In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we are joined by Cathy Benwell, Co-Founder of CIC, A Good Thing.

A Good Thing is a brilliant platform with a beautifully simple, yet truly impactful exchange idea, connecting businesses that have surplus items to local charities that gratefully receive items they need.

Like many impact focused ventures, Cathy and her husband founded A Good Thing over a dinner table conversation about a cupboard full of nearly new laptops doing nothing. Cathy was working for a charity called Home Start and her colleagues were battling daily with machines that were so slow you could make a cup of tea waiting for them to boot up. Putting the two things together, they believed there was more opportunity than just that one single exchange. That moment of realisation, and the lockdown downtime that followed, gave them the opportunity to explore the ‘gaps’, becoming the seed of a platform which now operates UK-wide, matching businesses' unwanted goods with charities' expressed needs.

The platform works both ways, businesses list what they have, and charities list what they need. From furniture and tech to branded merchandise, construction materials, and even a life-size inflatable elephant, Cathy has seen it all. Critically, it addresses a dynamic Cathy witnessed first hand, which is the fact that charities often feel they can't say no to donations, ending up with things they don't need. "It can become a headache for the charity, she explains, “we took on Easter eggs (500 of them), which ended up in an enormous pile in this tiny office." The ability to request exactly what's needed has been a game-changer for both sides.

What makes A Good Thing so compelling is its dual benefit and genuine win-win. Businesses reduce waste, avoid disposal costs, and free up warehouse space, while charities receive vital resources for free. The platform is free to use, supported by voluntary business subscriptions, and its marketing has grown entirely organically through word of mouth and passionate advocates within the community. As Cathy puts it, "It's an incredibly simple message, a really simple story. It's a no-brainer."

Cathy hopes to see every UK business using a platform like A Good Thing in the future, and with international pilots in the US, France, and the Netherlands they are looking at expanding the impact. Her advice to Marketers is to focus on the human story. "Telling the human story rather than just focusing on the numbers really, really draws people in."

Tune in as we talk to Cathy about:

• How her platform connects business surplus with charity need.

• Why enabling charities to request what they actually need transforms the dynamic of corporate giving.

• The astonishing range of items donated and what it tells us about business waste.

• Why A Good Thing remains focused on their core proposition and has chosen not to measure carbon or financial impact as part of what they do.

• How word of mouth, passionate volunteers, community and a simple story can scale a circular economy solution.

If you’re keen to get involved, we’ve shared plenty of ways you can connect with A Good Thing:

Cathy’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-b-a1408768/

Via Email [email protected]

And more links via web and socials:

www.agoodthing.org.uk

www.facebook.com/agoodthing.org.uk

www.x.com/agoodthing_uk

www.linkedin.com/company/agoodthing-org-uk

www.instagram.com/agoodthing_uk

Enjoy…

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we talk stories! We’re joined by Matt Golding, Director at Antidote - filmmaker, storyteller and strategist. Matt’s career has taken him from making viral comedy films for global brands to an exploration of how stories shape culture and belief.

Starting out creating shareable content for the likes of eBay and Disney, Matt found himself sitting in boardrooms alongside major agencies, watching how big organisations operate from the inside. Simultaneously, he was becoming increasingly active in climate and social justice movements outside of work. The contrast was plain to see, as he explains, "It's not that the corporations were evil...but the system we're in drives people to operate in a certain way." That realisation led him to pivot his business in 2019 to focus on helping organisations doing genuinely positive work.

After two years working with Extinction Rebellion, Greenpeace, and others, Matt looked all his experience and saw the issue, "We're just telling people off with jokes. The messaging is, what do we not do, what do we cut down on. It felt like we were missing a huge piece of the puzzle: what are we aiming for?" This led to the creation of Antidote which is an experiment in changing how we tell stories to help us all believe that collective action can change the world (and head’s up, it really can!).

