Frankly Speaking - A Podcast on Responsible Business

Epizódy

• 
  #120 A New Vision for Sustainable Finance: Anna Koolstra 08.09.2026 34min

  What is the social value of banks?In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Anna Koolstra, Advocacy Manager, Impact and Economics at Triodos Bank, which is a founding member of the Sustainable Banking Coalition.Together they discussed the state of the EU’s financial system and how the digital euro may actually support Europe’s sustainability goals. You’ll also hear about:The main achievements of the Sustainable Banking Coalition over the past few years, as well as their objectives for the years aheadWhat the EU Banking package gets right – and wrongTriodos Bank’s vision for a new financial system that prioritises people and the planetAnna’s perspective on the SFDR 2.0 file (which will be voted on at the ECON committee of the European Parliament this week - stay tuned for our commentary!)Why the EU needs to move beyond transparency and disclosure, and start producing guidance for investorsListen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #119 Leena Ylä-Mononen: What the 2026 Summer Heatwaves Mean for Europe’s Sustainability Transition 02.09.2026 30min

  What do the recurring heatwaves, floods and fires in Europe this summer tell us about the state of sustainability progressin the EU?In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of theEuropean Environment Agency, an EU body that works to inform decision-makers and the public about the state of Europe’s environment, climate change and wider sustainability issues.Together they discussed the EEA’s recent reports on national climate risk assessments, as well as how well Europe is currently doing on climate adaptation. You’ll also hear about: The verdict on how much progress the EU is making on transitioning to a circular economy, with the Circular Economy Act expected from the European Commission in NovemberWhether Europe will be able to get sovereignty on AI whilst also reaching its environmental objectivesThe EEA’s perspective on the wider role of businesses in Europe’s sustainability transition, alongside national-level initiatives and individual actionWhy competitiveness is also about citizens’ health, ensuring that we have a healthy workforce alongside a healthy planetListen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #118 Companies Putting the “Meaningful” into Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement: Danny Miles and Dr Wilson Odiyo 26.08.2026 40min

  What does effective Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement (MSE) look like in the food and agriculture sector?In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Danny Miles, Head of Collective Action at the Ethical Trading Initiative, as well as Dr Wilson Odiyo, Corporate Affairs Director for Eastern Produce Regional Services (EPRS), a consultancy based in Kenya with expertise in agro-economics, providing technical support, marketing and logistics to agricultural producers in eastern and southern Africa, and one of ETI’s company members.Together they discussed ETI’s recently developed guidance on MSE for the food and agriculture industry alongside an alliance of organisations (Amfori, FLA, Oxfam Sweden amongst others), as well as EPRS’s experience in implementing it.You’ll also hear about:How ETI advises its agricultural member companies to address problems of gender-based violence in supply chains through its GAIA programme (Gender Action in Agriculture) – and what EPRS has done in practiceThe actions taken by EPRS to tackle the new issues already caused by climate change, from the outbreak of new pests and diseases to water scarcityETI’s contribution to the EU Commission’s recently closed open public consultation on guidelines on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)Dr Wilson Odiyo’s message to EU policymakers on the importance of understanding contextual differences in the way labour is organized across the world in its legislationHow system change can become a realityThe key elements of ETI’s strategy until 2030Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #117 How Businesses Can Combat Modern Slavery: Professor John Dumay 29.07.2026 36min

  Can businesses really tackle the pervasive issue of modern slavery? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by an expert in the field, Johannes Dumay, Professor in accounting at Macquarie University, Sydney, and multi-award-winning researcher on modern slavery as well as sustainability accounting and reporting. Together they discussed how corporate attitudes towards modern slavery have (and haven't!) evolved over the past decade, as well as what the increasing number of court cases on the issue mean for the future of companies’ responsibility and duty of care in their supply chains. You’ll also hear about: John's verdict on whether legal requirements on companies in relation to modern slavery, from the UK to Australia, have actually been effective  Why companies having more of a risk management culture rather than a due diligence culture is preventing them from effectively identifying and remediate modern slavery To what extent the EU Forced Labour Regulation will be able to meet its objective of eliminating forced labour from supply chains  What the glove manufacturer Ansell gets right in its modern slavery report The potential future of modern slavery legislation: companies having to demonstrate the modern slavery is not in their supply chains if they are based in high-risk areas  Why John has changed his mind on boycotting the chocolate industry altogether Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #116 Simon Rawson: Is Inequality a Risk to Business? Inside the TISFD Framework 22.07.2026 35min

