BEST OF: A Compass for Sustainable Business Development: Nicole Sparshott, CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand

Technology has the power to transform our future. And that is more true today of IT, the cloud and AI than ever before. But how do you balance the power of technology with its environmental impact? And how do you leverage IT to move climate solutions further, faster? Better yet, how do you achieve that at scale and speed, given the timelines we're working against? Monica Batchelder is Chief Sustainability Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), a global edge-to-cloud company sharing passion and purpose through technology and innovation. In this episode, she explains how HPE leverages the power of IT, the cloud, and AI to not only become a sustainability leader, but also to empower companies of all sizes to do the same– and how you leverage sustainability commitments to be a growth, innovation, and impact driver at the same time. Monica Batchelder:  At HPE, Monica directs a global team that sets the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) vision, strategy, and implementation plan for one of the world's largest technology companies. She guides the development and management of strategic programs and collaborates with senior leaders across the organization and the Board to ensure the integration of ESG into the company’s business strategy. Monica also serves as Executive Director of the HPE Foundation and administers HPE’s Living progress Steering Committee to drive alignment and advancement of its ESG agenda. Prior to joining HPE, Ms. Batchelder served as the Director of ESG Strategy and Operations and as the Global Lead for Sustainability Activation and Reporting, where she shaped and executed initiatives across the company’s net zero emissions roadmap, data governance and reporting, and social impact. She additionally built sustainable business strategies at a boutique consulting firm in Sydney, Australia, advising multinational corporations and NGOs on corporate sustainability, collective impact, and brand purpose. For nearly a decade, she also has served as a pro-bono advisor to The MAVEN Project, a non-profit organization supporting access to specialty healthcare among diverse and underserved populations. Resources: Learn more about Hewlett Packard Enterprise at: https://www.hpe.com/us/en/about.html Connect with Monica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicabatchelder/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angela Baker is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Qualcomm, a leading global technology company enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. In this "Best Of" episode, Angela explains how 5G technology not only drives transformative innovation but also holds the key to myriad avenues of impact, from regenerative agriculture to education to health and safety. And how such technologies can accelerate and scale dramatic improvements in people's lives at a time when it's critically needed. Angela Baker Angela Baker is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Qualcomm where she oversees all corporate responsibility and environmental, social, and corporate governance. This includes the company's climate strategy and net-zero emissions by 2040 goal as well as several other ESG 2025 targets. She also manages all social impact programs, including Wireless Reach, a strategic initiative that brings wireless technology to under-served communities globally. Previously, she served as an advisor to Secretary Hillary Clinton in the Office of Innovation at the United States Department of State, where she worked on foreign policy goals connected to the 21st Century Statecraft agenda through bilateral and multilateral engagement with strategic partners on technology and development issues. Resources Learn more about Qualcomm at https://www.qualcomm.com/home Connect with Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-baker-ba7b772/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble. Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Change is always a challenge, and for long-established corporations, the stakes are often incredibly high. Staying true to one’s values while navigating a constantly-changing business landscape requires adaptability, but also a concrete sense of your company’s authenticity and “true north”. Linda Boff is Global Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at General Electric, a world energy, aerospace, and healthcare leader.. In this episode, she explains how a global leader reimagines itself as three separate public companies, while still being an authentic expression of its long standing purpose and impact. And how from a communications point of view, you navigate such dynamic transformation in ways that infuse the company with new life and growth. Linda Boff:  Linda Boff is a builder of global brands and businesses with expertise across the full range of integrated marketing communications, as well as culture and leadership development. As CMO of GE, Linda is accountable for global marketing, advertising, brand, content, digital, sponsorships, as well as corporate communications, crisis communications, media relations, public affairs, and financial communication. Additionally, Linda runs GE’s Corporate Learning P&L, leads the GE Foundation, and co-leads GE’s Women’s Network. A member of the Forbes CMO Hall of Fame, Linda earned a BA in Political Science and Psychology from Union College. She and her husband live in Irvington, NY and have two grown children. Resources: Learn more about General Electric at: https://www.ge.com/about-us Connect with Linda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaboff/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alison Writenour is CEO of Seventh Generation, a homecare products company that became a household name selling eco-friendly cleaning, paper, and personal care items with a focus on sustainability and the conservation of natural resources in both product development and marketing practices. In this "Best Of" episode, she shares how an industry leader reimagines its role to unlock new innovations, products, and growth, and how a purpose-led company of any size can accelerate and scale impact in ways that inspire everyone to build its business.  