Antidote's approach is a shift from problem-focused narratives to solution-oriented storytelling that triggers belief, and not just temporary relief. Matt and his team share stories of collective action that is already happening, stories of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things in communities across the UK. From 8,000 people crowdfunding an organic farm in Shropshire, to a Bristol estate that built the UK's biggest community-owned wind turbine - stories that offer and amplify genuine participation. "Every story we share is exemplified by a person that is like you...that has something you can do to participate in, build, share, amplify that thing." People need to be part of the solution and as Matt is showing through his work, they are and, it works.

When it comes to Marketers, Matt challenges us to look critically at the narrative structures we've inherited. The hero's journey, he argues, is not a helpful foundation for a culture. Instead, he advocates for stories built on unifying themes, emotional connection first, and a positive vision that people can actually see themselves in.

This episode is a brilliant masterclass and a conversation we just wanted to keep going. (And we will!).

Tune in as we talk to Matt about:

• Why telling people what not to do isn't working

• Why we need to paint a compelling picture of the world we're trying to create.

• The difference between "belief" and "relief"

• Why positive stories that offer no pathway to participation can leave us feeling more powerless.

• How communities across the UK are already solving seemingly intractable problems by coming together around shared interests.

• The limitations of the hero's journey as a storytelling framework, and what we might replace it with.

• Practical advice for marketers on approaching things with humility, showing, not telling, and letting the people already doing the work speak for themselves.

For more, we’ve shared the links we discuss:

Podcast: SCREW THIS, LET’S TRY SOMETHING ELSE:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/screw-this-lets-try-something-else/id1863391095

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Bornsbddwi4xZYQLoAm6b?si=d500b7fbf3924eb6

ANTIDOTE project website: https://www.antidotelive.studio/

ANTIDOTE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antidotelive

ANTIDOTE TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@antidote_live

ANTIDOTE Substack: https://mattgolding.substack.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattgolding/

Rubber Republic: Impact studio: https://www.rubberrepublic.com/

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we are joined by Suzie Mills and Tim Brann, two of the co-founders of Oxygen Communications. We were keen to learn more about their research findings into the sustainability of UK purpose-led websites, which reveals a troubling disconnect between organisations' sustainability intent and their digital execution.

Born during the first COVID lockdown, Oxygen Communications emerged from a desire to build an agency rooted in sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity. Their recent research and report uncovered that many organisations, including B Corps, environmental charities, and sustainability consultancies are inadvertently contributing to the digital carbon problem. As Suzie explains, "The digital emissions sector is higher than the aviation industry, and yet the knowledge about the aviation industry is so huge.” The lack of understanding from a B-Corp perspective highlighted a gap in their current certification standards, although upcoming updates are set to change that.

The research identified two primary barriers: a profound lack of awareness that websites even have a carbon footprint, and for those who are aware, it remains a low priority, consistently deprioritised against competing demands. Tim emphasised the opportunity that sustainable websites bring and how, “They aren't just good for the planet, they're good for business. They load quicker, are easier to access and navigate, there's a clear business case." Crucially, the team argues that small, low-cost changes like compressing images, removing auto-play videos, and choosing green hosting, can make a significant difference in emissions without requiring a full rebuild.

A powerful example from their work, a simple audit for a hospice revealed that a tiny image of the Queen in the footer, present on every page, was a major emissions culprit. Reducing that single file size by 90% delivered a site-wide carbon saving. "Small things can make such a significant difference if you know where to look and what to do."

Looking ahead, Suzie and Tim for would love genuine collaboration between marketing and web design teams, aligning success metrics around sustainability from the very start of any project, and embedding digital sustainability into organisation-wide strategy and policy.

Tune in as we talk to Suzie and Tim about:

• Why even purpose-driven organisations have unsustainable websites.

• The two key barriers to action: lack of awareness and competing priorities, and how to overcome both.

• Practical, low-cost changes any Marketer can make today to reduce their website's carbon emissions.

• Why authentic storytelling means being transparent about both successes and areas for improvement.

