Frankly Speaking - A Podcast on Responsible Business
Frankly Speaking is an award-winning podcast by Frank Bold that explores responsible business and sustainability. Host Richard Howitt, a former Member of the European Parliament and a pioneer in corporate disclosure, discusses the latest political, legal and business developments in ESG, business and human rights. Through candid conversations with policymakers, business leaders, and activists, the podcast aims to make responsible business the norm and hopes to redefine the purpose of business.
Epizody
#123 Have the CSRD and European standards delivered on sustainability?
** The Frankly Speaking podcast has been selected as a finalist for the sixth annual Anthem Awards, recognizing work in sustainability, environment and social impact. Help us bring our conversations on responsible business to a wider audience and win the Anthem Community Voice Award. VOTING IS OPEN NOW UNTIL 29.10.2026 AT CELEBRATE.ANTHEMAWARDS.COM **As the Omnibus I package narrows the CSRD'
#122 What China’s New Security Regulations Mean for EU Sustainability Laws
What do China’s new supply chain security and counter-extraterritoriality rules mean for European companies trying to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Katja Drinhausen, Head of Programme Politics and Society at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS). Together they discuss China’s new regul
#121 Julia Otten & Amandine Van Den Berghe: Environmental Due Diligence in the CSDDD - What's Next?
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) has moved from political negotiations to the next critical phase: implementation. But what does meaningful implementation actually look like?In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Julia Otten, Senior Policy Officer at Frank Bold, and Amandine Van Den Berghe, Senior Lawyer specialising in value chains, trad
#120 A New Vision for Sustainable Finance: Anna Koolstra
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:Th
#119 Leena Ylä-Mononen: What the 2026 Summer Heatwaves Mean for Europe’s Sustainability Transition
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
#118 Companies Putting the “Meaningful” into Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement: Danny Miles and Dr Wilson Odiyo
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-ec
#117 How Businesses Can Combat Modern Slavery: Professor John Dumay
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 s
#116 Simon Rawson: Is Inequality a Risk to Business? Inside the TISFD Framework
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 R
#115 Sarah Hechler & Christopher Bayer: How Well Are German Companies Doing HREDD?
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 imple
#114 Bennett Freeman & Chloe Cole: How Have US Corporates Responded to the ESG Backlash?
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
#113 Kathryn Dovey & Alex de Vries-Gao: Responsible AI - What You Need to Know
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 f
#112 Nathalie Dogniez & Julian Toth: What Is the Current State of Responsible Investment?
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 susta
#111 John Morrison: Why Sustainability Will Come Back Stronger
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
#110 Filip Gregor & Simon Braaksma: New EU Sustainability Standards Just Released - What Now?
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 ar
#109 Jeremy Nicholls: Why Accountants Aren't Saving the World
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 Unit
#108 Andreas Beckmann: The Role of Business in Nature Restoration
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
#107 Finn Schufft & Emirali Karadoğan: What the German Supply Chain Act (LkSG) Shows About Due Diligence Law in Practice
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.
#106 Alina Laszlo-Orth & Tereza Fialová: How the EU Grid Package Will Impact the Business Energy Transition
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 t
#105 Leo Donnachie & David Němeček: SFDR 2.0 - What Does it Mean for Investors & Sustainability?
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
#104 Anna Miazga: What is the New Role of the Chief Sustainability Officer?
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
#103 Emily Farnworth: The ‘G’ in ESG – Board Directors & Sustainability
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,
#102 Benjamin Claeson & Babul Akhter: How to Undertake Worker-Centric Due DIligence
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
#101 Patrick de Cambourg: EU Sustainability Standards – the Inside Story
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 acc
#100 Rachel Davis, Wim Bartels & Filip Gregor: Sustainability Now – 100th Edition Special Debate
Sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, business and human rights – where are we now in Europe and globally on these three major issues? In this special 100th edition of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Rachel Davis, Vice President and Co-Founder of the Shift Project, Wim Bartels, Senior Sustainability Partner for Europe at Deloitte and Filip Gregor, Head of Responsible Compan
#99 Robert Adamczyk: What is the State of Play on Green Finance?
