ProGRESS – Details, episodes & analysis

Danielle Neal is a procurement officer for Norwich City Council. They gained a first class honours degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia, (UEA), studying a course that included a year in industry.

Initially, and because of their strong background in business studies, Dani thought their future would be lie in accounting and finance, but because of their interest in conservation and a desire to do something about climate change they switched courses.

Since graduating in 2018, Dani has been working in local government, and dovetailing environmental and conservation with hobbies that include biological recording, crafting and knitting, cinema and occasional travel.

When Dani attended university open days, they were drawn to the campus and community at UEA, as well as the strong reputation of both its business and environmental departments. And while there, they found lots of benefits to joining societies and volunteering, all of which helped them build connections and gain experience while also boosting wellbeing.

Dani talks of their view of Gens Y and Z, how they see their working life and purpose, how they find optimism through their faith in humans building community and the continued advancements in science and technology.

Top green, ethical, sustainable and socially responsible advice from Dani:

• Use your free time while studying to volunteer, engage with work shadowing and find what you enjoy. Ask questions – the people in the field you want to work in are the best to advise you.

• Do something that inspires you. We can all do something positive in EVERY role. 

• Read up on your employers' environmental policy. Check for volunteering opportunities at work and see what you can do in your everyday life.

Mentioned in this podcast 

University of East Anglia Environmental Sciences

RSPB volunteering

Norfolk Wildlife Trust volunteering

Shop Local

You might also like:

Sarah Kessell CEO, the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales S1 Ep5

Stuart Mabbutt, AKA The Wildman S3 Ep3 and Ep4

Rachel Warren, climate change scientist S1 Ep 7

About ProGRESS

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.

Instagram @theProGRESS_podcast

Original content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Faulkner-Harvey studied theatre design but left her degree early when she was offered an amazing internship. It meant working on productions and prop-making behind the scenes on such classic films as Alien. But a twist of fate a few years later found her back in Northamptonshire, working at Silverstone racing circuit before she landed a job at Oxfordshire's hospice, Katharine House.

In this episode Jo talks about switching from her first love, art, and developing a passion for charity fundraising. She explains what she looks for when she's recruiting for her own teams, transferable skills and experience and the importance of downtime away from her all-consuming job.

Jo gives her opinion on the benefits of working in the third sector versus a big-money big-business career and her personal views on charity CEOs receiving decent salary packages. She also reveals why The Shakespeare Hospice in South Warwickshire is having to find an extra £50,000 this year. In this episode we discuss why charity donors and supporters are like investors in a business and the power of celebrity endorsements for charities.

Jo retains her optimism for the future, and talks of her respect for Gens Y and Z values and discernment and how they are already making a difference to businesses' and charities' outlooks.

And in common with all our episodes, this podcast is full of tips for what you can do if you want a career like our guest's.

Mentioned in this podcast

The Shakespeare Hospice

Katharine House Hospice

Macmillan Cancer Support

Homeless Oxfordshire

Retina UK

Chris McCausland on BBC Strictly Come Dancing

Enjoyed this episode? You may also like:

Nicki Black, fashion and creative director S2 E3

Duncan Goose, founder of Global Ethics and One Water S1 E10

Rae Wilkinson, award-winning sustainable garden designer S1 E1

Dr Mark Sumner, sustainable fashion lecturer S1 E6

About ProGRESS:

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible careers, courses and activities and asks for real-world insights into the paths and decisions that led to them.

Instagram theprogress_podcast

Web: https://www.mypro-gress.co.uk

Original content © Sandra Kessell

Original music © Lyze Kessell Insta @lyzetheartist

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Harvey is the managing director of Fielden Whisky of England. Fielden puts emphasis on the heart of its whisky, ancient grains grown on chemical-free land, planted with an under-storey of white clover. Everything starts from this point of regenerative farming and the grain is grown across England, from Cornwall to Norfolk. But as Mark says in the podcast, if the whisky didn't taste good the methods would only be interesting and Mark assures listeners it's delicious!