  The Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures (TISFD) wants to do for social issues what the TCFD did for climate a decade ago: harness capital markets to drive corporate action, this time on inequality and people-related risk. With its beta framework now open for public consultation (deadline 31 July 2026), host Richard Howitt sits down with TISFD Executive Director Simon Rawson to ask the hard questions:Can financial value really be assigned to fundamental human rights? Does the framework take a single or double materiality approach?With regulators like the ISSB and the EU (through CSRD/ESRS) seemingly retreating from ambitious social reporting requirements, is TISFD swimming against the tide?Rawson explains how the framework builds on (rather than duplicates) existing initiatives like the World Benchmarking Alliance, GRI, and Social Value International, and why the taskforce insists that human rights, social capital, and wellbeing paradigms must operate side by side rather than substitute for one another. He also shares which companies (including Coca-Cola and Airbus) have already joined the TISFD alliance, how a market-led approach helped TCFD win its case for climate disclosure, and what he learned from his own career path (from British diplomat in Pakistan to NGO campaigner to task force leader) about what's really at stake for informal and vulnerable workers on the ground.Listen to this conversation about whether business can be convinced that people, not just the planet, belong on the balance sheet of risk.
• 
  #115 Sarah Hechler & Christopher Bayer: How Well Are German Companies Doing HREDD? 15.07.2026 31min

  How effectively have German firms been implementing the LkSG? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Sarah Hechler, consultant at the German Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights (Helpdesk Wirtschaft und  Menschenrechte) and previously Social Project Manager at the UN Global Compact Netzwerk Deutschland, which has just published the first comprehensive study of the implementation of the German supply chain due diligence Act, the LkSG. Also joining this episode was Christopher Bayer, Senior Researcher on the study and Principal Investigator at Development International. Together they revealed the overarching findings of their study, especially on which areas companies demonstrate strong performance on HREDD, and where they are falling behind. You’ll also hear about: The widespread lack of effective measurement mechanisms amongst German companies for tracking progress on human rights  The main differences between due diligence laws across the world, including the French 'Devoir de diligence' and the US Dodd-Frank Act The EU Commission's ongoing open consultation on guidelines on the Corporate Due Diligence Directive  Christopher and Sarah's key advice to businesses on how to carry out effective due diligence, based on the findings of their research  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #114 Bennett Freeman & Chloe Cole: How Have US Corporates Responded to the ESG Backlash? 08.07.2026 33min

  We often hear about the backlash against sustainability and business and human rights in the United States, but does the perception reflect the reality when it comes to actual business practice? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Bennett Freeman, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and Associate Fellow at the think tank Chatham House, as well as Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley, and Chloe Cole, Senior Researcher in US Business and Human Rights at the Business and Human Rights Centre.  Together they discussed the findings of the Centre's just-published research on how 54 large US companies have reacted to the changed American political environment, entitled: "Retreat or respect? Diverging corporate paths on human rights in a time of turbulence." You’ll hear about: The three main ways top US firms have responded to the backlash – the good, the bad and the ugly  The positive role played by several US companies in response to the violence of ICE officials in Minnesota in January  Big Oil's aggressive lobbying against the EU CDDDD The corporate attempt to silence environmental NGOs, such as Energy Transfer's lawsuit against Greenpeace  Why companies choosing silence is not a neutral choice  The ultimate aim of the research: to encourage companies to keep going in their improving business and human rights  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!
• 
  #113 Kathryn Dovey & Alex de Vries-Gao: Responsible AI - What You Need to Know 23.06.2026 47min

