That’s right… We made a podcast! Our Head of Content, Izzy Ahrbeck, sits down with business leaders to discuss where they started, how they got there and, of course, what’s driving them forward – all in the name of creating a more ethical world. Each episode spotlights, not one, but multiple companies focused on one business element, jam-packed with insights and topics such as brand activism, giveback models, open hiring practices, transparent supply chains and more.
Released monthly & brought to you by TrendWatching and Business of Purpose.
Interested in coming onto the podcast? Email [email protected].
Episode 1 - The Product That Keeps on Giving: Giveback Models
Out now!
Gone are the days of strict divides between for-profit companies and non-profit organizations. We are living in an age where companies are forced to acknowledge their role in society and oftentimes this is where the discussion around “giving back” is introduced. In this episode, we travel from Berlin to Bwindi and talk to four companies who have embedded a giveback element into their daily operations – not just as a sales tactic or a “purposewashing” campaign, but as a genuine vehicle to enact real change.
Nina Rauch is the social impact coordinator of disruptive insurtech company, Lemonade. They donate leftover insurance premium dollars to nonprofits of the customers’ choosing.
Lawrence Zikusoka is the co-founder of Gorilla Conservation Coffee based in Uganda. They donate $1.50 per kilo to conservation efforts through their award-winning organization Conservation Through Public Health.
Annika Brümmer is in charge of Marketing and PR at Berlin-based beer company, Quartiermeister. They support neighbourhoods by funding local community projects with 10 cents per litre.
Deevee Kashi is the CEO and founder of social impact and volunteerism platform, Deed. Deed uses technology to connect employees and consumers to good causes where they can donate their time, money and skills.
Episode 2 - All in a Day’s Work: Inclusive & Open Hiring
Out now!
This last year shook up the labour market – we saw some industries experience drastic layoffs and we also saw some companies desperately seeking out more staff. So is there a shortage of talent? Or are we just hiring wrong?
The hiring process is a hotspot for implicit bias. There are many barriers such as justice involvement, migration backgrounds, disabilities, and language skills that hold people back from the workforce. In this episode, we talk to four companies who have implemented an inclusive or open hiring model to widen their talent pool and give routinely sidelined groups an actual chance to participate in the labour market.
James Bartle is the founder and CEO of B Corp certified denim brand, Outland Denim. They were founded as an avenue for the employment of women have experienced sex trafficking and other backgrounds of injustice.
Eric Vinsonneau is the company director of Clean Collective, a Berlin-based cleaning and home help service which provides respectable employment to those with migration backgrounds.
Joseph Kenner is the president and CEO of Greyston Bakery, a B Corp that hires based on their Open Hiring® staffing model. All of their bakers are hired without background checks, interviews, or resumes.
Monica Barzanti is the head of International Relations at San Patrignano, Europe’s largest drug rehabilitation centre where the residents produce award-winning products to keep the recovery program free for all.
Episode 3 - Loud & Proud Brands: Corporate Activism
Out now!
Just over 50 years ago, Nobel laureate Milton Friedman published his famous essay arguing that the social responsibility of businesses is to increase profits. Since then, his opinions have been fiercely debated and the business community has begun reimagining the intrinsic role of business. Now we have reached another critical point in the debate: should brands engage in political and societal issues?
In this episode, we will cover what brand activism means, the difference between authentic activism and a misleading PR campaign, what it means to show up for racial justice, the importance of industry collaboration, and whether it is even ethical for brands to engage in political and societal issues.
Christian Sarkar - co-founder (with Philip Kotler) of The Marketing Journal and co-author of Brand Activism: from Purpose to Action. He is involved in numerous non-profit and public-education projects, including The Wicked7 Project, Regenerative Marketing institute and the $300 House Project. In 2021, Christian was named to the Thinkers50 Radar of global management thinkers primarily for his work on brand activism.
Lynn Johnson - award-winning speaker, “Best for the World” entrepreneur, producer, marketer & organizational development consultant. She is the co-founder & CEO of Hella Social Impact - a Black and non-Black woman of color-owned consultancy that works with brands and organizations to show up authentically and impactfully for racial justice.
Paul Schoenmakers - head of Impact at Tony's Chocolonely, a Dutch confectionary company that exists to revolutionize the chocolate industry and make 100% slave-free the norm in chocolate worldwide. From collaborating with the cocoa farmers who supply Tony’s, to working with governments, NGOs, and certifiers to accelerate change in the industry, Paul & his team are actively supporting other (chocolate) companies to take responsibility for their value chains
Bonus Episode! The B-Sides, Bloopers & What’s to Come
Out now!
You thought we would leave you on hold until September?! You thought wrong...
We are doing a quick check-in to summarize what we learned in the first 3 episodes, which quotes & insights we couldn't include, and what listeners think so far. Oh, and we added a cheeky blooper reel for you.
Thanks for the kind words: Judit Saez, Jennifer Yepez-Blundell from Merida Consulting, Angelica Rizzo from B.COME, and Stacy Neier Beran from Loyola University.