Alison Whritenour: Alison Whritenour has spent nearly a decade at Seventh Generation, contributing to transforming the world into a healthy, sustainable and equitable world for future generations. Using business as a force for good drives Alison in all she has done with Seventh Generation across various roles in everything from brand activation to product innovation. Most recently, Alison was the head of channel and customer development at Seventh Generation, where in 2020, she delivered more than 40% growth, while navigating COVID-19’s business and consumer impact. Prior to her work with Seventh Generation, Alison worked in brand management at Colgate-Palmolive. Alison holds an MBA from Fordham University and a BA from Loyola University. She lives in Vermont with her husband and three children.   Resources: Learn more about Seventh Generation at https://www.seventhgeneration.com/ Connect with Alison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-whritenour-0803b424 Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turning the air we breathe– and the carbon dioxide we produce– into products that enhance our daily lives. It’s not only possible but happening right before our eyes. Gregory Constantine is co-founder and CEO of Air Company, a technology, engineering, and design company that has developed a new process to turn carbon dioxide into value-added products, with a goal of demonstrating to the world that there is limitless potential in technology, and that it should be accessible to all. In this "Best Of" episode, he shares how to launch and scale a truly disruptive and purposeful company with multiple product lines and how to leverage that purpose to win investors, employees, and customers, and a brighter future. Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Gregory Constantine: Gregory Constantine is an Australian entrepreneur, businessman, and global thinker. As co-founder and CEO of AIR COMPANY, a New York-based technology, engineering, and design company, Constantine engages with the world to critically solve its most complex and pressing issues. Constantine’s spirit for innovation started prior to founding AIR COMPANY and he has always proven himself to be a risk-taker which was evident with his impromptu and unplanned move to New York in 2014. In NYC, Constantine was scouted for a role at Diageo, the world’s most prominent alcohol company. There he led Smirnoff’s cultural marketing, which aimed to integrate itself into music and popular culture while promoting diversity and inclusion as part of its brand efforts. On a Forbes 30 Under 30 trip overseas, Gregory met Dr. Stafford Sheehan, his future business partner and the complimentary mind responsible for the advent and subsequent birth of the concept for Air Company. Following suit with his knack for risk-taking, Gregory quit his job and pursued his ambition to create what is now the world’s first consumer products from carbon dioxide. Working closely with his dedicated team of Ph.D. chemists, AIR COMPANY has transformed from a concept into the world’s leading carbon technology company in just over three years, now operating three facilities across the United States and Canada.  Resources: Learn more about Air Company at: https://www.aircompany.com/ Connect with Gregory Constantine on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryconstantine/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not easy to take an enterprise and reconfigure its mission and values. But doing so can open new opportunities at the nexus of purpose and profit. Nicole Sparshott is the CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand, one of the world’s leading suppliers of beauty, personal care, home care, and food and refreshment products, with the goal of making sustainable living commonplace and accessible for everyone. In this "Best Of" episode, she shares how a complex enterprise with a wide portfolio of brands creates balance to drive growth and impact, and how all stakeholders can collaborate to make a positive impact through what we buy and how we live to better our shared future. Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Nicole Sparshott: Nicky is the CEO of Unilever Australia & New Zealand and former Global CEO of luxury retailer, T2 Tea. She has over 25 years of experience in developing and building brands, growing businesses, and transforming infrastructure and culture. She has worked across a broad range of organizations including Unilever, The Coca-Cola Company, P&G and George Patterson Y&R. Recognized for her depth and breadth of expertise across FMCG, Retail, Luxury, and Ecommerce, Nicky also brings broader based category experience spanning food, beverages, health care and personal care. Nicky holds a master’s degree in international business, which has been supported by significant global management experience across Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, USA and the highly diverse markets of Asia. She recently completed an Executive MBA in Change, through INSEAD, graduating with Distinction and is also an HBDI certified practitioner. Nicky is a Non-Executive Director on the boards of World Wildlife Fund Australia and The Australian Food & Grocery Council and is Chair of NFP, Global Sisters. She also sits on the Australasian Advisory Board of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and UTS Vice Chancellors Industry Advisory Board. She is a National Member of the Champions of Change Coalition; a Founding Member of the B-Team Australasia and Climate Leaders Coalition and is a member of Chief Executive Women. She is a passionate advocate that businesses today must drive regenerative agendas that positively impact people, planet and profit and in doing so be a true force for good. The best advice she has ever been given was "when you are dancing on thin ice you may as well tap dance" and that is how she lives her life with her husband Graeme and their two children, Keira & Lachlan. Resources: Learn more about Unilever ANZ at: https://www.unilever.com.au/ Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-sparshott-7997a54/   Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How we work could not be more important to the success of our companies. And more than ever, with the rising return to the office, the work environment is being reimagined to that end. So how can we redesign the spaces we work in to foster productivity, community, and growth? And how can we do that in a way that's more responsible to our planet that's suffering under the impact of the climate emergency? Kim Dabbs is Global Vice President of ESG and Social Innovation at Steelcase, a design and thought leader manufacturing innovative furnishings and solutions to help people do their best work in the many places where work happens. In this episode, she explains how we can all reimagine what and how we make to better serve the people in our companies and the planet we share, and how to join and accelerate a transformative movement that's turning business into a force for good. Kim Dabbs:  Kim Dabbs is a change agent and advocate who builds cultures of opportunity as the Global VP of Social Innovation and ESG strategy at Steelcase. She is leading organizational change projects around the world and has given talks on her specialties in social innovation, cultural transformation, and belonging at MIT, the Aspen Institute, the Drucker Forum, and the Guggenheim. She has received numerous recognitions in the process including a Joyce Fellowship, an executive residency at the d.school at Stanford and led a White House honored nonprofit organization that is a national best practice in both adult and teen learning models. Her personal experience and professional history of two decades creating, leading, and scaling cultures of belonging across multiple borders have given her unique insights into systemic change. As a Korean-born, American adoptee currently residing in Munich, Germany, she is currently focused on her research and writing on Belonging. Her debut book on this topic, launching in 2023, focuses on helping leaders and organizations with the tools to create cultures of belonging and create a more equitable and inclusive world. Resources: Learn more about Steelcase at: https://www.steelcase.com/about/steelcase/company/ Connect with Kim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimdabbs/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Private equity firms can help make or break a business, but can they also drive the kind of change we need to build a sustainable or even regenerative economy? It's a critical question because with the right financial support, emerging businesses and technologies can much more quickly address some of the most challenging issues of our time. Nelson Switzer is a Managing Partner at Climate Innovation Capital. His career has included advising and leading the sustainability, environmental, and corporate responsibility offices of some of the world’s most influential companies, including Nestlé, PwC, Centrica, and the Royal Bank of Canada. He is recognized as a pioneer in the fields of sustainability strategy, sustainable finance, and ESG, and as an expert in climate change, water, and pollution. In this “Best Of” episode, he shares how the investor class and capital markets unlock bold opportunities to course-correct our future and how all stakeholders can collaborate to mitigate climate risks to business and the planet.  Nelson Switzer: Nelson Switzer is Managing Partner at Climate Innovation Capital, Nelson’s career has included advising and leading the sustainability, environmental and corporate responsibility offices of some of the world’s most influential companies, including Nestlé, PwC, Centrica and the Royal Bank of Canada. He is recognized as a pioneer in the fields of sustainability strategy, sustainable finance and ESG, and as an expert in climate change, water and pollution.  