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.

“When it comes to climate – a brand cannot effectively power growth if it has an albatross around its neck, managing reputational risk is a huge part of a CMO's job today.”

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet? we kick off our “CMO mini-series” and catch up with Nick Lembo, Head of Marketing at Isometric, a carbon registry on a mission to reveal trust in carbon markets.

Nick provides an expert breakdown of the carbon removal market he’s involved in, explaining how organisations can, and are, purchasing scientifically verified credits to offset their unavoidable emissions. We discuss a whole host of areas with Nick, focusing in at times on the role of CMOs and the tensions between ambitious growth targets and authentic, defensible sustainability commitments.

From brand and growth, which we know are intrinsically linked, to managing reputational risk, these are a core function of marketing leadership, which as environmental and societal challenges grow, become ever more complex. Nick offers pragmatic advice on building internal partnerships, finding your stories, and communicating progress without falling into the traps of greenwashing.

We discuss the situation many have watched unfold this year, with organisations seemingly pulling back from sustainability commitments or at least, pulling back from communicating them. From Nick’s perspective he reveals, "The reality that we're seeing on the ground is that organisations are absolutely still committed to climate goals and still making progress, most companies, when you actually dig a layer deeper, still have really aggressive emissions reductions and climate goals."

When it comes to communicating what you are doing, Nick explains, “the reputational risk of not meeting your sustainability claims for your stakeholders is really real and can be a real drag on your growth, I think managing that is a huge part of a CMO’s role today, if they don’t want to dilute their brand.” This episode, along with the others in this mini-series provide food for thought for CMOs and senior marketer. So…

Tune in as we talk to Nick about.

• The reality vs. the headlines – what are organisations doing.

• Credible carbon removal - the difference between legacy carbon credits and new, scientifically rigorous carbon removal, and why this matters for making defensible marketing claims.

• Why sustainability is not a trade-off but a critical force multiplier for your brand and a key lever for mitigating reputational risk.

• How CMOs can partner with sustainability officers as the internal experts, and learn to tell compelling, human stories backed by data.

• The need for CMOs to understand their organisational (sustainability) commitments, stepping forward to do the work and, communicating the small wins on the road to progress.

For more information about Nick and the work he does at Isometric visit https://isometric.com/ .

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.

In our final episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet? before we take a break for the summer, we sit down with Kerry McDonald, CEO of Orchard to explore the intersection of marketing, sustainability, and sponsorship.

We delve into the complexities of sustainability focused sponsorships, where the line between meaningful partnerships and greenwashing has been increasingly scrutinised. Kerry talks about why sponsorship when rooted in shared values rather than transactions, can outperform traditional advertising in driving engagement. He explains, "done well, sponsorship is one of the most powerful engagement tools, it lets brands speak to their audience through shared passions."

We discuss the challenges, from the financial inequities which can hold smaller, lesser known or challenger brands back, to the backlash faced by organisations if things don’t quite marry up and values are at odds with each other.

We talk about why the system needs to change to reward courage and authenticity over commerciality to enable purpose-driven brands to compete with large corporations. Without incentives for ethical sponsors, even the most well-intentioned organisations face tough trade-offs between funding their mission and upholding their values.

We explore the power of authenticity, where Kerry argues that brands must own their imperfections and be transparent in the communication of their progress in order to build trust in an era of conscious consumers and social media scrutiny. "Authenticity is key, you've got to do it for the right reasons and accept that along the way you're not going to be perfect." 

Whether you’re a Marketer, activist, or simply curious about the ethics of brand partnerships, this episode offers a nuanced take on sponsorship’s role as part of a more sustainable future.

Tune in as we talk to Kerry about:

• Sponsorship vs. traditional advertising - why shared passions create unparalleled engagement

• Navigating risks - the critical role of authenticity in volatile ESG landscapes, such as greenwashing

• Ethical sponsorship dilemmas - when financial pressures could mean a clash with values

• Playing the long game - why strategic, multi-year partnerships outperform tactical deals

• Creative solutions for challenger brands - how under-resourced organisations can amplify impact

 For more information about Orchard - Link here: And to connect with Kerry McDonald - his LinkedIn profile is here.

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

See you in September for more…

________________________________________________________________________

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.

“If people genuinely care about sustainability, how can Marketers redesign systems to make the right choice the easiest one?”

