Straight Talking Sustainability

• One Year of Straight Talking Sustainability: Anniversary Special Featuring the Most Powerful Insights from Nicola Jones, Briony Pete, Andy Middleton, Jen Gale, and Phil Korbel

  In this landmark anniversary episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow celebrates one year of the podcast by revisiting the most impactful moments from five extraordinary guests who have shared their hard-earned wisdom over the past 12 months. After nearly 30 years in the sustainability sector, Emma knows that we simply do not have time to keep knowledge locked away, which is why she launched this podcast to democratise sustainability expertise and make connections across industries, backgrounds, and experience levels.This bumper compilation episode features powerful excerpts from conversations with industry leaders, changemakers, and thought leaders who are actively transforming how we approach climate action, carbon literacy, sustainable living, and systemic change. From heavy industry decarbonisation to personal behaviour change, from ambitious climate action to managing eco-anxiety, these voices represent the breadth and depth of sustainability challenges and solutions.Nicola Jones, Market Business Development Manager at Tata Steel UK, shares insights from the frontlines of industrial transformation, revealing how a £1.25 billion investment in electric arc furnace technology will deliver an immediate 90% carbon reduction when it comes online in 2027. Her perspective dismantles the myth that heavy industry resists climate action, demonstrating instead how customer Scope 3 emissions requirements are driving rapid change. Nicola explains why companies that fail to decarbonise will lose customers within five to ten years, making sustainability not just ethical but essential for business survival.Briony Pete, Director at The Circular Life, explores the critical importance of mindset in sustainability work, tackling imposter syndrome, overwhelm, and the burnout that sustainability professionals frequently experience. She introduces practical frameworks for understanding where people are on their sustainability journey (from closed to leadership-ready) and emphasises the power of meeting people where they are rather than expecting everyone to jump to expert level immediately. Her insights about moving from judgement to curiosity offer a roadmap for more effective sustainability communication.Andy Middleton, Co-Founder of Do Good Faster, brings a provocative perspective on ambition and long-term thinking. Drawing on his experience taking 200,000 people safely through potentially dangerous outdoor adventures, he argues that we are facing a "big volume class five rapid" as a species, yet most people have not even looked at the river or understand the terminology. He challenges the notion of being "realistic" by arguing that true realism means preparing for the threats and opportunities ahead with appropriate urgency and scale.Jen Gale, Author of The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide, offers candid reflections on managing climate anxiety whilst doing advocacy work, the power of reaching mainstream audiences rather than preaching to the converted, and why influence often creates unseen ripples that advocates may never witness. Her work with schools, veterinary practices, and the Sustainable(ish) community demonstrates how embedding sustainability conversations in trusted community institutions can create exponential impact.Phil Korbel, co-founder of the Carbon Literacy Project, explains how carbon literacy training has become one of the most powerful tools for closing the gap between net zero targets and actual action. With examples ranging from AutoTrader (a FTSE 100 company driven by employee demand) to the British Plastics Federation, Phil demonstrates that carbon literacy works across all sectors by giving people the emotional engagement and practical agency to act on climate knowledge they may already possess intellectually.Throughout...

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• Carbon Reporting for the Missing Middle: How Medium-Sized Companies Can Navigate Supply Chain Pressure Without Breaking the Bank

  In this practical and reassuring episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow reconnects with long-time colleague Kirsteen Harrison from Not Sustainable to tackle the carbon reporting challenges facing what they call "the missing middle" (companies with 250 to 1,000 employees). These businesses face intense supply chain pressure to report emissions but often lack the dedicated sustainability teams and resources of larger corporations, creating a perfect storm of fear, confusion, and questionnaire paralysis.Kirsteen brings over 20 years of experience working with SMEs and medium-sized businesses on waste, energy, compliance, and carbon reporting. She reveals a troubling pattern: companies receiving generic carbon reporting requests from larger clients that ask the wrong questions, demand inappropriate data, or require commitments to frameworks (like the Science Based Targets initiative) that were not designed for their size or sector. The result is fear-driven inaction, with some companies ignoring requests for years until contracts face risk.The conversation exposes uncomfortable truths about carbon reporting as potentially a "dark art" where data manipulation remains possible despite verification standards like ISO 14064. Kirsteen challenges the assumption that companies always need perfectly accurate data, arguing that the purpose of reporting determines the required precision. For hotspot analysis and strategy development, understanding key levers matters more than decimal-point accuracy. For legal disclosures and verified reports, precision becomes critical. Yet many companies waste years and thousands of pounds chasing accuracy they do not actually need.Emma shares a revealing case study of a call centre company that ignored carbon reporting requests for three years because the FD could not see the relevance (they operated in leased offices with minimal reportable emissions beyond business travel and employee commuting). This illustrates how supply chain questionnaires often fail to account for business model variations, creating disproportionate burdens on companies with naturally low operational emissions.Kirsteen offers a radically different approach: instead of panicking or ignoring requests, engage directly with the client, asking for the data. Her experience shows that sustainability managers at large corporations are desperate for supplier engagement and will welcome conversations about reasonable timelines, appropriate metrics, and phased implementation plans. One client she worked with turned a compliance headache into a strategic partnership by proactively sharing their supplier engagement strategy and requesting feedback from their multinational client.The episode tackles practical barriers, including spend-based conversion factors (a particular dark art within carbon accounting), the challenge of standardised reporting platforms like CDP and EcoVadis (comprehensive but resource-intensive for smaller companies), and the maturity journey from discomfort and fear through compliance to proud leadership. Kirsteen emphasises that we are building an entire carbon accounting and sustainability disclosure system in years rather than the decades or centuries it took to develop financial and legal systems, so imperfections and gaps are inevitable.Toward the end, Kirsteen highlights an invaluable new resource from the We Mean Business Coalition: a report cherry-picking best practice examples from 70 sustainability reports by companies under 1,000 employees. This goldmine shows how smaller businesses can innovatively report what is relevant to them without being constrained by frameworks designed for multinationals, using their agility and flexibility as competitive advantages.In this carbon reporting and supply chain sustainability episode, you'll...