What progress has been made in the world of sustainable finance? In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Robert Adamczyk, Senior Environmental Adviser at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which has already fully aligned its activities with the Paris Agreement, and member of both the European Reporting Financial Advisory Group (EFRAG) and the Technical
#98 Marianne Gros & Robert Hodgson: What’s Coming in Sustainability in 2026?
What should you be looking out for in the corporate sustainability space in 2026? For this very first episode of Frankly Speaking in 2026, Richard Howitt was joined by Marianne Gros, Sustainability Reporter at Politico Europe, and Robert Hodgson, Energy, Environment and Transport Editor at Euractiv to predict what's going to happen in the sustainability field this year.Together they assessed w
#97 Matt Orsagh: Is There a Case for Degrowth?
Is infinite economic growth compatible with life on a planet with finite resources? In final episode of Frankly Speaking this year, Richard Howitt was joined by Matt Orsagh, co-founder of the Arketa Institute for Post-Growth Finance and former Senior Director of Capital Markets at the CFA Institute, to confront one of the most controversial questions in sustainability today: is it time to move bey
#96 Julia Otten & Andreas Rasche: The Definitive Guide to the Final EU Omnibus
The Omnibus 1 agreement has finally been signed off – but what happens next? In this last episode before the Christmas break, Frank Bold’s Senior Policy Officer Julia Otten and Andreas Rasche, Assistant Dean and Professor of Business in Society at Copenhagen Business School, return to the Frankly Speaking podcast, hosted by Richard Howitt, to give their final verdict on what the Omnibus 1 means fo
#95 Abrial Gilbert-d'Halluin & Michael Mehling: What the EU-US Trade Deal Means for Global Corporate Accountability
Against the backdrop of the final Omnibus agreement emerging from trilogues, what will continued US political and corporate pressure mean for the future of EU environmental and human rights due diligence legislation? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Abrial Gilbert-d'Halluin, Policy Advisor for MEP Raden Kanev and original parliamentary sherpa for th
#94 Niklas Wehner: How to Conduct Corporate Human Rights Due Diligence
How can companies carry out effective human rights due diligence? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Niklas Wehner, Director of Corporate Responsibility International for ALDI South Group, which has over 7,500 stores across eleven countries and employs over 200,000 people. Together they discussed ALDI South Group’s approach to human rights due diligence,
#93 Petter Forslund: Living Wages – Where Are We Now?
Is the world on track to achieving living wages? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Petter Forslund, Engagement Manager at AP2, Sweden’s second national pension fund, and Steering Committee Member of the Platform Living Wage Financials, an investor coalition that supports companies in providing living wages in global supply chains. Together they assessed
#92 Siniša Milatović & Olena Uvarova: The Business Case for Human Rights
Right from the beginning of the Omnibus 1 debate, European policy-makers have repeatedly framed human rights due diligence as a huge barrier to competitiveness. But does this actually reflect the reality? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Dr Siniša Milatović, Programme Manager at UNDP and Olena Uvarova, UNDP Business and Human Rights Specialist as well a
#91 Jiří Mravec & Antonín Šámal: What Heavy Industry Needs to Successfully Decarbonise
What progress has been made so far in heavy industry’s journey towards net zero, and what more needs to be done to aid them in their transformation? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Jiří Mravec, Head of Innovation and Transformation at Třinecké železárny (Třinec Iron and Steelworks) and Antonín Šámal, Research Fellow at the thinktank Association for Int
#90 Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom: Why the Global South Wants Mandatory Due Diligence
Why is Thailand determined to be the first government in Asia to pass a mandatory human rights due diligence law for companies, and what are the implications for the rest of the world? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Nareeluc Pairchaiyapoom, Director of the International Human Rights Division at Thailand’s Ministry of Justice. Together they discussed
#89 Brian Hill: Should We Measure the Sustainability of Products Instead of Firms?