  From Responsible Business to Responsible AI: what you need to know and do. In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt is joined by two leading voices on AI and responsibility to cut through the hype and the fear around artificial intelligence and its environmental impact. From staggering data centre energy figures to algorithmic bias in HR tools, this conversation is essential listening for anyone in a sustainability or responsible business role who is trying to make sense of AI, and what their company should actually be doing about it.Kathryn Dovey is the Founder of Recalibrate, working on responsible business issues. She spent ten years at the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct, including the period in which the OECD AI Principles were agreed. She is also the Founder of the career coaching consultancy Fallow Time.Alex de Vries-Gao is a data scientist and researcher at the Institute for Environmental Studies at VU Amsterdam, where he has undertaken extensive research on the environmental impact of AI.You will also hear about:How major US tech companies successfully lobbied the European Commission to keep environmental data from individual data centres out of the public domainThe significant positive use cases for AI in sustainability from satellite data analysis tracking climate change and biodiversity, to breakthroughs in healthcareWhy the Global South risks bearing the environmental costs of data centres while the benefits flow predominantly to the Global North, and how this echoes patterns seen with large infrastructure projects throughout historyThe key frameworks companies need to understand: the OECD AI Principles, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, and the EU AI Act, and why the EU AI Act is a practical benchmark to start working towards now, even as it undergoes its simplification processListen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!
• 
  #112 Nathalie Dogniez & Julian Toth: What Is the Current State of Responsible Investment? 09.06.2026 36min

  How does the field of responsible investment compare to a decade ago? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Nathalie Dogniez, chair of Eurosif and Independent Director of The Director’s Office, and Julian Toth, Executive Director of the Czech Sustainable Investment Forum and Investment Manager at Soulmates Ventures. Together they discussed the ESG backlash against sustainable finance, as well as their verdict on what the field looks like post Omnibus 1. You’ll also hear about: Eurosif’s recent discussion paper on responsible investment in defence  To what extent the value chain cap in the CSRD will limit the information that investors need  Whether or not the EU Green Deal is still alive  Nathalie’s position on SFDR 2.0 Why Omnibus 1 represents a significant step backwards Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #111 John Morrison: Why Sustainability Will Come Back Stronger 27.05.2026 36min

  What have been the most significant improvements in business and human rights over the past 15 years, and what has lagged behind? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by John Morrison, founder and former CEO of the Institute for Business and Human Rights.  Together they assessed to what extent sustainability and business and human rights have become the new orthodoxy, and what this means for the success of both movements. You’ll also hear about: The vital importance of trust between companies and communities in improving business and human rights The detrimental impacts of green hushing on progress in both sustainability and business and human rights  What is the best approach to measuring progress on sustainability  Why John is confident that sustainability will come back from the current backlash  What the business and human rights field may look like in ten or fifteen years’ time The key arguments in John’s new book ‘Remaking Sustainability’, including what sustainability advocates have got wrong  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #110 Filip Gregor & Simon Braaksma: New EU Sustainability Standards Just Released - What Now? 12.05.2026 31min

  Just last week, the European Commission published its draft Delegated Regulation on the revised European Sustainability Reporting Standards. What does this mean for EU business? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Simon Braaksma, Global Head of Sustainability Reporting at Philips and Filip Gregor, Frank Bold’s own Head of Responsible Companies Section, both of whom are members of EFRAG’s Sustainability Reporting Board and TEG. Together they discussed the overview of the changes, including their overarching assessment of the revised standards. You’ll hear about: How important this latest change is for corporates and why companies should take part in the public consultation  Why the European Commission ultimately held the line on the concept of double materiality in the revised ESRS, in response to the ISSB’s calls to separate financial from impact materiality  The further change to the value chain cap and its consequences for businesses What the revision on human rights violations only applying to ‘substantiated cases’ means in practice The significance of the new draft voluntary standards for SMEs Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #109 Jeremy Nicholls: Why Accountants Aren't Saving the World 05.05.2026 37min