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• Mind the Gap: How to Close the Target Action Gap and Turn Your Workforce Into Net Zero Champions

  In this powerful and practical solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow tackles the most frustrating challenge facing corporate sustainability teams today: the target action gap. Companies have set ambitious net-zero targets, invested heavily in reporting and data collection, yet most employees remain disengaged and the sustainability team feels isolated, pushing a rock uphill alone.Drawing from her experience training over 1,500 people across major organisations, including BT, B&Q, Silent Night, Kenwood, and Openreach, Emma reveals why traditional sustainability engagement approaches (lunchtime webinars, team days, or brief e-learning modules) fail to create lasting change. The problem is not that employees do not care; they simply have never been given permission, confidence, or the minimum knowledge needed to act.Emma identifies the critical question every sustainability leader should ask their frontline staff: "On a scale of one to five, how confident do you feel talking about our net zero targets to customers or suppliers?" The typical response is ones and twos, revealing a confidence crisis that prevents progress regardless of how brilliant the strategy document looks. When employees run in the opposite direction from sustainability questions, the entire burden falls back on a handful of sustainability professionals trying to move targets forward in companies of thousands.The episode shares a compelling case study of a consumer products company with a 2040 net zero target struggling with staff disengagement and isolated sustainability teams unable to demonstrate progress. After implementing focused carbon literacy training, a senior commercial team member independently added a carbon stage gate to their business case process (worth millions of pounds in impact). Even more significantly, the sustainability leader overheard corridor conversations about carbon reduction weeks later, proving the training had created foot soldiers doing the work without prompting.Emma challenges the assumption that you need 100% (or even 50%) of your workforce engaged in sustainability. Instead, she focuses on identifying where the rub is: What is the one thing that will drive people to act? Is it customer pressure, supplier requirements, competitive threats, or regulatory mandates? Once you identify the pinch point and the critical roles (sales, procurement, marketing, operations), you can focus training on the minimum knowledge needed to move that specific rock downhill.The episode concludes with a practical 10-minute task: Ask three people in critical business roles how confident they feel discussing your net zero targets externally. Their responses (typically ones, twos, or fence-sitting threes) will reveal your exact gap. Emma argues that moving people from ones and twos to fours and fives creates the holy grail of sustainability implementation: employees taking action independently, building capacity across the business, and having conversations without the sustainability team present.This episode is essential listening for sustainability professionals experiencing burnout from trying to single-handedly transform their organisations, those struggling to demonstrate progress against targets, and leaders who recognise that their current engagement approach is not working but do not know what to try next.In this corporate sustainability implementation and training episode, you'll discover:Why net zero targets often create tumbleweed across organizations despite enormous reporting effortsThe three common gaps preventing sustainability action (value, knowledge, and target gaps)How carbon literacy training creates foot soldiers who independently drive change across businessesThe critical confidence question that reveals your...

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• How Corporate Sustainability Leaders Can Stop Spinning Their Wheels and Drive Real Change with Julia Vol