Resources: Learn more about Climate Innovation Capital at https://climateic.com/   Connect with Nelson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nelson-a-switzer-88b944b/ This episode of Lead With We was produced and edited by Goal 17 Media and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this unique moment in human history, the climate emergency is increasingly defining our lives. While artificial intelligence is unlocking potential positive impact on a scale never seen before. So what does the future hold for us and our children? How will technology help us show up more responsibly to people and the planet? And what does that look like in practical terms– so that our individual efforts compound in ways that will course correct our future? Faith Taylor is the Global Sustainability and ESG Officer at Kyndryl, the world's largest provider of IT infrastructure services, with a goal of powering human progress through strong, purpose-driven practices that deliver value to employees, customers, stakeholders, and communities. In this episode, she explains how IT infrastructure and AI can address your sustainability ambitions in ways that will serve your business, and how the power of collaboration and its ripple effect can ensure we address the climate crisis for all of our futures. Lead With We is Produced by Goal 17 Media - https://goal17media.com Faith Taylor:  Faith Taylor is Global Sustainability Officer at Kyndryl, a $19 Billion and 90,000 employee spin-off from IBM. Prior to Kyndryl, she was the Global Environmental Social Governance (ESG) leader at Tesla where she worked with their Board of Directors, investors and leadership teams to develop their strategies, structures and targets. Before joining Tesla, Faith served as the Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of Wyndham Worldwide from 2005 to 2018. Under her leadership, she helped to build their sustainability program leading to the company’s recognition by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as a World and North American hospitality leader. In addition, Ethisphere recognized Wyndham as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. As the CSO, Taylor was responsible for the company’s global environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs including policies, strategies and risk management. Prior to her role as CSO, Faith was a brand marketing and new business development leader managing businesses that delivered $100 million to $600 million in revenues. She helped to restructure brands and developed innovative products and markets to deliver rapid growth. Faith was a professor at the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State teaching Corporate Social Responsibility, Brand Marketing and Sustainability and was a co-founder of the University’s Global Human Trafficking and social entrepreneurship center. She is currently President of the Women’s Association of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and a member of their board. She is also a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey and served on the boards of the World Travel and Tourism Council, and the United States Green Building Council. In 2022, Business Chief and Sustainability magazines ranked Taylor among the top 10 U.S. women of the inaugural Top 100 Women in Sustainability list. Raised in Seattle and born in Japan, Taylor earned a B.A. from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. She and her husband have two children and live in West Orange, N.J. Faith is an avid gardener. Resources: Learn more about Kyndryl at: https://www.kyndryl.com/us/en/about-us Connect with Faith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faithlouisetaylor/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not every industry is contributing equally to the climate crisis we face. But all can share an equal responsibility in crafting a better tomorrow. One company that is making big strides to transform its industry– and encouraging others to join them– is Thai Union Group, a global seafood leader with ambitious growth goals and a dedication to scalable green policies and innovation. In this episode, Group Director of Sustainability Adam Brennan discusses concrete actions that are being taken to better protect our oceans and the food sources they make possible. And how together we can transform the seafood industry to ensure a sustainable future for its workers, the industry, and our future. Adam Brennan:  Adam Brennan is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Thai Union Group. Adam has extensive global leadership experience in driving impactful sustainability programs across complex supply chains. At Thai Union, Adam reports into the CEO and is a member of the Group’s Global Leadership Team. He has ultimate responsibility for delivering on the goals under Thai Union’s sustainability strategy, SeaChange®, including; Safe & Legal Labour, Responsible Sourcing, Responsible Operations and People & Communities. These initiatives are key contributors to the Company’s 2030 strategy and align with Thai Union’s corporate goal of “Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans”. Brennan’s previous experience includes spending the last decade in Asia working on driving sustainability across the footwear and fashion industry, where he served as a Board Director on various multi-stakeholder initiatives, as well as leading the sustainability programs for C&A, a leading global fashion retailer, and PUMA, the well-known sport and lifestyle company. Brennan holds a Master's of Science from Reading University, UK in Renewable Energy & Sustainability and a Bachelor of Science from Harper Adams University College, UK in Countryside & Environmental Management. Resources: Learn more about Thai Union at: https://www.thaiunion.com/en/home Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brennan-adam/ Visit leadwithwe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices