Episode 22: Greenwashing
Sustainability In Motion
We talked with Helen Neal, Founder and CEO of HN Communications, a sustainability communications company that helps companies effectively navigate a complicated sustainability landscape. We discuss greenwashing, greenhushing and how companies can best tell their sustainability story.
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Episode 21: Managing Sustainability Risks
Sustainability In Motion
In Episode 21 of Sustainability in Motion, Matt Orsagh and Maria Maisuradze speak with Jo Paisley, President of the GARP Risk Institute, about the evolving landscape of sustainability risk in the financial sector. With deep experience from the Bank of England to HSBC, Jo brings a unique lens on how financial professionals can better prepare for climate and nature-related challenges. We cover: Jo’s journey from economist and regulator to sustainability thought leader What GARP and the GARP Risk Institute are doing to advance risk literacy in sustainability Key findings from their...
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Episode 20: The Boardroom Illusion
Sustainability In Motion
In this eye-opening episode, we unpack the quiet crisis in corporate governance: how boardrooms are often shaped by personal networks over real skills, leaving major ESG blind spots at the top. Guest Matt Moscardi, Co-founder of Free Float Analytics, joins us to explore signals that companies send by backtracking on their commitment and why treating investment stewardship as a cost center may be a costly mistake. We dive into the DEI backlash, flip-flopping climate commitments, and how surface-level sustainability reports (complete with curated optics) reveal more about a company’s culture...
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Episode 19: The Wellbeing Economy
Sustainability In Motion
We talk with Victoria Hurth, a Pracademic (practitioner and academic) to help define and describe a well-being economy. We discuss how to get to a wellbeing economy from our current state, and what companies and investors need to do to move in that direction.
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Episode 18: Income Inequality
Sustainability In Motion
We talk about the issue of income inequality and why understanding income inequality is important for investors. We discuss the causes of inequality, the ways that inequality impacts our economy and investments. Listeners can learn ways to measure income inequality, and how to integrate inequality analysis and analysis of other systemic issues into the investment process.
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Episode 17: 2025 Outlook
Sustainability In Motion
In this episode, Matt, Maria, and Nawar reflect on their 2024 sustainability predictions and look ahead to what’s coming in 2025. They discuss the ESG backlash, evolving sustainability regulations, and key trends shaping the future. Tune in as they analyze past forecasts and make bold predictions for the year ahead! 🎙️🌍
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Episode 16: Systems Change Through Investing
Sustainability In Motion
In this episode of the Sustainability in Motion podcast, hosts Matt Orsagh and Maria Maisuradze engage in an insightful discussion with William Burckart, CEO of the Investment Integration Project (TIIP), which helps investors integrate systems thinking in the investment process. The conversation explores the transformative concept of systems-level investing, a forward-thinking approach that integrates financial, social, environmental, and economic systems to address systemic risks such as climate change, inequality, and resource scarcity. Key highlights include: Introduction to Systems-Level...
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Episode 15: System Level Investing
Sustainability In Motion
Episode Overview: In this episode, Matt Orsagh and Nawar Alsaadi of ED4S sit down with Jon Lukomnik, a leading figure in sustainable finance and co-author of Moving Beyond Modern Portfolio Theory. Jon explores the limitations of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) in addressing long-term, systemic risks like climate change, highlighting the evolution toward "system-level investing." Key Takeaways: Limitations of MPT: MPT is designed for idiosyncratic risk (individual asset variance) but fails to account for systemic risks, which cannot be diversified away. Lukomnik notes that while MPT...
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Episode 14: Stranded Assets
Sustainability In Motion
Hosts: Matt Orsagh, Chief Content Officer at ED4S Nawar Alsaadi, CEO of Kanata Advisors, Chief Advisor at ED4S Guest: Natasha Chaudhary, Research Fellow at The Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) Episode Focus: The concept of stranded assets and a shift toward "assets at risk" to better support financial institutions in navigating climate-related financial risks. Key Takeaways: Stranded Assets Explained: Traditionally associated with fossil fuels, stranded assets refer to devalued resources due to regulatory, market, or physical climate changes. Current definitions often focus on...
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Episode 13: Operationalizing Sustainability in the Financial Sector
Sustainability In Motion
Hosts: Matt Orsagh, Chief Content Officer at ED4S Maria Maisuradze, Founder and CEO of ED4S Nawar Alsaadi, CEO of Kanata Advisors, Senior Advisor to ED4S Episode Focus: A discussion on ED4S’s new paper, “Operationalizing Sustainability: Eight Key Roles in Finance,” which offers practical guidance for embedding sustainability in financial roles. Key Takeaways: Purpose of the Paper: This paper addresses how financial professionals can operationalize sustainability in their day-to-day roles. As organizations mature in ESG, there is a need to integrate sustainability practices within...
info_outlineHosts:
- Matt Orsagh, Chief Content Officer at ED4S
- Nawar Alsaadi, CEO of Kanata Advisors, Chief Advisor to ED4S
Guest:
- Pavan Sukhdev, CEO of GIST Impact, sustainability expert
Episode Focus:
The economic invisibility of nature, the importance of valuing environmental and social impacts, and the role of companies and regulators in driving sustainability.
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Key Takeaways:
1. Economic Invisibility of Nature:
- Pavan highlights the importance of valuing natural and social impacts in corporate decision-making. Despite greater awareness, externalities like clean air, biodiversity, and community health often remain economically invisible, needing urgent policy integration.
2. Shifting Corporate Purpose:
- Traditional corporate performance focuses on financial returns to shareholders. Pavan advocates for a four-dimensional performance model, measuring impacts on natural, human, and social capital alongside financials to reflect true corporate value.
3. The Role of Regulations and Policy:
- Europe’s CSRD and other global regulatory frameworks are pivotal yet complex. Simplifying and integrating sustainability data into fewer, material indicators could enhance corporate accountability and help policymakers focus on significant social and environmental impacts.
4. GIST’s Mission and Future Goals:
- GIST Impact aims to quantify and make visible the economic value of sustainability impacts. Pavan envisions a future where this framework is accessible to the general public, enabling broader understanding and support for sustainable practices.
5. Moving from Conversation to Action:
- While sustainability is more discussed today, actual policy and business decisions lag. Pavan stresses the need for a global shift to impact-focused regulations, suggesting that Europe and regions facing environmental challenges lead the way.
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Conclusion:
This episode emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability, advocating for holistic impact accounting. By integrating sustainability into economic decisions, businesses can align better with societal and environmental needs.
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