  In this insightful and practical episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow sits down with Julia Vol, an independent sustainability consultant who helps organisations move beyond sustainability theatre to genuine impact. With experience spanning corporate roles at major companies like Sainsbury's and Decathlon, plus expertise in sustainable packaging and circular economy, Julia brings a refreshingly honest perspective on what actually works in corporate sustainability.Julia opens the conversation by addressing a problem many sustainability professionals recognise but rarely discuss openly: the endless cycle of strategy documents, materiality assessments, and stakeholder engagement that never quite translates into meaningful action. She challenges the notion that more analysis leads to better outcomes, arguing that many organisations become stuck in "analysis paralysis" rather than making the difficult decisions required for transformation.The discussion explores why sustainability professionals often feel like they're spinning their wheels despite working incredibly hard. Julia identifies three critical barriers: a lack of genuine senior leadership buy-in (beyond public statements), insufficient resources allocated to implementing strategies, and the tendency to treat sustainability as a compliance exercise rather than a business transformation imperative.Emma and Julia dive deep into the thorny issue of greenwashing, examining how well-intentioned companies can slide into misleading communications when marketing departments get ahead of actual progress. Julia shares practical advice for sustainability professionals caught between the pressure to show results and the reality of slow systemic change, emphasising the importance of honest, transparent communication about both achievements and ongoing challenges.The conversation shifts to practical frameworks for getting unstuck, including Julia's approach to identifying quick wins that build momentum while simultaneously working on longer-term structural changes. She emphasises the critical importance of cross-functional collaboration, explaining why sustainability cannot succeed when siloed in one department but must be embedded across operations, procurement, product development, and finance.Julia offers candid insights about working with different organisational cultures, from fast-moving retailers to engineering-focused manufacturing companies. She explains how to tailor sustainability approaches to match company DNA rather than imposing one-size-fits-all solutions that inevitably fail. The discussion includes specific examples of successful interventions, from packaging reduction projects to circular business model pilots.In this corporate sustainability and implementation strategy episode, you'll discover:Why many sustainability strategies fail to translate into actual business transformationThe three critical barriers preventing sustainability professionals from making real progressHow to identify and prioritise quick wins that build momentum for longer-term changePractical approaches to securing genuine (not performative) senior leadership engagementWhy cross-functional embedding matters more than departmental sustainability teamsHow to navigate the greenwashing trap while still communicating progress authenticallyStrategies for tailoring sustainability approaches to different organizational culturesThe importance of honest communication about challenges alongside celebrating winsKey Corporate Sustainability Strategy Insights:(04:00) The strategy trap: "I see so many organisations that have beautiful sustainability strategies, really comprehensive materiality assessments,...

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• Dismantling the China Excuse: Eight Powerful Responses to "But What About China?" in Climate Conversations

  In this passionate and fact-packed solo episode of Straight Talking Sustainability, host Emma Burlow tackles one of the most common conversation stoppers in climate action discussions: "There's no point in us doing anything because we're only 2% of global emissions. What about China?" This excuse appears everywhere, from boardrooms to living rooms, and Emma has had enough of watching it derail progress.Drawing on historical data, trade realities, and competitive intelligence, Emma delivers eight comprehensive counter-arguments that sustainability professionals can keep in their back pockets for when this excuse inevitably surfaces. Rather than getting angry or defensive, she provides fact-based responses that acknowledge complexity while refusing to accept inaction.The episode starts with historical accountability, reminding listeners that the UK led the Industrial Revolution and was the world's largest coal producer in 1922. Climate change is a legacy issue; the warming we experience today stems from emissions released in the early 1900s. Carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for up to 100 years, meaning cumulative emissions from the UK, EU, and US created the foundation of our current crisis.Emma then addresses the trade reality that many overlook: a huge chunk of China's emissions come from manufacturing products consumed in the West. Our phones, furniture, and building materials embed Chinese carbon in our shopping baskets. You cannot complain about China's emissions while simultaneously buying the products that create them.The conversation shifts to competitiveness, where Emma reveals an uncomfortable truth: while the UK debates and makes excuses, China is dominating the clean tech race in solar panels, electric vehicles, and battery storage. They have reached peak coal and are already transitioning. The question becomes whether the UK wants to lead this industrial revolution or be left behind buying technology from others.Through the lens of the Paris Agreement, Emma demonstrates mathematical reality: over 160 of the 195 signatory countries emit less than 2% of global CO2. If they all used the "we're too small to matter" excuse, there would be no point to international climate agreements. Every fraction of a percent adds up, which is precisely why collective action matters.Emma encourages listeners to choose arguments based on their audience. For innovative and ambitious business leaders, lean into the leadership and competitiveness angles. For those concerned about national interests, emphasise energy security and domestic benefits like cleaner air, warmer homes, and reduced reliance on imported gas. For values-driven conversations, acknowledge the moral responsibility to vulnerable nations that are already experiencing severe climate impacts.The episode serves as an essential toolkit for sustainability professionals tired of watching productive conversations get derailed by deflection to China. Emma provides the facts, the framing, and the confidence to keep climate action discussions moving forward rather than grinding to a halt.In this climate action and business competitiveness episode, you'll discover:Why the UK's historical role as the world's largest coal producer (1922) creates climate accountability todayHow trade emissions embed Chinese carbon footprints in Western consumption patternsThe competitive advantage China is building through renewable energy and clean tech dominanceWhy over 160 Paris Agreement countries emit less than 2% of global emissions eachHow the "we're too small" excuse would mathematically destroy international climate cooperationThe domestic benefits of climate action including energy security and reduced import dependenceStrategic framing techniques for different audiences (leadership vs. innovation vs. values)Why China has already...

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