In this episode of the Can Marketing Save the Planet podcast?, we’re joined by Tom Ellis, CEO at Brand Genetics where we explore the psychology behind sustainable behaviour change, specifically digging into motivations, but from many different angles – 12 to be precise!

As Tom explains, "If you can align to people’s motivations, you can shift their behaviour in a way that feels natural—like they’re getting closer to their own goals."

Tom shares insights from their research, "Marketing a Difference: A Brand Owner’s Guide to Motivating Sustainable Choices," which identifies 12 key motivations, but what caught our eye when we first came across these insights was the way in which the motivations were presented, with six drivers that encourage sustainable actions and six barriers that hold people back.

The research breaks each of these down, explaining the psychology and the ‘SO WHAT?’ behind them. It’s an interesting piece of work and a useful resource for Marketers who are interested in what motivates people.

Tom talks about behavioural ‘tricks’, or nudges which push us in the right direction, however, given where we are in relation to the climate crisis, these are no longer enough, instead we need to engender deep, motivation-driven behavioural shifts to tackle the increasing challenges.

We discuss the power of motivations and how people act based on core human goals (security, belonging, status etc), and showcase how by aligning sustainability with these, there is more opportunity to drive long-term change. Tom’s advice to Marketers looking at their audiences and stakeholders is, “move from asking, who are we targeting to, what are they motivated by?” .

If people genuinely care about sustainability, how can Marketers redesign systems to make the right choice the easiest one? It’s a similar question to the one that came up a couple of years ago when Seth Godin came on the podcast, where he asked… “How can Marketers tell a true story about climate and our impact, so that we can change the systems in our lives, tread more resiliently on the earth, and are more proud of what we are doing?” ...this not only reiterates the significant opportunity Marketers have to drive real and meaningful change, but also the reality that not enough of us are using our skills to do so.

So, perhaps start with yourself, what motivates you and what are your drivers or barriers?

Tune in as we talk to Tom about:

• Why motivations matter and how they drive action more than facts.

• The 12 motivations and how they work.

• Overcoming barriers, when cost, convenience, and denial hinder progress - how can we address these?

• The role of habit in driving motivation.

• Tapping into value rather than guilt.

• Thinking beyond "consumers", we have got to think of people as humans with complex lives, not just shoppers at a shelf.

• What to do when the objectives of Marketers and motivations of consumers clash.

Link to the research ‘Marketing a Difference: A Brand Owner’s Guide to Motivating Sustainable Choices ‘ - here.

For more information about Brand Genetics - Link here: And to connect with Tom Ellis - his LinkedIn profile is here.

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 and via The Marketing Society. 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.

Reimagining Business in a low-carbon economy…

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet, we catch up with Leo Raymond, founder of EdenLab, talking about marketing’s potential to reshape business for sustainability.

Leo shares his journey into the sustainability space, sparked by a moment of clarity when his son asked him what he did for a living, he shares… "sustainability was jargon-filled, techno-babble nightmarishness… but I saw an opportunity to repoint marketing’s creativity towards positive behaviour change."

Leo argues that Marketers, as behaviour shaping experts, must pivot their creativity toward systemic solutions. He highlights the disconnect, but also the enormous opportunity between marketing and sustainability, noting the sector’s untapped potential for strategic problem-solving.

"If businesses can’t make money being green, they won’t do it. Our role is to help them see the new abundance ahead."

EdenLab’s mission emerged from the gap he identified, focusing on reimagining markets. Leo also shares his experience of working with brands and discusses EdenLab’s new ‘Greenwash Guardian’, an AI tool designed to help brands communicate sustainability claims authentically.

We touch on challenges such as greenhushing, corporate short-termism, and the need for more collaborative innovation upstream when it comes to circularity. Leo remains optimistic even as we face strange times, advocating for Marketers to move beyond promotion and into systemic innovation, addressing sustainability at the product, pricing, and business-model levels.

Leo’s call to action is, "believe you’re part of the solution", marketing has the power to drive the transition, provided it leans into creativity, evidence, and bold storytelling.

Tune in as we talk to Leo about:

• Marketing’s strategic role

• Opportunity over apocalypse - dramatic, but true

• Framing sustainability as a growth driver vs. doom driven narratives

• Challenges around the circular economy

• Degrowth vs. Innovation – is "degrowth" a hard sell?

