to be proactive and not reactive
Getting creative and doing things differently in a way that brings new life to your events for your organisation and, your audience.
And to connect with Matilde via LinkedIn - she’s here
Another great episode… and still more to follow in this greening your marketing channels mini-series - so stay tuned.
Episode 77: Serious about social impact - How small changes open to the door to bigger impacts - Chris Baker, CEO Serious Tissues
Episode 82
Monday, March 25, 2024 • Duration 59:45
“If you can change how people spend their money, you can change the world.”
Social Impact, sustainable business, creative ideas and changing behaviours, these are just some of the areas that we explored with Chris Baker, strategist turned entrepreneur and CEO of Serious Tissues.
With behavioural science sitting behind so many successful business models Chris talks to us about his experience across a number of social impact businesses and initiatives that he is involved with, and how a simple switch can make such a positive impact.
You’ll hear us discuss the growing momentum behind sustainable toilet rolls and tissues both within B2B and B2C, bamboo vs. recycled paper and the challenges and opportunities that he is currently seeing. We discuss Chris’s upcoming book exploring social impact and how it’s becoming more fundamental than ever for organisations, the rise of impact investing and how doing good is becoming a competitive advantage. Chris talks about the journey writing his book took him on as he spoke to multiple change brands working towards securing a more sustainable future. Chris shares so many examples, this episode will leave your minds brimming with ideas and inspiration.
Join us as we talk to Chris about:
Social marketing and behavioural science and why they’re at the forefront of driving commercial and social good.
The challenges of changing behaviours and the approaches you can take.
How little changes add up and can open the door to bigger lifestyle changes.
When it comes to change, the need to look at what you are doing through the lens of opportunity – and framing them as such, as opposed to a threat.
The intriguing concept of disrupting from within.
The need to put the right metrics behind innovation to avoid setting it up to fail from the get go.
The rise of impact investing and how it can scale the good.
For more information about Serious Tissues
Episode 76: – Insects - The future of sustainable food for our pets? with Alessandro Di Trapani, CoFounder and CEO, Grub Club
Episode 81
Monday, March 11, 2024 • Duration 41:39
Did you know that 20% of the world's fish and meat is consumed by our pets?
We didn’t… and so yet again, the learning curve continues. We love having conversations with amazing brands who are pioneering, disrupting the norms and thinking outside the box with a focus on delivering social and environmental impact.
Food security, the impact of food production and what we eat is an area of significant focus when it comes to wellbeing for all and transitioning to a sustainable future - something we cannot afford to ignore when considering food consumption for humans, but what about our beloved pets?
We invited Alessandro Di Trapani from Grub Club onto the Can Marketing Save the Planet podcast to dive into this very subject and find out more about their insect based pet food products, the benefits to pets (and the planet) and, the important role marketing plays in the narrative and behaviour change around insect based food.
We learnt so much in this episode so tune in to hear about:
The only real way to drive sustainable change is to change where people spend their money. And, how we need to provide people with the options to drive change.
Why having a vision and a belief in what you do can allow you to shake up an industry.
Marginal and incremental steps to being more sustainable is so important and can drive real progress.
How Grub Club has approached changing the narrative and telling their story which is key to overcoming some of the challenges both in terms of educating people, and changing mindsets which then leads to behaviour change.
The importance of staying close to your customer - how to drive loyalty when building a community through wrapping a service around your products.
Addressing the challenges of transparency, price points and education.
Why creativity is so important in telling your story and how Grub Club try new ways and, channels.
For more information about Grub Club
Episode 75: – UpCircule Beauty - Building Capital from Waste and Embedding Circularity into Brand - CoFounder, Anna Brightman
Episode 80
Thursday, February 22, 2024 • Duration 35:54
Proving unequivocally that waste can build capital, UpCircle is a truly inspiring organisation built on circular economy principles.
The circular economy presents a huge opportunity for both business and the environment so we were really excited when Anna Brightman from UpCircle, a skincare and beauty brand built from waste and, focused entirely on the circular economy principles joined us on the podcast.
UpCircle fully owns the concept of circularity and builds it into every strand of their business. They have learnt how to turn waste not only into a succesful business, but a global successful business, which is continuously testing the limits of what can be done.