• Grounding claims in measurable impact.

• The vital role of collaboration between marketing and web design teams to make sustainable digital practices the norm.

You’ll find links to the useful resources and signposts mentioned throughout the podcast here:

• The Report: https://designedbyoxygen.com/resources/sustainable-intent-unsustainable-web-why-the-gap/

• Sustainable Comms Guide: https://designedbyoxygen.com/resources/guide-to-sustainable-communications/

• Inclusive Comms Guide: https://designedbyoxygen.com/resources/guide-to-inclusive-communications/
  A Masterclass we held a while back: https://designedbyoxygen.com/resources/sustainable-design-masterclass/

• Website Sustainability Audit: https://designedbyoxygen.com/what-we-do/website-sustainability-audit/

• General news & views all related to sustainable & accessible design practices: https://designedbyoxygen.com/exhale/

• And finally, this is the webinar Suzie mentioned! https://www.myvision.org.uk/disabled-user-testing/

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

"Marketing's got this incredibly important role to play in generating meaning around the things that matter."

Following in the theme of sharing ‘good news’ and inspiration… in this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we are joined by Ivo Gormley, OBE, Founder and CEO of GoodGym.

Ivo shares the story of how a simple act of running to deliver a newspaper to an older, housebound neighbour evolved into an inspiring movement that is redefining exercise, tackling social isolation and building greener, more connected communities.

GoodGym’s model is beautifully simple, members walk, run, or cycle to collabortively undertake physical tasks within their local community. Now active in over 65 UK locations, it transforms solitary fitness into meaningful social action which is both fun and rewarding.

A pivotal insight from their work highlights a pressing modern issue: "16 to 25 year olds are the most likely to be lonely... It's a fantastic evaluation showing that our activity is particularly powerful for giving people that sense of belonging and identity."

The organisation’s success is backed by rigorous research from the London School of Economics, which shows that participation leads to “a 27% increase in belonging, a 12% reduction in loneliness, and a 21% increase in life satisfaction.” Ivo sees a major opportunity for Marketers in this space to reposition civic contribution not as a worthy chore, but as a desirable, identity-building activity. "Marketing's got this incredibly important role to play in generating meaning around the things that matter," he argues, emphasising the need to make social progress a core part of an attractive, fun social life.

Looking ahead, GoodGym is focusing on engaging younger demographics and scaling its impact, supported by a major media partnership. Ivo’s vision is for GoodGym to become a mainstream, default option for exercise and a natural step towards a happier, healthier, and better-connected society. This episode will make you want to get out there and get involved!

Tune in as we talk to Ivo about:

• How turning exercise into community service can create a “triple win” for individuals, neighbours, and local spaces.

• Why young people are most at risk, and how purposeful, collective action can build powerful belonging and life satisfaction.

• Why fun and collaborative experiences are key to driving sustained participation and behaviour change.

• The compelling social impact data from the LSE that proves combining fitness with volunteering is a highly effective.

For more information:

Visit https://www.goodgym.org/

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we are joined by Fiona Ball, Group Director of Bigger Picture and Sustainability at Sky. She shares an unparalleled, 20-year insider’s view of how a major media company can authentically embed sustainability into its core, from operations to storytelling, and use its unique platform to educate and inspire millions.

Fiona’s work at Sky isn’t a recent endeavour, it’s a deep-rooted journey. Beginning in 2005 with measuring their direct impact, they became the first carbon-neutral media company by 2006. This foundation of getting their “house in order” approach has been what Fiona describes as the “critical license to operate”, enabling ambitious, audience-facing campaigns like the six-year Sky Rainforest Rescue partnership with WWF and the transformative Sky Ocean Rescue initiative, which spurred them on to eliminate single-use plastic from their products and packaging by 2020.