Mark's career story started out in luxury brands, including Cartier and LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) allowing him to grow his experience and knowledge in different countries.

But after a number of years Mark could see that his job would start to become repetitive and before long found himself meeting the board of English wine producer Chapel Down and being appointed its managing director.

Leaving corporate life and working for a smaller organisation came with its own challenges, but Mark highlights the impact a smaller company can have on the environment. Following a seven year stint at Chapel Down, during which the wines won acclaim and the brand thrived, Mark joined Fielden Whisky, at the time still known under its Oxford Artisan Distillery label.

It's not hard to see how sustainable a product like Fielden is, but Mark retains an interest in luxury goods as a board member of Walpole, the membership body for over 200 UK luxury brands. Mark also talks about how those companies are developing sustainable practices and mentions one in particular that offers a repair service*.

Listen in for more tips about finding a green career and Mark's thoughts on working for a small producer versus a job for a corporate organisation. Mark also shares the best piece of career advice he's ever received.

Fielden Whisky of England

Fielden Whisky on Instagram

Cartier

LVMH

Chapel Down

Walpole

*The business Mark highlights that repairs and revitalises luxury goods is no longer operational but its founders have started Circulo making tech repair accessible and universal.

Other episodes you may find interesting

Jake Fiennes - Holkham Estate S1 E8

Rae Wilkinson sustainable garden designer S1 E1

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lydia Carrington works as the sustainability manager for the iconic cricket stadium Edgbaston, which is something of a beacon when it comes to promoting green sporting events. Edgbaston Stadium's commitment to changing its carbon emissions for the better is particularly noticable on match days, when as many as 25,000 people watch from the stadium and hundreds of thousands (if not millions) more watch or listen through media channels.

By encouraging spectators – and staff – to be greener about how they travel, what they eat and even by simply bringing along a refillable water bottle, Lydia and the team have seen huge reductions in Edgbaston's CO2 emissions.

But Lydia admits she had no clear career plan when leaving college and wasn't sure she wanted to go to university. She loved geography but was clear on one thing – she didn't want to to be a teacher.

Despite those reservations Lydia studied for a degree in geography and enjoyed taking modules in international development and Scope 3 greenhouse gas tracking.

Her first job after graduating was as a project controller assisting with documentation – nothing to do with sustainability but she knew there were environmental roles within the company and one day asked her boss if she could write environmental management plans for a couple of the sites within her own job and her career took off from there.

Her second job used more of her training, and she came across her current role at Edgbaston Stadium through her network on LinkedIn. Interview rounds successfully completed, the job was hers.

Lydia emphasises that she has been able to make her own mark on what was a brand new role. And to anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps Lydia says:

• stay open-minded about where you'll work at first – provided it meets your values

• the number of sustainability jobs is rising

• green opportunities lay in all sectors

Mentioned in this podcast:

Edgbaston Stadium

Pledgeball

BASIS

MITIE

Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas protocols

Host Sandra Kessell and her guests talk about how they progressed into their Green, Ethical, Sustainable or Socially responsible jobs and offer real-world insights into courses and pathways for following in their footsteps.

Instagram ProGRESS

Content © Sandra Kessell

Music © Lyze Kessell

Email: Hello(at)myPro-GRESS.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Sandra recaps on some of the best bits since the show was launched at the beginning of 2024 and picks out a highlight from each of the 12 guests featured in series 1. She reflects on the amazing insights they've shared, the actions they took along their career pathway and there are some funny stories in there too.

All the episodes, along with shownote links to the materials, sites, books and organisations mentioned by guests are available wherever you get your podcasts.

Thank you for being part of our own progress by listening to Season 1.

Season 2 is the perfect place to catch more brilliant stories, hints, tips and key takeaways from people who are living, working and studying in greener, ethical, sustainable and socially responsible ways.