As you’ll hear, their marketing knowledge and know-how is an exemplar on how to engage with community to grow whilst doing good for the environment - which is no easy task when you consider some of the staggering impacts the beauty industry has on the planet, from the 120 billion pieces of packaging they put out every year, through to the questionable product testing practices which are still happening even in 2024.
Join us on this episode as we talk to Anna about:
How UpCircle entered one of the most competitive industries in the world and now sells in 50 countries, created a full packaging return scheme and grew a dedicated community who embrace not just the products, but get fully involved with the refill initiative.
The challenges along the way and how they overcame them.
How they built, incentivised and drive a successful refill service which their tribe as Anna calls them want to get involved with.
What it takes to build an engaged community, building brand loyalty with high levels of retention and ongoing two-way conversation.
The importance of working with your community on everything from product development through to growing share of voice and raising awareness of circularity and the need for behavior change.
Why metrics are so important to ensure your business is moving in the right direction. Brining sustainable and commercial objectives together and how commercial metrics can deliver social impact.
Episode 74: – Investing in Biodiversity is a Competitive Opportunity with Gavin Sheppard and Rob Cheesewright, Pinwheel
Episode 79
Friday, February 9, 2024 • Duration 41:59
When you view something as a competitive opportunity, you look at it totally differently - how can we go above and beyond? How can we get a real angle on this? How can we bring people with us along this process?
We’ve had a bit of a focus or mini-series on biodiversity and nature over the last few episodes of Can Marketing Save the Planet because it is so so critical that we start to understand, talk about and most importantly take action in reducing, removing and restoring the damage that we (business and society) are doing to the environment.
So, we were delighted when Gavin and Rob over at Pinwheel agreed to come back on the podcast to talk about the solutions and actions that are available today that businesses can make part of their sustainability agendas, and the compelling business case this type of investment can build across, acquisition, retention, collaboration, competitive opportunity, sales and profit. As Gavin says, these projects give, “access beyond value chain mitigation projects which repair and restore our climate and ecosystems.”
The damage that has been done is staggering, there has been a 69% reduction in living species since 1970 globally and, in the UK we currently only protect 3% of land 8% of seas, well behind the 30% global target needed by 2030 set out at COP15.
Biodiversity and climate are not mutually exclusive – as with everything it’s all interconnected.
Tune in and listen as we cover:
The opportunity for brands to really get involved and for marketers to be able to tell the stories of the projects their organisations support as well as that all important progress.
·The fact business can take action now, we can start to reduce the damage, remove the legacy damage and, restore habitats immediately.
Consumer demand, investor demand and changing regulations will force business to do this eventually, so why not be a pacesetter.
Why investing in biodiversity is a competitive opportunity.
Episode 73: – Biodiversity - How Marketing Can Inspire People to be Part of the Solution, with Dr Samual Sinclair, Co-Founder of Biodiversify
Episode 78
Thursday, January 25, 2024 • Duration 42:44
“We are totally dependent on biodiversity to survive – this is not a ‘greeny’ concern, this is an everyone concern.”
Given nature and biodiversity is SO important to the future of humanity, we wanted to dive deeper into this important area. Following our recent episodes with the brilliant Alexandra Pimor, who works with organisations to give nature a voice and a seat at the boardroom table, we jumped at the chance to chat with Dr Sam Sinclair, a conservationist and expert on biodiversity.
Sam starts with explaining what biodiversity is, and just how totally dependent we are on biodiversity to survive.
There are more people and cattle than on earth today than there are wild animals – which is terrifying. We’ve reached a critical point where nature can no longer be a nice thing to look after. And we discuss how biodiversity loss poses a real threat to humankind.
“The biodiversity field has absolutely exploded in the last year and companies all over the place are now questioning and thinking about this in really serious terms, asking what is my businesses impact on biodiversity and what can I do to reverse it?”
As you’ll hear we talk about developing a biodiversity strategy, and importantly how organisations can take action and make different choices. A key point Sam raises is that, “biodiversity is different to carbon as there is no single metric of measure…it’s very context specific.” He goes on to explain, “what a good biodiversity strategy should do is take all the frustrating complexity and make it not frustrating…here’s how it all comes together and this is where we are and this is what good looks like.”
Sam talks about the shift he is seeing from organisations moving away from individual projects, towards holistic programs and it’s at this point we talk about how for marketing this presents an incredible opportunity. Why? Because, people actually care about biodiversity. “Everybody has a story, everybody has a personal connection to biodiversity. This gives marketers those opportunities to craft narratives and people want to do the right thing, which is share by organisational culture.” Who doesn’t want to tell engaging stories which resonate and capture people’s attention, inspiring them to want to be part of the solution?”|
Episode 72: – Exploring the world of ‘Meaningful Work’ - Challenges and Opportunities, with Claire Osborne, Sustainability Career Coach
Episode 77
Monday, January 15, 2024 • Duration 41:00
Are you using your career to fight for the future?
In this episode we talk with Claire Osborne who has a fascinating job as a sustainability career coach. Claire works with people who are increasingly looking at where and how they work, questioning the role they can play as climate change, climate action and sustainability continue to rise up the world’s agenda.
Claire talks about the challenges both business and people are facing and the research from David Graeber’s work around ‘bullshit’ jobs. Claire tell us that research reveals that, “37% of all roles are done by people who themselves rate them as having no positive impact in society”. She goes on to explain, there are box tickers, duct tapers, flunkies and many more categories, all of which open up many questions about the roles we spend most of our time doing.
Claire shares the trends she is seeing such as people defining their own roles and setting their own purpose in work, as well as asking, how one applies the role to drive meaningful impact.
Claire works with people who are trying to change the status quo, and shares with us some of the challenges that come with doing that and what you can do to feel supported, capable and less isolated in the sustainability space.
We also talk about how to influence and build the business case for change and Claire shares some key principles around this and things people can be doing such as, “1. Seed-bombing, 2. Doing your research and listening for certain things within the audiences you are talking – what are their aspirations, ambivalences do they have, and what anxieties do they have? And 3. Listening in the moment, to find the 10% that the other person is right and explore that.”
We dive into effective communication skills and the need to listen more, to share and have conversations, as opposed to purley broadcasting and talking ‘at’ our audiences. Claire shares her view on marketing and the skills Marketers have that can be put to great use in the sustainability space, explaining… “there is a ballsy-ness and incisiveness, which we could all do with applying.”
Episode 71: – Part 2: Nature on the board… Exploring what business has to do with nature with Alexandra Pimor, Director of Nature Governance
Episode 76
Sunday, December 24, 2023 • Duration 33:53
Part 2 - “We have to find the courage to do something different…”
Following on from Episode 1, we delve further into the role of law in sustainability. 2023 saw a marked rise in legal cases being brought against businesses and governments, as well as the tightening of regulations and guidelines around not only what businesses can do, but what they can say.
The reality Alexandra explains is “the law takes time; for case law we need the means, will and resources to bring cases forward and for legislation we need governments to listen.” Earth Law Centre supports the law, “very rarely will the law be the real generator of change, for example, the EU Green Deal – the law won’t drive change at the core, the law is what will influence change, it will force it. The law is a tool, and it can be a carrot and it can be a stick.”
This raises a big question for business, ‘are you going to be a pacesetter or are you going to wait to be regulated?’ We definitely need more pacesetters.
Alexandra talks about “Four circles of service” looking at nature on the board, in professional practice, across project development and within cultural evolution, and a need to drive the real change towards an eco-centric approach and way of thinking. She explains that, “nature governance, is about responsibility, accountability and wisdom – we have all the knowledge that we can ever want, we have access to data, expertise and technology and we know what we have to do and stop doing – the question is, do we do that?”
We naturally progress into the role of leadership and the need for honesty to make the right decisions to do something good. And, also the role Marketers play, and the need to be more responsible when it comes to the stories they tell and how we need to break away from some of the conditioned thinking so that we get creative and use our imaginations again. Marketing’s role in Nature governance is still very much a concept, but we need to be open to it and start to think differently.
The need for a shift in consciousness is now. We discuss how ‘you’ can be the change and the need to have the right conversations to grow our understanding to get to the experience you want to create. Alexandra poses another big question, which we’ll leave you with, “what needs to change today in order to achieve the vision for tomorrow?” - We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Episode 70: – Part 1: Nature on the board… Exploring what business has to do with nature with Alexandra Pimor, Director of Nature Governance
Episode 75
Saturday, December 9, 2023 • Duration 38:15
“What does business have to do with nature?