A key to their credibility is structural integration. Sustainability planning now runs parallel to financial and commercial planning, with those all-important detailed life-cycle assessments for products enabling future-proofed design decisions. As Fiona notes, “this isn’t just ethical, it’s smart business resilience, we're future proofing it, and it has a good positive story. Consumers do want to buy products that aren't high energy users and don't have a negative impact on the environment."

Sky is a power storyteller. And Fiona takes us through examples of how they have weaved sustainability into narratives across genres, from using characters in the comedy Brassic to highlighting green productions,  embedding climate activism in dramas like Temple, and creating children’s content with characters like Obki. The strategy is constant, multi-channel, and tailored: "We don't have a one thing fits all approach, we talk to people's passion points. Somebody will be passionate about family, fashion, sport, whatever. We talk through those personal lenses."

Looking ahead, Fiona sees collaboration as the next chapter, with Sky deepening its work by opening its sustainably built studios to others and fostering sector-wide partnerships to fast-track progress, ensuring the narrative of hope and solutions never stops.

Tune in as we talk to Fiona about:

🌎 How a 20-year timeline of authentic action has built the credibility needed for influential public campaigns.

🌎 Why integrating sustainability data with commercial financial planning is essential for future-proofing products and business resilience.

🌎 The art of mainstream storytelling to keep the message constant and engaging.

🌎 The critical shift from working in isolation to leading through collaboration.

🌎 Using Sky’s platform and resources to elevate the entire media sector.

For more information:

Visit https://www.skygroup.sky/impact

Connect with Fiona via LinkedIn

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

Plenty more to come in 2026…

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

Welcome back… our first episode of 2026 - and in this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we are joined by marketing strategist Florian Schleicher.

Florian shares his experience and provides a compelling insight into how marketing acumen can be the driving force behind a major city’s sustainability transformation.

In an exciting project with Vienna’s policymakers, Florian demonstrates how marketing’s role transcended traditional campaigns, integrating strategic storytelling directly into urban planning and civic engagement.

An approach rooted in the immense, tangible impact cities have on our collective future, Florian was guided by the data that “70% of all the future infrastructure investment will be decided in cities,” framing the work as a crucial lever for global good. A key philosophical decision was moving beyond guilt to focus on emotional resonance and belonging, guiding city counsellors to “finding initiatives that we can take, and then bringing them into execution whilst always having in the back of our minds that we want create an emotional link. We have to excite them.”

The project followed a disciplined, “Up, Down, Create” method: first brainstorming ideas globally, then filtering them down to 18 viable initiatives that fit Vienna, and finally creating one integrated concept. This process ensured initiatives like exploring white rooftops to cool the city were both impactful and communicable. To crystallise the vision, the team crafted a ‘future press release’, which acted like a “North Star” for how they wanted the city’s progress to be felt and talked about, focusing on the benefits.

For Florian, marketing’s potential in this space is undeniable. “Marketing definitely was and is part of the problem that we're in right now, but I think it also has the possibility and the capabilities to pull us out of it,” he argues. He sees a critical need for new roles like a “climate communications manager” in cities to bridge the gap between sustainability experts and the public, using the core skills of marketing, creating memories and driving behaviour change. His ultimate hope is that “we don't talk about sustainability anymore, but just about liveability.”

Tune in as we talk to Florian about:

🌎 How a marketer’s strategic process (“Up, Down, Create”) can structure a city’s path to a sustainable future.

🌎 Why focusing on emotional resonance and “liveability” is more effective for mainstream engagement.

🌎 Using a “future press release” as a North Star to align complex city initiatives around a single, inspiring vision of success.

🌎 The critical need to bridge sustainability and communications within city governments, and why marketing must be part of the solution.

For more information:

Visit www.future-strategies.com

Connect with Florian on LinkedIn

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

Plenty more to come in 2026…

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

In this final episode of 2025, we talk to Glen McDermott, CEO of Red Rock Branding and a leader in the conscious business movement. Glen shares his personal journey from retail marketing to founding a purpose-driven agency focused on "healthy people and planet," driven by experiences with public health and Australia’s devastating bushfires.

