The Rhona Morrell Podcast

#Ep 92 This will be my last podcast for a little while, so thought I would end on a super positive high with the incredible Paul Goodenough, a true storyteller, narrator and positive genius. Paul brings together a new narrative around some of the common problems in today's society and with a huge dollop of humour. I LOVED recording this session with Paul and it really gave me the boost I needed, thank you Paul. Paul is an award-winning, purpose-driven storyteller and entrepreneur, working in the environmental, charity, peace-building and entertainment sectors. For over two decades, Goodenough has founded and led top-flight creative agencies. He launched his first digital agency, Aerian Studios, at the age of 18, enlisting older family and friends to pose as him at meetings, convinced potential clients would be put off by his youth.  Aerian Studios went on to become one of the most respected agencies in the UK, creating industry-leading campaigns, websites, products and mobile apps for the BBC, CNN, Warner Bros, Sky, Vodafone, BAFTA, the UK Government and many more. In 2011, Goodenough founded the production company GBK Hybrid with Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz and Iron Giant and Disney animator Richard Bazley. Goodenough was nominated for an Emmy in 2015 for his work as a producer on the 2015 multi-award-winning TV Movie Lost Treasure Hunt. In 2019, Goodenough co-founded Rewriting Earth (formerly Rewriting Extinction).  Now an independent charity, Rewriting Earth began as a 12-month cross-charity project raising money and awareness for the climate and biodiversity crisis, using the powerful storytelling medium of comics and videos.  Goodenough single-handedly forged collaborations between 300+ celebrities, comic artists and experts to create high-impact environmental stories that deliver clear information to mainstream audiences. Within 12 months, Rewriting Earth raised £1.54m for the different charities involved, helping to protect 662 species with important milestones, like helping the World Land Trust purchase and protect Guatemala’s Laguna Grande Reserve.  The project was recognised for reaching a wide, global audience, attaining over 150 million engagements with people not traditionally engaged in environmental issues.

The truth behind the rhetoric - in this episode we can get the chance to hear from others who have had the unfortunate experience of Stephen Fern. Thank you for your bravery in coming forward, I know the fear of association, fear of reputational risk and embarrassment was too great for so many others to speak out, which we all understand. As always please ensure you do your due diligence. You may want to check to see if you are connected to this man on LinkedIn. You can find out more about this individual on my LinkedIn posts and more importantly what you can't find online, are any accounts, any team, websites, or delivered projects.

I had the pleasure of being introduced to Anna earlier this year and knew I had to get Anna and Tarek on the show, in this episode we talk about funding, activism, supporting causes and elevating voices.   So, who are The Movements Trust: FISCAL SPONSORSHIP We provide unincorporated or non-charity movements access to our charitable status in order to qualify for funding and other services. RE-GRANTING We advocate for trust-based, and movement-friendly grant making and pilot grant making with movements to find a methodology that genuinely helps them NETWORKING MOVEMENTS We connect movements to each other and to sources of support to amplify their impact and get them to help they need to thrive Anna has worked throughout her career for social justice. She started out as a community organiser building community-led housing, food banks and welcome services for people seeking refuge in the UK, and on human rights education, political and community participation, including citizens’ assemblies and community-led inquiries. She moved into human rights advocacy, both in the UK and internationally, including as CEO of a global movement to end violence against children. She joined the Movements Trust in June 2022 and is committed to a movement-centred approach, to foster collaboration and remove the barriers to accessing funding, advice and infrastructure. Tarek works as Head of ESG at an investment bank and brings a wealth of experience in sustainable finance and corporate strategy at a senior management level from two investment banks. He has a passion for climate action as well as inclusion & diversity, and he also brings experience as a former Co-Chair of an EMEA-level gender equality network. Tarek is keen to explore how new audiences can learn from effective people-powered movements - he looks forward to partnering with innovative movements to create a positive impact.  

Fantastic talking with Jonathan about his extensive experience in manufacturing, supply chain, waste and all things recycling and social impact. Jonathan Wragg is the Global Sustainability Director at Prominate. He has extensive experience of with governments, blue chip corporations and household brands on packaging, recycling, environmental impact, and the supply chain. In 2023, Jonathan was ranked 12th in the Resource Magazine Hot 100 of the most influential professionals in waste, recycling, and sustainability. Over his career, Jonathan has gained a worldwide reputation for helping eliminate greenwashing, whilst also working alongside global brands to advise on what he sees as the lack of clear knowledge sharing between manufacturing and the waste and recycling industries.

