What's going on at COP30? You wouldn't know much by reading the mainstream media, other than the relatively mild protests and the usual infrastructure problems nearly all COPs face. But what should companies know about the substance of the event?In this episode of our Two Steps Forward podcast, we take stock — Soli from inside the Blue Zone at COP30 in sweltering Belém, Brazil, and Joel comfortably ensconced at home.What emerges is a candid dispatch from inside one of the hottest and most complex COPs yet.
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Is COP30 a game-changer? It's complicated.
What's going on at COP30? You wouldn't know much by reading the mainstream media, other than the relatively mild protests and the usual infrastructure problems nearly all COPs face. But what should companies know about the substance of the event?In this episode of our Two Steps Forward podcast, we take stock — Soli from inside the Blue Zone at COP30 in sweltering Belém, Brazil, and Joel comfortably ensconced at home.What emerges is a candid dispatch from inside one of the hottest and most complex COPs yet.
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Companies need a new way to measure impact. “Spheres of Influence” may be it
What happens when the world’s dominant measurement system for corporate climate impact no longer reflects the world we’re operating in? And what should replace or supplement it?
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IKEA's CEO on why the C-suite still matters in the climate fight
At this year’s Climate Week in New York City, amid the 1,000-plus events and 100,000 attendees crowding the streets and stages, one theme stood out: leadership. Not just any leadership, but the kind that comes from the very top.On our Two Steps Forward podcast, recorded live at Solutions House, my co-host Solitaire Townsend and I sat down with Jesper Brodin, CEO of IKEA and chair of The B Team, to explore the role of corporate leaders in accelerating the sustainability transition. What emerged was a candid conversation about agency, accountability and belief.
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The trouble with 'carbon neutral' — and what comes next
Solitaire Townsend and Joel Makower dive deep into the messy, confusing and often misleading world of corporate carbon claims. “Carbon neutral” once carried a certain promise. When Interface, the carpet company, popularized the phrase two decades ago, it felt like a step forward — an early signal that business could take responsibility for its role in the climate crisis. But as Soli and I explore, the term has since morphed into a hall pass for greenwash, a way for some companies to buy absolution without changing much.
About Two Steps Forward — Sustainability Meets Business Reality
Being a sustainable business professional is both exhilarating and terrifying. Lots of steps forward…and back. To succeed you need deep insights, real experience, lots of inspiration, maybe a few laughs. Each episode, sustainable business veterans Solitaire Townsend and Joel Makower delve into the complexities of the moment and introduce you to provocative and inspiring people you need to know.
Listen to Two Steps Forward — Sustainability Meets Business Reality, Working Hard with Grace Beverley and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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