About ProGRESS:

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss jobs, courses and activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and career choices that led to their current point in life. Every story features a pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and/or Socially Responsible takes on working, living, training and studying.

Instagram ProGRESS 

Content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello[at]mypro-gress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Ashworth was the first in her family to go to university after receiving a contextualised offer in recognition of her achievement. She studied pathology and microbiology at Bristol University and remembers the benefits she gained from a Nuffield Foundation placement. She also talks about working in water quality control for AstraZeneca in her industrial placement year and her PhD research work on 'plastic eating fungi' which has been back in the news very recently.

Interested in environmental science and environmental consulting, Sarah volunteered with Groundwork UK before taking what she thought would be a temporary post as a careers advisor for the University of Manchester. After recognising this was her niche, Sarah has been using her knowledge as a researcher, supervisor and scientist throughout the last two decades as she helps postgraduate students and PhD researchers - as well as others - fulfil their aims and find their own pathways to a satisying career.

More information:

University of Manchester

Groundwork UK

Nuffield Foundation Placements

Also mentioned:

UK Government study in the UK

The Life Scientific podcast with Jim Al-Khalili

Fungi in concrete at Chernobyl 

Plastic eating fungi

Each episode of ProGRESS features podcast host and long-time journalist Sandra Kessell in conversation with people working, teaching and learning in Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible sectors (the GRESS of ProGRESS). Guests talk about how they got where they are and pass on their ideas for following in their footsteps.

But young, old, or in mid-career you don’t have to be looking for a new direction to enjoy a good story and ProGRESS aims to inspire and entertain while offering greener, more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible ways of thinking, working, studying, training and living.

Instagram ProGRESS 

Content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Duncan's career change really happened when, as an advertising and marketing executive, he decided to go on a six-month motorbiking trip and sold up his home and possessions. Two years, a hurricane and several life-changing experiences later, he returned to the UK with a vision: selling bottled water for good causes and using the profits to bring clean water projects to the one billion people worldwide who lived without access to it.

Duncan explains why he went into marketing rather than medicine, what made him leave a job he enjoyed and how he ended up running an ethical organisation, based on values instilled by his grandparents and parents.

He also discusses:

• the importance of One being carbon neutral

• why One opted for green energy from the get-go

• using recycled plastic for bottles before it became 'the right thing' to do.

• why One was among the first UK organisations to get B Corp certification.

Since his vision for One preceded Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) statements, the private equity funders Duncan originally approached wanted significant financial returns, while charities couldn't back a business model that handed over profits. Undeterred by their doubts, Duncan remortgaged his flat and with a goodwill army of 78 people he ploughed all he had into making one small change, one new standpipe, one day at a time.

Big name organisations such as the Coop, World Duty Free and Starbucks have helped One grow and at the time of the podcast (April 2024), One was celebrating more than £30million raised and improving living conditions for over 5 million people through its clean water programmes.

One Water

B Corporations

The Co-op water security programmes

World Duty Free

One Water and Starbucks

Polytag packaging tracing technology

Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon

You might also like:

Jo Faulkner-Harvey, head of charity fundraising S3 E5

About ProGRESS:

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss jobs, courses and activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and career choices that led to their current point in life. Every story features a pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable or Socially Responsible take on working, living, training and studying.

Instagram ProGRESS 

Content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello@mypro-gress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sanjukta Jitendhar​​​​ is an architect working at Mikhail Riches. In this episode she discusses her professional philosophy and aspirations, and her views on rent affordability and home ownership, particularly for her generation. She also talks about refurbishing and repurposing existing homes and buildings, rather than demolishing and rebuilding them.

Sanju (as she's known) started to develop an interest in sustainable and equitable living for all as she was child in Bangalore, southern India. As the city enjoyed an extraordinary tech boom, millions of workers moved to Bangalore to service the tech pros' needs. Her grandparents also moved to look after Sanju while her parents, computer scientists, worked long hours, six days a week. Watching a developing inequitable housing situation gave Sanju the motivation to move to the UK and study architecture as a young adult. It also gave her the impetus to seek employment with a company that met her values of sustainable and equitable living across generations and societies.