• Leo’s request for a brief which proposes how do we, "make twice the profit for half the material throughput" as a viable business objective.

For more information, connect with Leo via LinkedIn.

For more information about EdenLab and the work they do - Link here:

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 and via The Marketing Society. 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.

If legacy is defined by the choices we make today, how can Marketers and communicators reframe "business as usual" to align with planetary survival before it’s too late?

In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet? we welcome back Sangeeta Waldron, a communications expert, three times published author, and Founder of Serendipity PR and Media.

Sangeeta discusses her latest book, ‘What Will Your Legacy Be?’ - expanding on her previous book by reaching a broader audience beyond the business and PR world. It’s a book that is so easy to get lost in and a wonderful, empowering hope filled read - reminding us just how much collective climate action is taking place across the world by people from all walks of life.

The book features 36 global conversations with scientists, indigenous leaders, business professionals and activists all working toward meaningful environmental change.

Sangeeta shares her learnings from her research and writing journey and the moment she realised what she was creating was a book of hope. She tells us, "if you don’t have hope, how will you change anything? If you just give up with despair, you’re not going to make change."

This ethos drives her book, emphasising the power of storytelling in raising awareness and letting people know that they too can take action. Sangeeta explains that a big takeaway from the book was, it made her realise that legacy starts young - the point when you make begin making choices, she shares, “legacy is no longer what we're thinking about as we get older, legacy is now as young as the age of 14, once you can make your own informed choices in what you're buying and doing, that's your legacy, because that is now connected to your carbon footprint.”

We discuss many areas in this episode - from the hidden climate cost of war, where conflicts disrupt weather patterns and food systems, to nature’s intelligence and how ecosystems thrive on balance, a principle humans have ignored. We dive into the important role of local journalism in educating and empowering community action, and how businesses must adapt for example, seasonal marketing and supply chains need climate-conscious strategies, yet, these aren’t currently happening.

Sangeeta also shares her transformative experience with Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, underscoring the need for global collaboration. Despite political and corporate resistance, she remains hopeful, urging communicators to speak boldly about the climate crisis. Reflecting on her mission, she explains, "I wrote this book not for the converted, but for those who have no idea, or maybe aren’t even interested - because the climate crisis is interconnected with everything."

Tune in as we talk to Sangeeta about:

• How we should learn from indigenous wisdom, where sustainable practices are rooted in reciprocity, something that can guide modern solutions.

• The critical role of local media and their position and responsibility to inform, tell the truth and build community resilience.

• The need for strategic thinking when it comes to marketing in today’s operating environment, we can’t just keep doing what we’re doing.

• How we need conversations which spark change (beyond the echo chamber), and create ripples of action.

• How everyone has the opportunity to make changes and take action – one person can do so much.

For more information, connect with Sangeeta via LinkedIn - and her book can be found globally, in all good bookshops and online, via booksellers. Link here:

For more information about Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project - Link here:

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, work with us, 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 and via The Marketing Society. 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.

Agencies and green claims – Walking the talk or just talking?

In our final episode of our four part mini-series on navigating green claims and greenwashing we speak to Adrian Ma, founder of Fanclub PR, about the role of agencies in green claims and the rise of purpose-led marketing. Adrian shares his insights from working with impact-driven brands such as Who Gives a Crap, Music Magpie, SMOL and many more, and dives into the challenges agencies face in balancing creativity with compliance.

Adrian talks us through the journey Fanclub PR is on and notes the ‘purpose-led’ space is gaining a lot of traction, but with a big question mark over the authenticity and ‘trends’ many are jumping on. Adrian explains how at a recent roundtable event he attended, many introduced themselves as ‘purpose-led agencies’, in addition to that, Meta descriptions of 450 agencies revealed the number one trend was all related to … you guessed it… purpose. However, as Adrian states, “there's a huge, huge disconnect here when it comes to awareness of green claims, I think the awareness is low and the trend is that most agency people are led by the clients (which is fine), but agencies have a duty of care to their own staff to make sure that they know stuff.” At Fanclub PR Adrian and his team work closely with organisations such as Clean Creatives (two-time guests on the podcast - EP 24 and EP 67), and Creatives for Climate, with whom they have helped create an agency guide to greenwashing to support knowledge, education and awareness. (Linked below).