We delve into a subject close to our hearts, the critical role of language and leadership in shifting business paradigms. Glen talks us through the important work and mission of the Conscious Business Collaborative, which educates future leaders by putting students "shoulder to shoulder" with pioneering CEOs. He argues that while sustainability has “suffered tremendously in the greenwashing movement,” forward-thinking communicators are now leaning into more proactive terms and framing actions around what makes solid business sense.

A core theme which we’ve been exploring for years is Marketer's or marketing’s evolving identity and role from being seen, as Glen explains, “marketing in its old sense, traditional sense, you could argue is a dirty word” to becoming essential "change agents" and educators. We explore how strategic marketing, when aligned with a genuine purpose, can build "brands with backbone," influence consumer behaviour positively, and prove that doing good is a viable business model. On the shift in marketing's role, Glen shares how “when talking at a conference in Berlin, I reframed it to be more education. And that was a really interesting flip to the audience who were all incredibly bright researchers and professors. One of the messages I left was asking them to spend more time in public facing operations rather than internal facing.”

On finding purpose in work we don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Glen's advice is, “do lots of micro experiments until you find what it is, that number one, you're good at and number two, that you can demonstrate some impact in - impact being in terms of improving people's lives (And that's the sticky bit, vs. sell, sell, sell)." It’s about finding what we’re good at that creates tangible impact, and from there we can build momentum.

Tune in as we talk to Glen about:

• Language being a critical lever and moving beyond jargon and tired terms.

• Bridging the generational leadership gap.

• Marketing’s evolving role from driving mindless consumption to becoming strategic change agents who use creativity to solve human and ecological challenges.

• Measuring impact beyond profit, like whether your team feels "jazzed" by their work and social impact, such as improved public health outcomes.

For more information:

Visit: www.redrockbranding.com

The Conscious Business Collaborative

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

That’s a wrap for 2025 - but rest assured plenty of great conversations will continue through 2026.

Stay tuned…

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

In a climate where many organisations are nervously dialling back on their social and environmental commitments, a surprising group is emerging as the new purpose pioneers - B2B brands. In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet?, we sit down with Dave Vann, MD of agency, said & done, to unpack their latest revealing research, ‘The Purpose Reckoning,’ which surveyed over 300 businesses.

Our conversation delves into the current situation we are seeing across the business landscape where leaders feel caught between political and economic pressures to stay quiet, and their personal desire to be more outspoken and drive impact. Dave shares a whole host of key findings such as, while organisations overall are pulling back, this trend is heavily influenced by size and exposure to the US market. Larger, US-connected firms are retreating, while smaller UK-focused SMEs are largely "carrying on as before."

A central insight which we dive into is that B2B leaders are notably bullish on purpose, with “87% believing it will be a key differentiator in the future”. We explore why the B2B landscape is uniquely positioned for this, citing factors like emotionally-driven procurement decisions, a lower risk of public backlash compared to B2C, and the need to build resilient, future-proof supply chains.

Dave issues a powerful call to action for marketers, urging them to step up and guide their organisations with both courage and strategic savvy. "We've got to be brave and we've got to be smart. This isn't just about doing the right thing. This is good for business.”

When asked about the future of business, Dave hopes, we're in a place where the baseline has risen and there's just a widespread acceptance that of course business is here for improving the lives of people and the planet that we live in." And, we couldn’t ages more.

Tune in as we talk to Dave about:

• How, not talking about purpose isn’t universal.

• Why B2B organisations see purpose as a future differentiator and aligns with the growing humanisation of B2B marketing.

• Why there's a significant disconnect between corporate action and personal conviction.

• How many leaders wish their organisations were more vocal, even as external pressures force them to dial back.

• The need to look beyond compliance. Regulation may set a baseline but true progress requires a "care" mindset which focuses on genuine impact and brand building.

• The need to find your strategic niche, which aligns with your business, customers, and differentiates you from your competitors.