What is product-level reporting, and how could it improve the quality and reliability of corporate sustainability disclosures? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Brian Hill, Academic Director of the Inclusive Economy Center in Sustainability and Organisations Institute at HEC Paris, and Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientific Resear
#88 Lorena Bisignano & Louis Establet: Lessons from the First Wave of CSRD Disclosures
Amid all the noise and confusion around the future of corporate sustainability reporting due to the Omnibus modifications, what does the research actually tell us about the effectiveness of the EU’s sustainability legislation? The answer: the CSRD is working, and it's already driving meaningful change in practice – that's the key message from our latest report into 100 company disclosures
#87 Julia Otten & Andreas Rasche: MEP Vote on EU Sustainability Omnibus – the Verdict
Today, the JURI committee of the European Parliament will be voting on the Omnibus 1 proposal. What does this proposal mean for the future of corporate sustainability reporting? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Julia Otten, Senior Policy Officer at Frank Bold and Andreas Rasche, Assistant Dean and Professor of Business in Society at Copenhagen Business
#86 Bernard Gouw & Jo Chidley: Will Every Company Become a B Corp?
What are the new B Corps standards, and what impact will they have on the future of responsible business? In this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Bernard Gouw, Senior Social Standards Manager at B Lab Global, and founder of the natural skincare brand Beauty Kitchen, Jo Chidley. Together they explained how the new B Corps standards differ from the previous ones
#85 Sandra Atler & Signe Lysgaard: Your Essential Guide to the New ESRS Sustainability Standards
Have the new revisions to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards gone too far, or not far enough? That’s exactly what we discussed in this episode of the Frankly Speaking podcast, in which Richard Howitt was joined by EFRAG TEG members Sandra Atler, also Director of Human Rights & Business Practice at Enact Sustainable Strategies and Signe Lysgaard, also Chief Advisor on Business &
#84 Akiko Sato: What Can We Learn from Japan’s Sustainability Journey?
What is the relationship between culture and corporate responsibility? How do various social mores and traditions influence how various countries view business and human rights? And what can different nations learn from each other on their sustainability journey? This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Akiko Sato, Business and Human Rights Project Officer at the Un
#83 Chris Coulter & Mark Lee: Is Sustainability Facing An Existential Threat?
Last week, the 2025 Sustainability at a Crossroads survey was released, providing key insights into the views of nearly 850 sustainability professionals across the world, and building upon the survey’s decades-long research, the first results having been published back in 1997. With sustainability at a pivotal turning point, what do experts believe is the best route forward? This week on the Frank
#82 Kate Lewis & Francesca Mangano: How Supply Chain Due Diligence Can Work For All
Last year, the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a leading alliance of trade unions, NGOS and businesses working to bring about the end of corporate human rights abuse, released its Corporate Transparency Framework detailing the reporting requirements for their company members. With the results of ETI’s member transparency assessment now out, how have companies performed against the standards? Thi
#81 Tsvetelina Kuzmanova: How Eastern European Businesses Can Deliver the Sustainability Transition
Central and Eastern European countries are often described as being the laggards in the EU’s sustainability transformation. But is this actually true?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, Sustainable Finance Policy Lead at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, which gathers leaders and innovators across business, finance and
#80 Sébastien Mandron: CSRD is Already Redesigning Corporate Sustainability in France
How is the sustainability transformation unfolding in France?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Sébastien Mandron, Board Member of C3D, an association of more than 400 chief sustainability officers.Together they discussed Worldline Global’s experience of producing their first CSRD report, and the company’s reaction to French President Macron coming out against
#79 Michael H. Posner: Lessons from the Most Severe Cases of Corporate Humans Rights Abuse
The history of corporate human rights abuse is as old as the history of corporations themselves, and yet our understanding of business and human rights has only evolved significantly over the last five decades. The concept of corporate accountability is now widely known, whereas only 20-30 years ago, companies often refused to accept responsibility for the inhumane conditions or practices found in
#78 Fritz Putzhammer: Has Germany Turned Against Sustainability?
At a time when there is so much uncertainty around sustainability and due diligence reporting with the ongoing Omnibus negotiations, it’s more important than ever to listen to the voice of business. How have companies in Germany been performing on sustainability reporting, and what does the future of the country’s green transition look like?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt
#77 Nana Li: Has China Become the World Leader on Sustainability?
Last year, China issued its Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standards, aligning its corporate sustainability reporting requirements to the ISSB and the EU’s CSRD with its double materiality approach. But with the EU’s own sustainability legislation in the process of being simplified, has China now become the world leader on sustainability? This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard How
#76 Ludovic Flandin: Does Business Really Want Sustainability Simplified?