On greenwashing vs. greenhushing, Adrian believes, "good creative agencies should help brands be transparent, giving them the confidence to talk about what they’re doing”. We discuss the importance of good communication, something we are very passionate about at Can Marketing Save the Planet, given effective communication is critical to driving engagement and change, both internally and externally. Adrian agrees that communication cannot be underestimated as part of the green claims process, telling us “that process of interrogation is only going to make the work stronger”. As well as good communication we also touch on the future of marketing where Adrian is a firm believer in, "if brands stay consistent with their commitments year after year, they build communities, confidence, and leadership—that’s where real change happens." 

Tune in as we talk to Adrian about:

• The need for agencies to educate their teams on greenwashing to ensure compliance and ethical, authentic storytelling.

• How transparency beats perfection and how brands should be sharing both successes and challenges to build trust.

• The disconnect between sustainability teams (focused on data) and agencies (focused on messaging) and the need for collaboration to bridge that gap.

• How consistency builds impact and creates deeper engagement than those jumping between campaigns.

• Why good communication is critical both internally and externally and the need to challenge will only make the work stronger.

For more information about Fanclub PR and the work they do… visit https://www.fanclubpr.com/

And here are some related links discussed in the podcast:

• Creatives for Climate Anti Greenwashing Guide for Agencies

• Big Brand Came and Stole My Purpose

• Video case study – Mount Recyclemore

• Video case study – Winnie The Pooh: Deforested Edition

   

  Across this mini-series you’ve heard some fantastic insights and we’ve provided plenty of signposts to training and resources. Don’t forget… if you’re looking to upskill your team with the green claims landscape - you can also check out our 3 hour Greenwashing 101 short training course via our Sustainable Marketing Training Hub.

________________________________________________________________________

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, work with us, 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 and via The Marketing Society. 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 the Can Marketing Save the Planet? podcast, we continue on our navigating green claims and greenwashing mini-series speaking with Katie Wetherall, a lawyer at ClientEarth about the brilliant work they do and taking a deep dive into the world of plastics, packaging and recycling.

It’s no secret that marketing tactics in this area are long overdue a review. Clever marketing can mislead consumers with what are essentially false sustainability claims - particularly, when one takes into account the bigger picture and lifecycle of the product they appear on.

Katie shares with us her insights from legal actions ClientEarth has taken against major corporations such as BP, Total Energies and KLM for misleading claims. In the case of KLM, she explains, “the Dutch court ruled that their claims about the sustainability of flying were misleading and in fact the judge said they painted a far too rosier picture about these kind of high emission activities and the company's compliance with things like the Paris Agreement.” A lot of Katie’s work focuses on greenwashing legal actions and increasingly the area of plastics and consumer goods. The reality of plastic recycling is woeful, Katie shares, “only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, yet companies continue to label products as "100% recyclable, and even in the UK which has got quite an established sophisticated waste management system the stats hover at around 55%. So I think as an organisation, we argue that that green loop, (sometimes it's a triangle), but that circular symbol, gives a misleading impression of the circularity of plastic.”

We go on to talk about the many different challenges of single use plastic; packaging, descriptors and labelling which we see everywhere on products across our everyday lives. Using green symbols and imagery is an area that Katie advises, “I would discourage Marketers from putting the recyclability of a product at the forefront of its marketing, because this is a process they have no control over and which statistics suggest does not work.”

There is a lot of great insight and advice shared in this episode which will apply to a lot of organisations, Marketers and products.

Tune in as we talk to Katie about:

• The problem with recycling symbols and should they even be allowed when they don’t guarantee recyclability?

• The need for Marketers to consider the green claims they are making across the lifecycle of their products.

• The need to prioritise transparency

• Shifting to reusable packaging models – not relying on broken recycling systems

• Supporting people to make informed decisions

• How greenhushing doesn’t solve the problem

   

  For more information about ClientEarth and the great work they do - visit https://www.clientearth.org/

  And, if you’re looking to upskill your team with the green claims landscape - be sure to check out our 3 hour Greenwashing 101 short training course via our Sustainable Marketing Training Hub.

  One more episode in this mini-series to follow, talking ‘agency side’ with Fanclub PR. 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, work with us, 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 and via The Marketing Society. 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.