For more information:

said & done website: https://www.saidanddone.co.uk/

‘The Purpose Reckoning’ research: https://www.saidanddone.co.uk/purpose-reckoning-research

Dave’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-vann/

We also talk about the recent MarketingKind webinar-turned-podcast he sharfed. And so, here’s a link to that:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ty-heath-thomas-kolster-dave-vann-on-b2b-marketing-purpose/id1725793542?i=1000733018569

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

Community work at scale is like hope with its sleeves rolled up …

We loved this latest podcast conversation with Rob Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Network, climate activist and author of the fabulous feel good book, ‘How to Fall in Love with the Future’. Rob argues that the most critical work of our time is to actively imagine and cultivate a longing for a better future. He talks about the climate crisis being at its heart, a failure of the imagination telling us, “I think we live in a time where the future is being cancelled and the future is being colonized, and if you talk to a lot of young people, the future has just sort of disappeared, they can't think about the future”. The solution, he suggests, is not more dire warnings, but a radical shift towards what activist Ouassima Laabich calls "sensual futuring" - making a positive future feel tangible, desirable, and within reach. And that is exactly what his book sets out to do as he takes the reader (or listener) off in a time machine!

Rob talks about how traditional activism, rooted in an "information deficit model," has failed to engage the vast majority of people. Simply presenting facts about collapse and extinction leads to paralysis, not action. Instead, he proposes that the primary objective of any movement for change should be "the cultivation of longing," using storytelling, play, and immersive experiences. Rob explains people should be able to, “see, smell, and taste” what a sustainable, equitable world could be like. Rob tells us how he has taken thousands of people through his "time travel" workshops, guiding them to a positive 2030, making the alternative future an emotional reality for them.

His book, “How to Fall in Love with the Future”, is the antidote to where we currently find ourselves, in a world where we’ve had our collective imaginations stifled and the promotion of fear is all too familiar. Countering this head-on he explains, “I try to fill people's cupboards with stories so that then when someone says that's not possible they say, yes it is”, the book is packed with real-world examples of what is already possible, from car-free neighbourhoods in Germany to community-led energy projects. He emphasises that we must connect visionary thinking with on-the-ground action. For Marketers, Rob acknowledges the need for our skills in shaping desire and cultivating longing, not to drive consumption but instead help tell the stories that will guide humanity toward a thriving future.

This is a wonderful conversation which had Michelle scribbling away throughout, his book is a MUST read!

Tune in as we talk to Rob about:

• The crisis of imagination – how our collective ability to imagine a positive future has declined, leaving us stuck in the present.

• Why we need to cultivate longing over fear - change-makers should be pushing to inspire a deep, emotional longing for a different future.

• Making the future tangible through "time travel" – the power of immersive storytelling should not be underestimated in helping people experience a positive future, making it feel real and worth fighting for.

• “We must imagine while we build” Mariame Kaba: Action and imagination go hand-in-hand. Building a better world requires constantly articulating and refining the vision we are working towards.

• Marketing's role: understanding psychology and cultivating desire is key to bridging the gap between abstract ideas and public longing.

For more information about Rob, visit: https://www.robhopkins.net/ where you’ll find links to his books.

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

The integral role of the CMO in driving authentic sustainability…

In this final episode of our Responsible CMO mini-series, we’re joined by Sophie Collins, CMO at MPB.

Sophie shares her experience and provides compelling insight for how a Chief Marketing Officer can be the driving force behind an organisations’ sustainability mission. At MPB, a platform for buying and selling used photography equipment, the CMO role transcends traditional marketing, integrating sustainability directly into the function and business strategy.

Sophie’s approach is rooted in the authenticity of MPB’s purpose and circular business model. She emphasises that her role is not to invent a sustainability narrative but to articulate the organisation’s genuine commitment, “we are genuinely on a sustainability journey, and we genuinely care, and my job is to say that out loud.” A key structural decision that underscores this integration is having the VP of Sustainability report directly into her within the marketing department. This creates a “two-way street,” ensuring that sustainability goals inform marketing communications and that customer insights, in turn, push the organisation to be more ambitious in its sustainability initiatives.