Great to catch up and discuss different perspectives with Dr Judith Curry is the President and co-founder of the Climate Forecast Applications Network (CFAN).  She is Professor Emerita at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she served as Chair of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences for 13 years. Her expertise is in climate dynamics, extreme weather, and prediction/predictability. Curry is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Geophysical Union.   Following an influential career in academic research and administration, Curry founded CFAN to translate cutting-edge weather and climate research into forecast products and services that support the management of weather and climate risk for public and private sector decision-makers.  Curry is a leading global thinker on climate change. She is frequently called upon to give U.S. Congressional testimony and serve as an expert witness on matters related to weather and climate. Her influential blog Climate Etc. addresses leading-edge and controversial topics about climate change and the science-policy interface. Her new book is Climate Uncertainty and Risk - Rethinking the climate change problem, the risks we are facing, and how we can respond.

BIO: Educated in architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, my professional path has been shaped by a deep commitment to environmental and social responsiveness. My focus extends to exploring and operationalizing the concept of planetary boundaries, with a keen interest in alternative hedonism and the principles of degrowth. In spearheading projects like the Reduction Roadmap, Living Places, and Urban Villages, my aim has been to transform theoretical ideas into practical, impactful solutions. These initiatives reflect my belief in creating work that is simple, emotionally engaging, and actionable

As you will know I recently travelled to Innsbruck, Austria to attend the Skinnovation 10-year Festival of Innovation of Skis. This event brings female founders, investors, start-ups, speakers and NOW podcasters to the slopes, in this stunning location and unique way to do business and networking. It was also a privilege to be able to be a speaker on the Sustainability Panel and loved seeing such a large audience. This is a special edition 1 Hour 13mins with 3 incredible guests. Firstly, Kim Wlach from Berg-Macher. We discuss transformational change and sustainability. Secondly, David Lowe, Co-Founder of Everdrop and all things packaging, challenges and the future of cleaning products. Last, but by no means least, the formidable Nadja King & Anna Breidt, Co-Founders of OYESS Beauty, talk about all things supply chain, past learnings and how to apply sustainability to the next generation of beauty products. Sadly we were only able to audio record, so I can't bring you the magic of the location and the slopes, BUT hoping that next year we will have video too, please enjoy

Amazing talking to Kieron on how he is approaching a smarter way for global consumption through technology. Kieron started Freer in 2019 out of a real-life need and realised that many others had the same requirement - to use products only when required rather than owning them and having them sit idle for 99% of the time. Whilst the idea germinated, was researched and brought to fruition, Kieron called upon his 20-year career in project and programme management to bring the skills required of discipline, determination and resilience to cut through many of the challenges along the way including COVID lockdowns (rather tricky to encourage people to go to each other’s houses in the middle of a killer pandemic), a dysfunctioning app delivered by an overseas 3rd party and a plethora of naysayers who said it’d never work. Kieron says his ability to persevere, keep focused and always be positive comes from his previous career as an engineer in the British Army. Kieron is trying to build Freer as a force for change in the way we consume everyday items and is convinced that by combining community action, connectivity and convenience we can use and consume items in a much smarter, economically and socially responsible way.

I finally get to catch up with Karen as we discuss the 1 BIllion Trees projection in Dubai, its impacts, and the project's future plans. Karen Bio: Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges of our era but with it comes unparalleled opportunities for innovation and growth. As CEO of The Storey Group and Board Member of several amazing start-ups, I have had the pleasure of steering and overseeing several projects that leverage innovative, sustainable technologies to combat climate change and drive economic development. We're not just adapting to change but driving it, transforming each challenge into an exciting venture. Together we can turn the tide on climate change while building a brighter future for the generations to come.

Delighted to welcome Florent to the show and be able to showcase the amazing work that PROTECT AND RESTORE NATURE: ACCION ANDINA do. Florent Kaiser, CEO of Global Forest Generation, is a passionate conservation entrepreneur on a mission to implement effective solutions to scale up the restoration and protection of the world's forest ecosystems. He is on the Advisory Board of the World Economic Forum's 1t.org Trillion Tree Campaign. As a member of the Board of the Global Partnership for Landscape Restoration, Florent represents GFG's work with catalytic on-the-ground implementers.