The next two episodes of Can Marketing Save the Planet go DEEP! We suggest you wrap up warm, pop in your headphones, and go for a wintry walk as we catch up with Alexandra Pimor, Director of Nature Governance at the Earth Law Centre. Despite preconceptions, we (humans) are part of nature, we are not above it and we need it – it is indeed our greatest ally. We talk to Alexandra about how reimagining and reengineering our systems from a nature conscious perspective and delve into her work, looking at how we offer nature a voice, a place and a stake in our systems – for nature to be both heard and represented.
Alexandra talks about a responsibility based framework - “where there is a right, there is a responsibility.” We discuss how humans and business can no longer ignore the damage we are doing and how we need to take action to address the situation collectively. As Alexandra says, “if we give nature rights, we are responsible for making sure those rights are not only upheld but understood.” Climate change may be the big headline, but climate change is a result of the loss of nature and biodiversity.
Alexandra told us about her amazing work putting nature on the board, when it comes to, “tackling the temperature of the planet and addressing the core”. She believes, “there are enough of us out there to do it, but we need more cooperation and collaboration with each other and it is not a linear approach we need to address or take, it’s a systemic one.”
We discuss how humans treat every earth community on the planet as a commodity, how the current systems would not exist if humans had not thought them up, and why we need to look at human behaviour and motivation to understand why we behave as we do. There is a fundamental need to let the natural systems do their thing and, there is a huge opportunity to rebuild these systems and get back to basics, being responsible human beings.
Alexandra talks about the practicalities of how business can become more conscious, and makes the point that business is 100% reliant on nature. She talks about the work she did with the brand Faith in Nature, giving nature a voice, and the process they went through to make that happen. Alexandra shared the 3 critical questions which had to be answered:
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
And to tune in to hear Chris talking about the latest Which report about ‘loo roll’, provenance and greenwashing tune in here. (You can connect with him on LinkedIn there too!).
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
How every product at UpCircle is collaborative by nature – and through building partnerships with industries you might not ever put together has delivered so much impact commercially and socially.Enjoy…
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
How biodiversity is different to carbon in so many ways, yet they are so inextricably linked and addressing one helps the other and vice versa.
·Why B2B organisations are moving quickly on this.
The data and insights that come from investing in biodiversity projects builds a compelling business case across the board.
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
We ask Sam about tree planting and the context and effectiveness around this well-known initiative. He explains that it is an important element, but it is a small piece of the solution. “Tree planting has great PR so people can get it, it is one unit of nature and they can see it. People don’t look at grasslands and soils in the same way, understandably. Tree planting captures the imagination.”
Sam shares so much wisdom and insight in this episode, it really is one for everyone so we’d encourage you to listen, and share no matter what sector, industry or role you are in.
Enjoy…
For more information about Sam and Biodiversify - see here.
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
Claire believes, “Marketers can use their knowledge, the insights and research they have access to, to create clear, rather than clever messaging to help with understanding, and to bring in a rigour that doesn’t overwhelm, but sells the next action, the next thing to do.”
There’s a lot of advice Claire shares, and she busts open some of the most prominent myths in the sustainability space, giving a wealth of practical things for listeners to take away from this episode.
Enjoy and any questions… simply get in touch.
From Claire’s website:
Working in sustainability is tough - the scale and urgency of the climate crisis can make it tough to keep moving forward with energy & focus. Frustration, exhaustion, uncertainty & overwhelm drain energy and make it harder to bring your best thinking to the challenge. One thing is for sure though; we need experienced Sustainability Leaders on the pitch. Your expertise is essential to steer the debate and drive action. Use the latest in neuroscience and behavioural psychology to set you up to be a force for change on climate.
For more information about Nature Governance and the great work Alexandra and her team champion see here:
And for more about Faith in Nature and putting nature on the board, see here:
Enjoy…
Legally - Can this be done within the legal framework of the UK – and what kind / type of director can nature be?
The articles of association for the organisation (structural framework) – what needs to change? What do they (Faith in Nature), need to do? What are their obligations?
Culture - What does the governance and practice on the ground actually look like?
Answering each of those questions and finding a way led Faith in Nature to be the first organisation to legally put nature on the board, giving nature a voice and a vote, ensuring better and more informed decisions are made.
This was a truly inspiring discussion and one which couldn’t stop at just one episode! Tune in and go for that walk and who knows… maybe you’ll be considering putting nature on your board too.
For more information about Nature Governance and the great work Alexandra and her team champion see here:
And for more about Faith in Nature and putting nature on the board, see here:
You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.
Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.
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