Internally, Sophie’s team uses employees as a “litmus paper” for new initiatives, prioritising internal communication to ensure ideas resonate and maintain authenticity before external launch. This has helped cultivate a passionate, purpose-led marketing team empowered to make decisions that balance people, planet, and profit. Externally, this philosophy translates into bold, long-term commitments.

For Sophie, the CMO’s responsibility in sustainability is paramount, “I sort of think it's entirely the CMOs responsibility...if you think about the people whose job and skill set it is to drive behavioural change and communicate well, then that's the challenge that we have in sustainability.”

She argues that the core skills of a marketer, communication and driving behavioural change, are what is needed to tackle the complex challenges of sustainability. Her leadership is motivated by a desire to have a positive impact, using her skills to foster a more sustainable form of consumerism. She concludes that while it is challenging work, it is the collective responsibility of marketers to lead this change and we couldn’t agree more.

Tune in as we talk to Sophie about:

• How the CMO’s role is simplified and empowered when sustainability is an authentic, core part of the business model.

• Why embedding the sustainability function within the marketing department ensures strategic alignment and creates a system of accountability that pushes the organisation to be better.

• Testing with internal communication is a crucial first audience for sustainability initiatives, helping to gauge authenticity and passion, before external launch.

• Practical ways marketers can green out their media plans and campaigns.

• Why we need long-term commitment over short-term campaigns.

For more information about Sophie , tune in via LinkedIn. And find out more about MPB.

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

More to come in this series… and it’s great to be back!

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

The power of small steps – “I would say... keep pushing on to be a force for good as a marketer.”

In this episode, the second in our “CMO mini-series” we go on a bit of dive deep with Gerald Breatnach, a seasoned insights professional with a passion for sustainability - which led him to complete a Masters in Sustainability Leadership at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

We’ve wanted to catch up with Gerald ever since he joined us at our COM2 (Conference of the Marketer) event to share findings from his work and dissertation around the role of the CMO and sustainability.

Gerald begins by acknowledging the stark gap between sustainability theory and marketing practice. Whilst it’s true that many CMOs feel the pressure of the climate crisis, they are often constrained by short-term commercial targets – on the commercial reality he explains, “it comes back to the fact that businesses are not charities. Ultimately, you miss your profit number, your share price gets hammered, your CEO gets fired. That's still the brutal reality of it.". However as Gerald’s research reveals, the leaders making real progress are those operating within a purpose-driven corporate culture, integrating sustainability into the core of their marketing strategy, and beginning to tackle complex systemic challenges.

We explore the tensions and trade-offs for CMOs, an area that keeps coming up, however, the tremendous opportunities facing today's marketing leaders far outweighs the tensions over the long term and whilst we acknowledge these, Gerald, like us remains optimistic about marketing's critical role in shaping a better future, as he puts it, "Marketers do have critical skills that are going to be needed in spades."

This conversation is all about the practical human challenges and opportunities that come with embedding purpose into the core of an organisation and thinking in systems.

Tune in as we talk to Gerald about…

• The single biggest factor enabling CMOs to drive change is a purpose-driven CEO and board who establish environmental and social goals alongside commercial ones, allowing for longer-term strategic thinking.

• The need to integrate not separate sustainability into the core marketing strategy and metrics.

• How successful CMOs treat sustainability as a functional pillar, not an optional add-on.

• The need to embrace systems thinking: Marketers are hitting understanding and influencing the complex systems we operate within, from supply chains to consumer habits.

• Building internal bridges with marketing working closely with sustainability teams.

For more information about Gerald , tune in via LinkedIn.

Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues.

More to come in this series… and it’s great to be back!

________________________________________________________________________

About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.