The European Commission says that EU sustainability legislation harms European business competitiveness. But does business really agree? This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Ludovic Flandin, Vice-President and Founding Board Member of WeAreEurope, a new association of European sustainability professionals which was formed earlier this year. Together they discuss
#75 Dr Daniel Klier: Why Carbon Markets Are a Vital Tool in the Sustainability Toolbox
Last week, Microsoft signed one of the world’s largest carbon removal deals with carbon credit firm Rubicon Carbon, purchasing 18 million tonnes of carbon removal credits. But will investing in carbon markets necessarily reduce the urgency of reaching net zero emissions, and how large of a role should they play in the fight against climate change?In a special edition of the Frankly Speaking podcas
#74 Andrew Winston: How Can Business Leaders Find the Courage to Do the Right Thing on Sustainability?
Corporate sustainability is currently facing a significant setback due to recent shifts in the geopolitical landscape. But how should businesses best respond, and how can they gather the courage to keep going working towards becoming more sustainable?This week on the FranklySpeaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by author and speaker Andrew Winston, who has published multiple books on sustain
#73 Joeri de Wilde: What Does the Tariff War Mean for Sustainability?
Amidst this highly unpredictable global tariff war, there’s a new announcement each day on the latest round of tariffs being levied - or lifted - by and against the incumbent Trump administration. But what does this all mean for sustainability, and how will it impact companies on their green transition?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Joeri de Wilde, economis
#72 Ulrike Sapiro: Inside the First Wave - A Practitioner’s Perspective on EU Reporting
With the CSRD reports of the first wave of EU companies due this year, what are the lessons practitioners have drawn from the experience? And in light of their experience, what do they think of the Omnibus proposals?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Ulrike Sapiro, Chief Sustainability Officer at Henkel, the German-based chemicals and consumer goods company whi
#71 Antoni Ballabriga: Why ESG Investment is Still a Business Winner
With the departure of nearly a dozen US and Canadian banks from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance in the past few months, is the future of sustainable finance hanging in balance? And what is the verdict on how far and well the green transition is advancing?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt was joined by Antonio Ballabriga, Global Head for Sustainability Intelligence and Advocac
#70 Maria Tymtsias & Julia Otten: EU Omnibus Revealed and How Companies Should Respond
With the Commission’s Omnibus package now being examined and debated in the European Parliament and the Council, the stakes are high for European businesses. How is industry reacting to the Omnibus proposals, and what should they do now?This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt is joined by Frank Bold’s Julia Otten and Maria Tymtsias, co-founder of the Palau Project and senior sust
#69 Anne Kelly: What Does Trump 2.0 Mean for Sustainable Business?
Despite only being in office for less than 100 days, the Trump 2.0 administration has already passed several measures reversing the work of previous governments to fight climate change and embed ESG into the heart of American business practice.This week on the Frankly Speaking podcast, Richard Howitt is joined by Anne Kelly, Vice President of Government Relations at Ceres, the NGO which has led ad
#68 Donato Calace: Can Data Solutions Make ESG Easier and Better?
As the European Commission prepares to unveil its omnibus proposals to "simplify" the EU sustainability framework, we wonder if there are other ways to make green legislation easier for businesses besides dismantling the system. This week on the podcast, Richard Howitt is joined by Donato Calace, SVP Market Leader, Partnerships & Innovation at Datamaran as well as a member of EFRAG’s
#67 Filip Gregor: Proposed Omnibus on EU Sustainability Laws - Latest “Inside View” from Brussels
On the podcast this week, we’re back with a full length conversation on the Omnibus proposal, which has been causing uncertainty over Europe’s sustainability reporting, due diligence and sustainable finance laws.
Richard Howitt and Filip Gregor look back at our “Frankly Speaking on Sustainability and Competitiveness” organised in Brussels at the end of January. Some of the top policy makers, exper
#66 Natalie Grillon & Tara Scally: Is There a Silver Bullet to ESG Data? Why the Answer is More Complex Than You Think
** Register to the Conference on Sustainability & Competitiveness! Seats are filling fast for this high-impact discussion! Join us in Brussels or online on January 30th. Reserve your spot now: https://www.eventbrite.be/e/frankly-speaking-on-sustainability-and-competitiveness-tickets-1104355540149?aff=oddtdtcreator
In the podcast today, we tackle a very big issue in the sustainability world: d
#65 Countdown to the Omnibus: Join the Conference on Sustainability & Competitiveness
In this special edition of the podcast, Richard Howitt sits down with Filip Gregor, head of Responsible Companies at Frank Bold to invite you to our upcoming conference on Sustainability & Competitiveness that will highlight why the Omnibus, portrayed by some as a tidying up exercise to get rid of duplication, should be seen as something more serious than that.