  Current financial accounting methods are responsible for causing environmental and social harm across the world – but how can this be remedied? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Jeremy Nicholls, co-founder and former Chief Executive of Social Value International and Ashoka Fellow at the University of Liverpool. Jeremy previously worked for PwC as well as on the United Nations Development Programme’s SDG Impact Standards. Together they discussed Jeremy’s new book ‘The Accountancy Paradox: How Financial Accounting is Damaging the World (But Can Help Repair It)’ You’ll also hear about: The history of accounting and the moment which solidified it around users’ expectation of financial returns rather than external social and environment costs Why Jeremy believes current ESG approaches including sustainability reporting don’t really solve the heart of the problem  Practical solutions to how to fix the financial accounting system, including revising its conceptual framework to include wellbeing accounting  Why the argument that externalities should be internalised is more important than ever in today’s world  The role of lack of faith, spirituality and moral codes in human-caused environmental and social harm  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #108 Andreas Beckmann: The Role of Business in Nature Restoration 21.04.2026 29min

  How can businesses help to protect freshwater ecosystems, biodiversity, and habitats? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Andreas Beckmann, Regional CEO at WWF Central and Eastern Europe, which works on protecting ecosystems and habitats in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. Together they discussed the business case for action on nature and how WWF-CEE has worked with companies such as the Coca-Cola Company and Tesco on conservation and restoration of rivers and wetlands in the region. You’ll also hear about: WWF-CEE's award-winning work on the Living Danube Partnership to protect the EU’s longest river  The implications of the Ukraine war on the country’s protected environmental spaces, with around 40% of them being damaged  How Central and Eastern Europe is the ‘green heart’ of Europe and why its precious biodiversity urgently needs to be protected  Andreas’s message to EU lawmakers working on the Water Framework Directive and Nature Restoration Regulation The balancing act environmental NGOs face in having genuine partnerships with companies whilst also being free to criticise and hold them to account Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!  
• 
  #107 Finn Schufft & Emirali Karadoğan: What the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) Shows About Due Diligence Law in Practice 08.04.2026 35min

  How has Germany’s national due diligence legislation been working so far? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Finn Schufft, Corporate Responsibility Officer at Germanwatch and Emirali Karadoğan, Researcher and Trade Union Expert for the Turkish trade union Tez-Koop-İş, that was featured in Germanwatch’s report on the main impacts so far of the German supply chain act. Together they discussed the key findings of the Germanwatch report, including the crucial challenge of enforceability of due diligence legislation. You’ll also hear about: How the German law directly helped to support the right to freedom of association in Turkey  Why due diligence is so important in protecting and enforcing good labour standards, and why ILO conventions, OECD national guidelines and local labour laws are not enough The impact of the CSDDD replacing the LkSG in Germany, especially in terms of companies covered How debates on responsible business are advancing in Turkey  Finn’s overarching message to Europe based on the study’s findings  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!  
• 
  #106 Alina Laszlo-Orth & Tereza Fialová: How the EU Grid Package Will Impact the Business Energy Transition 25.03.2026 35min

  What does the proposed European Grid Package mean for the future of the energy industry? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Alina Laszlo-Orth, Head of EU Affairs at E.ON and Tereza Fialová, lawyer at the Responsible Energy Team at Frank Bold. Together they discussed the European Commission’s EU Grid Package, and whether it goes far enough in guaranteeing the energy transition in Europe. You’ll also hear about: E.ON’s progress on expanding their use of renewables – with the company recently hitting the milestone of two million renewable assets being connected into their German grid  What the EU Grid Package will mean for energy companies like E.ON Why the grid urgently needs to be modernised in order to ensure a sufficient supply of affordable, clean and secure energy  Why the grid’s existing ‘first come, first served’ principle should be replaced by ‘first ready, first served,’ according to Responsible Energy’s report on how to improve the grid in Europe  How reducing the cost of energy and supporting the energy transition go hand-in-hand The crucial relationship between the energy transition and greater strategic autonomy on energy for Europe  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!  
• 
  #105 Leo Donnachie & David Němeček: SFDR 2.0 - What Does it Mean for Investors & Sustainability? 18.03.2026 37min