Mentioned in this episode

Sanjukta Jitendhar professional profile

Mikhail Riches architects

RIBA Stirling Prize 2019 winner Goldsmith Street

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

Bangalore: India’s high-growth tech hub

University of Sheffield School of Architecture

University of Westminster Master of Architecture

Each episode of ProGRESS features podcast host and long-time journalist Sandra Kessell in conversation with people working, teaching and learning in Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible sectors (the GRESS of ProGRESS). Guests talk about how they got where they are and pass on their ideas for following in their footsteps.

But young, old, or in mid-career you don’t have to be looking for a new direction to enjoy a good story and ProGRESS aims to inspire and entertain while offering greener, more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible ways of thinking, working, studying, training and living.

Instagram ProGRESS 

Content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jake Fiennes is director of the Holkham Nature Reserve and general manager, conservation, at Holkham Estate in Norfolk. But he left school aged 16 to move to London and work at a nightclub and from there, his career path involved a few twists and turns before he became a hugely respected and listened-to conservationist and advisor.

Jake credits his parents with enabling their children to become interesting individuals (his siblings include actors Ralph and Joseph, composer Magnus and film-makers Martha and Sophie), and he personally inherited their attention to detail and observation. It's those attributes, together with his willingness to take on hard graft, that have shaped his life. Jake also acknowledges that his enlightened 'bosses' have encouraged him in his practices to promote wildlife within agriculture.

The resultant biodiversity, including hares, birds, insects and wildflowers at the estate and nature reserve where he now works and lives, is a joy to the farmworkers, the Earl and Countess of Leicester, Jake himself, and the millions of visitors to this stunning part of North Norfolk. Jake believes current generations should be passing on their experience while encouraging the next generation to have a voice and shape a positive future for our changing climate.

Jake's book: Land Healer, How Farming Can Save Britain’s Countryside

The National Parks (Glover) Review

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) (East)

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU)

The Holkham Estate conservation

The Raveningham Estate

The Knepp Estate

Turnip Townshend

Other episodes you might like:

Season 1, Episode 7: UEA climate change and biodiversity scientist Rachel Warren

Season 1, Episode 1: RHS award-winning garden landscaper Rae Wilkinson, whose office is based on the Knepp Estate.

About:

Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.

Instagram ProGRESS 

Content © Sandra Kessell 

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello@my-progress.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global climate change scientist Professor Rachel Warren is internationally respected for her research but she could probably walk down any street in any country without people realising the scale and reach of her work. In this episode Rachel explains how an early interest in bird conservation marked the start of her awareness of the environment. While studying physics and the natural sciences at Cambridge University, the global scale of environmental problems and her growing appreciation of the need to conserve the atmosphere – the air that we breathe – drove her to join research projects examining harmful CFCs and acid rain.

Jump forward to the present day and Rachel's research papers are trusted by world governments and the United Nations, and have been cited by fellow academics more than 27,000 times worldwide. Her work helps formulate international agreements and policies. Today she is focussed on quantifying the risks we would all avoid through climate change mitigation and the risks climate change poses to biodiversity and as a professor at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia (UEA), Rachel is encouraging the next generation of climate scientists to join her. She emphasises the opportunities the Tyndall Centre offers young scientists as they build networks within the research community and the advantages the UEA's long-standing commitment to the environment provides students and academics interested in this field.

And for those of us not immersed in acadaemia, Rachel points out that any one of us can modify our behaviour by thinking about how much, where and how we travel, for example, how we use our gardens, and by reducing our own carbon footprint.

Mentioned in this podcast:

• Professor Rachel Warren's career biography

• Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, UK

• The Montreal Protocol

• The Kyoto Protocol

Other episodes mentioned in this podcast

Nick Molden (Episode 4)

Laura Yeates and Leora Schlasko (Episode 3).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.