Omnibus regulation preparation i
#64 Alberto Alemanno & Patrizia Heidegger: Von der Leyen 2.0 & Trump 2.0 - A Battle for Sustainability
2025 starts the same way 2024 ended: with a shifting political landscape.
While Trump was re-elected in the US, the new European Commission announced an Omnibus proposal that would serve its simplification agenda. These events raise concerns about the backlash against the environmental and sustainability policies adopted in the last 5 years to ensure the green transition of the economy.
But what
#63 Alicia García-Herrero: Can the EU Build a Resilient and Sustainable Green Tech Strategy to Counter China?
Is China making its green stride forward?
As the world faces the dual challenges of addressing climate change and navigating geopolitical tensions, cooperation on climate goals is under threat. China’s role in green technology has made it a vital player, but it is also increasingly seen as a rival, or even a threat, by other global powers.
Electric vehicles (EVs) have become the latest flashpoint,
#62 Anna Triponel: Embedding Human Rights at the Heart of Corporate Culture
As the UN Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights wraps up today, we’re diving into a pressing question: What are companies really doing to respect human rights?
More importantly, is this less about policies and performance metrics and more about company culture, shaping not just what a business does, but how it operates at its core?
This week in Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt receives Anna Tr
#61 Justine Maillot & Emma Priestland: Will the UN Global Plastics Treaty Break Us Free from Plastic?
40% of plastic produced is for one-time use packaging. Only 9% of all plastic ever made is recycled. A large portion of the rest, ends up littering our land and oceans, harming wildlife and human health through microplastics.
Next week, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee will be held in Busan, South Korea, to develop an internationally binding instrument on plastic po
#60 Peter Webster: Inside the Social LobbyMap - How Businesses Influence EU Sustainability Policy
Are companies saying one thing about sustainability, but doing something in their political lobbying that is very different?
A new report has just been published today by the sustainable finance pioneer, the Eiris Foundation, as part of a project called Social LobbyMap. It provides detailed and independent research on business lobbying on Europe's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (
#59 Laura Gitman: Which Future for Sustainability Leadership in the Company?
Is the role of the corporate chief sustainability officer at a crossroads?
According to the renowned Business for Social Responsibility’s latest report, it is. The report is based on detailed interviews with chief sustainability officers in 31 companies worldwide and represents 30 years of combined experience in responsible business from the report's authors.
To discuss the future of companies’ C
#58 Piotr Biernacki: How To Tailor Sustainability Reports to Your Business-Specific Context
How can and should you address entity-specific reporting?
What does a company do when something it thinks is important for its sustainability doesn't fit into a standardised reporting framework in the language of the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)?
Today in Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt is joined by Piotr Biernacki who has been involved in the ESRS right from the beginning
#57 Jason Judd: What Does the Just Transition Really Mean for Workers
Will there be a just transition?
How far does the climate crisis affect workers and businesses and what needs to be done about it?
Today in Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt welcomes Jason Judd, executive director of Cornell's Global Labor Institute.
They recently produced a set of 25 social indicators which it believes are measurable and impactful, and which can give certainty to social issues a
#56 Myriam Vander Stichele: Where Does The Money Flow?
Do our ideas about what makes companies competitive actually hinder the shift toward sustainability?
What role do share or stock buybacks have in this?
And has the move towards sustainable finance actually succeeded in providing incentives for companies to change?
As former ECB President Mario Draghi made his own proposals for returning Europe to competitiveness and President von der Leyen reveals
#55 Alison Taylor: How Can Companies Do the Right Thing
Welcome to the third season of Frankly Speaking!
We’re kicking it off strong with a crucial topic: trust and what can drive improving it in business?
To discuss this, Richard Howitt welcomes Alison Taylor, author of Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World. Alison is a clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business, Executive Director of the organizati
#54 Michael H. Posner: Views From the U.S. on the Future of Business and Human Rights
Today, Frankly Speaking welcomes Professor Michael H. Posner, director of the Centre for Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern School of Business. He also served in the Obama administration as assistant secretary of State.
Throughout his career, Mike has played a key role in establishing some of the major global initiatives on responsible business, including the Voluntary Principles on Security
#53 Robert McCorquodale: What Can ESG Investors Do to Respect Human Rights
This week, Richard Howitt welcomes Robert McCorquodale, professor of international law and human rights and current chair of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, to discuss their report presented last month to the 56th Human Rights Council on investor responsibility to respect human rights. You can read a summary of the report here.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
#52 Frederic Hans & Thomas Day: How Are Companies Faring in their Net Zero and Climate Action Efforts in 2024?
Germany's NewClimate Institute has produced the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor, evaluating the transparency and integrity of climate pledges of 51 major companies across different sectors and geographies.
Richard Howitt welcomes Frederic Hans and Thomas Day, co-authors of the report to discuss their findings and key recommendations to companies in their journey to net-zero.
In this
#51 Richard Hardyment: How to Measure Good Business and Make Sense of ESG Data
In this week’s episode, Richard Howitt asks: can we believe the numbers on environment, social and governance (ESG)?
To address this, we welcome Richard Hardyment, author of Measuring Good Business: Making Sense of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Data. In it, he states that there is little or no evidence that ESG has and has had any positive outcomes for people and the planet in the rea
#50 Antonia Zimmermann & Anna Brunetti: What to Expect From the 2024 EU Elections for the EU Green Deal
We are a few days away from the European elections, and there is a frenzied atmosphere in Brussels for what the results might mean for the future of sustainability in the EU, Europe's Green Deal and for its implications for business.
In this week’s episode, Richard Howitt welcomes Antonia Zimmermann, trade reporter for Politico Europe, which reports on European politics and policy, and Anna B
#49 Heidi Hautala: Reflecting on Three Decades of Business and Human Rights Policy in the EU
In this Frankly Speaking episode, Richard Howitt welcomes MEP Heidi Hautala (Greens/ EFA), vice president of the European Parliament, founder of the EP’s working group for Responsible Business Conduct and former development minister of Finland.
This year, Heidi has declared that she will step down at the forthcoming European elections. As one of the foremost advocates of business and human rights
#48 Linda Kromjong: Europe’s Supply Chain Law (CSDDD) - A Message from Business
** Note to the listeners: due to technical difficulties, we recommend listening to this episode on Spotify while the audio is being updated on all platforms. Thank you for your patience and for bearing with us while we fix this technical issue.
This week in the podcast, Richard Howitt welcomes one of the leading business voices on supply chain management in the world, Linda Kromjong, president of
#47 Caio de Oliveira: the State of Corporate Sustainability Reporting in the World in 2024
This week in Frankly Speaking, we put the spotlight on a new report produced by the OECD and analysing the state of corporate sustainability reporting in the world.
To discuss it, we welcome Caio de Oliveira, policy analyst at the OECD, who's had major responsibility in producing the report and who leads the sustainability work streams at the OECD on behalf of the Corporate Governance Committ
#46 Antonie Fountain: How to Solve the World Cocoa Crisis?
Many of us know that dependence of developing countries on raw commodities leaves them vulnerable to price volatility and sees profit made in countries where the commodity is imported and then processed, rather than where it is produced. It's often farmers in those developing countries who are at the end of the line. That problem has been specifically highlighted in the cocoa sector this year.
#45 Sarah Dadush: Can Contracts Support Promoting Responsible Business?
In this new Frankly Speaking episode, we explore the question of human rights due diligence by companies by asking what should go in the contract. Due diligence approaches have been criticized as simply using contractual clauses to pass off risk and responsibility down the supply chain.
To address how this can be avoided and to discuss what should and shouldn’t be in the contract, Richard Howitt w
#44 Filip Gregor: How Should Companies Undertake a Materiality Assessment?
In this Frankly Speaking episode, we explore how companies should undertake a materiality assessment when they tackle their sustainability report. The concept of materiality is derived from financial accounting in business and human rights, and very simply asks the question: does this information matter?
To guide us, we welcome back Filip Gregor, head of Frank Bold’s Responsible Companies secti