  Do the European Commission’s proposed changes to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) go far enough in resolving the weaknesses of the original legislation? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Leo Donnachie, Senior Policy Specialist, Sustainable Finance at the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change and David Němeček, Senior Sustainable Finance Expert at Responsible Companies, Frank Bold. Together they discussed what has and hasn’t worked with the current SFDR from the institutional investor perspective, as well as why the original legislation needed improvement. You’ll also hear about: The main recommendations in Frank Bold’s legal analysis of SFDR 2.0, including on thresholds and new product categories  To what extent the strengthened emphasis on exclusions in the Commission’s proposal weakens the impact of the regulation What impact Omnibus 1 has had on investors, and whether it’s created greater alignment with companies  What SFDR needs to really shift the dial on sustainable finance: effective accompanying policy measures, from the Savings and Investments Union to the Clean Industrial Deal  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!  
• 
  #104 Anna Miazga: What is the New Role of the Chief Sustainability Officer? 03.03.2026 31min

  In a post-Omnibus 1 European sustainability landscape, what does the new role of the Chief Sustainability Officer look like? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Anna Miazga, Chief Sustainability Officer of mBank Poland, which is the country’s fifth largest bank in terms of assets. Together they discussed why mBank is staying steadfast to its sustainability commitments and strategies in the current climate of retrenchment from ESG issues, and why the business case for sustainability is more relevant than ever. You’ll also hear about: MBank's transition plan, including the importance of being honest about the obstacles and barriers the bank faces and how it is planning to tackle them The importance of not forgetting the ‘S’ in ESG – and the bank’s priority of improving the resilience and financial health of its customers Anna’s take on the European Commission’s proposed changes to the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) Anna’s advice to new Chief Sustainability Officers coming into the job Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #103 Emily Farnworth: The ‘G’ in ESG – Board Directors & Sustainability 17.02.2026 36min

  Often the weaker side of current corporate sustainability practice, governance – the ‘G’ in ESG – covers everything from how decisions are made, to transparency, oversight and accountability within company boards. But as an essential component of companies' journey to net zero, how can they better integrate sustainability into the heart of their business?  In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Emily Farnworth, CEO of Chapter Zero Alliance, an NGO supporting board directors across 70 countries to lead on climate and nature governance. Together they discussed Chapter Zero Alliance’s new Principles for Climate and Nature Governance in partnership with the World Economic Forum, and how they can help board directors across the world in their sustainability governance processes. You’ll also hear about: Why progress has been slow in sustainability governance, and what needs to change  How companies can make sustainability an authentic part of business strategy The importance of board attitudes and mindset towards stakeholders in the new Principles  How intergenerational conversations on sustainability within family-owned businesses is sparking change within corporate governance  Emily’s one question to board members and senior management within companies to make effective sustainability governance a reality  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!
• 
  #102 Benjamin Claeson & Babul Akhter: How to Undertake Worker-Centric Due DIligence 11.02.2026 35min

  How can companies better integrate worker-centred approaches to their due diligence processes? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Benjamin Claeson, Programme Officer at the Value Chains Unit at Swedwatch and author of the report “Overdue Diligence” on worker-centred due diligence, as well as Babul Akhter, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Garments & Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF). Together they discussed why current efforts towards corporate due diligence are failing to adequately protect workers and communities globally, and how stronger engagement with worker-centred approaches can help bridge this gap. You’ll also hear about: The general position of workers in Bangladesh Examples of companies that are already imbedding worker-centred approaches in their due diligence mechanisms at different points in their supply chain  The severe funding shortfall in worker-centred approaches to due diligence currently and why better financing is so important in protecting workers and communities across the world Whether the Accord following the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh succeeded, and what has followed since  Benjamin and Babul’s message to European companies  Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube! 
• 
  #101 Patrick de Cambourg: EU Sustainability Standards – the Inside Story 28.01.2026 40min

  As the European Commission now prepares a Delegated Act for the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards, how should we reflect back on the entire simplification process conducted by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG)? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Patrick de Cambourg, the outgoing chair of EFRAG and former president of the French accounting standard-setting public authority ANC. Together they reflected upon the early preparations for the European sustainability reporting standards, as well as the behind-the-scenes of the simplification exercise conducted last year. You’ll also hear about: Whether the Brussels effect is still alive  The biggest disagreements within EFRAG during the simplification process, and how they were overcome  The variation between the new ESRS and the International Sustainability Standards Board global standards Patrick’s vision for how sustainability reporting will develop in the future  His parting message to EFRAG Listen in and follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube!