ESG Decoded Podcast

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Thanks again to Greenbuild, our October Sponsor. Greenbuild hosts the largest annual event for green building professionals worldwide where attendees learn and source solutions to improve resilience, sustainability, and quality of life in our buildings, cities, and communities. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022, Greenbuild will take place in San Francisco, CA. Register with promo code DECODED to activate $50 savings on a Learning Package or redeem free expo hall access w/ the Sourcing Package - also works on virtual packages! Visit them at www.GreenbuildExpo.com. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Colley Hodges, Sustainability Manager at the Houston Zoo. Colley leads one of the greenest zoo-based conservation organizations in the country. He is an architect and accredited professional under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, WELL Building Standard, and Sustainable SITES initiative. Some of his efforts include carbon tracking and reduction, sustainable material selection, resource conservation, waste diversion, indoor air quality improvements, and sustainability education.  In 2021, Colley was recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Houston Business Journal and Building Design + Construction magazine. Listen as Amanda and Colley discuss the Houston Zoo's conservation efforts and their connection to its steadfast mission to save wildlife. Its architectural design ties to animal care and welfare, while its sourcing efforts aim toward shrinking its footprint. Houston Zoo's laser focus on responsible sourcing is fueled by a project comprised of sustainably harvested wood, leading to the elimination of single-use plastics in its restaurants and retail stores. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you're notified of our vodcast episodes! Don't forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form. Episode Resource Links Houston Zoo Website: https://www.houstonzoo.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo Twitter: https://twitter.com/houstonzoo

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh is joined by Rick Wenger, Director of Sales at Skyven Technologies. Rick has 15+ years of experience reducing energy use in the industrial sector. He has led the R&D department at Honeywell, one of the nation’s largest burner and heat exchanger companies, and has put in significant incentive dollars to work at Cascade Energy. Rick brings a wealth of process-specific knowledge to help industrials decarbonize profitably. Listen as Amanda and Rick discuss process heat, thermal energy applied during the industrial process, consumption, and packaging. They also share thoughts about recapturing this energy for further production use. Rick talks about energy as a service, a business model that allows customers to pay for services without making an upfront capital investment.  Enjoy this episode! - Episode Resource Links Skyven Technologies Website Skyven Technologies LinkedIn - Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form.

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Welcome to our ESG Paradigm Shift Series, where we examine different angles of the ESG phenomenon and its broader implications for finance and prosperity. In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Rick Alexander, the founder of The Shareholder Commons (TSC). TSC is an organization dedicated to creating responsible ownership throughout the investing chain. Before founding TSC, Rick served as Head of Legal Policy at B Lab and spent 31 years at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP, practicing corporate law and four years as a managing partner. Rick also served as a member of the Delaware Corporation Law Council. In his work there, he was a leader in drafting and shepherding important corporate legislation, including provisions protecting shareholders from mandatory arbitration, enabling proxy access, implementing majority voting, and authorizing public benefit corporations – Delaware’s version of the benefit corporation. Listen as Rick takes us on a journey through the history of Modern Portfolio Theory. Learn how individual corporations are being incentivized to externalize costs and why this cost externalization is born by diversified portfolio investors. How is ESG part of the solution? Enjoy tuning in to this episode! - Episode Resource Links From Meta to Twitter, What Everyone Gets Wrong About ESG — And Why It Matters | Institutional Investor The Shareholder Commons Moving Beyond Modern Portfolio Theory by Jon Lukomnik Benefit Corporation Law and Governance: Pursuing Profit with Purpose Rick Alexander SustainEx Schroeder’s Report on Costs/Value The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism: How Institutional Investors Can Make Corporate America More Democratic by James P. Hawley Two New Case Studies on Closing the Climate Change and AMR Engagement Gap - Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form.

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Thank you to EarthUP, our sponsor for the month of September. EarthUP enables employers to crowdsource corporate emissions reductions from their employees. This bottom-up approach reduces costs for sustainability teams while de-risking a company's emissions reduction strategy. EarthUP’s mission is to make sustainability part of everyone's job so companies can meet their emission goals. Visit them at earthup.eco. In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Lefteris Arapakis, Co-Founder and Director of Enaleia, an organization with a vision to make the marine ecosystem sustainable. Lefteris won the United Nations European Young Champion of the Earth 2020 award and was named the Ambassador for the Mediterranean Coast by UNEP-MAP for 2021-2022. He is an Athens University of Economics and Business graduate, TEDx speaker, and an AshokaChangemaker - listed in 2020's Greek Forbes 30under30 List. Lefteris comes from a long line of Greek professional fishermen. During the Greek economic crisis, he co-founded Enaleia, an organization with a vision to make the marine ecosystem sustainable. Enaleia created the first school for professional fishing in Greece and two wide-scale plastic clean-ups, the Mediterranean Cleanup & Bahari Safi. Working with 1.600 fishers, they collected waste and integrated it into the circular economy. The Mediterranean Cleanup is one of Europe's Top 5 marine plastic clean-ups. Listen as Kaitlyn and Lefteris discuss this innovative business model positively impacting fishers and sowing into the circular economy. While fishing, many nets capture large amounts of plastic waste that is simply returned to the ocean. Enaleia shares ways to recycle plastic with little to no expended energy or CO2 emissions to counter the effects of plastic pollution. This plastic then becomes a myriad of products that are useful to consumers. Before the solutions presented by Enaleia, it was predicted that by 2050 there would be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Thanks to this thought leadership, that trajectory may be course correcting. Enjoy this episode! - Episode Resource Links UNEP’s Fishing for Plastic Washington Post Article:  Press Release w/ ClimeCo Verra - Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form.

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Thank you to EarthUP, our sponsor for the month of September. EarthUP enables employers to crowdsource corporate emissions reductions from their employees. This bottom-up approach reduces costs for sustainability teams while de-risking a company's emissions reduction strategy. EarthUP's mission is to make sustainability part of everyone's job so companies can meet their emission goals. Visit them at earthup.eco. In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Luma Saqqaf, a Sustainable Finance Practitioner working with companies and financial institutions to achieve their desired ESG goals. Luma regularly advises the Dubai Financial Market on sustainable finance issues and regulations. Her experience is built from three decades in finance, Islamic finance, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Listen as Kaitlyn and Luma discuss various ESG topics through a Middle Eastern lens. Every region of the world has unique perspectives on how to prioritize and address sustainability challenges. The Middle East is no different. Each country in the region operates with various commitments from its respective government. The spectrum of maturation in this space is broad. Some companies in this region are just beginning their focus on sustainability, while others are well into their journey with clear strategies to implement sustainable solutions. In typical ESG Decoded fashion, Kaitlyn does a great job deciphering the 'acronym alphabet soup' that often accompanies ESG-related discussions. Speaking of fashion, Luma is also the Funder and Creative Director for a sustainable womenswear brand, BYLUMA, founded in 2017. The team at BYLUMA is comprised of 100% women, many of whom are on flexible work schedules. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you're notified of our vodcast episodes! Don't forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form. - Resource Links: Luma's LinkedIn BYLUMA Site Ajyal Site LinkedIn Instagram Facebook

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Thanks again to EarthUP, our September Sponsor. EarthUP enables employers to crowdsource corporate emissions reductions from their employees. They use a bottom-up approach to reduce costs for sustainability teams while de-risking a company's emissions reduction strategy. EarthUP’s mission is to make sustainability part of everyone's job so companies can meet their emission goals. Visit them at earthup.eco. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh joins forces with Jayce Hafner, Co-Founder & CEO of FarmRaise. Jayce completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Trinidad and Tobago before serving as an Environmental Policy Advisor for the Episcopal Church where she mobilized large-scale land conservation and climate change campaigns in the U.S. Congress and United Nations. After completing an MBA and Masters of Environmental Science at Stanford, she co-founded FarmRaise to restore environmental resilience and profitability to the American agriculture landscape by connecting farmers and ranchers to farm funding. The agriculture industry presents unique opportunities to address climate change and water quality issues. However, Farmers need more efficient access to capital to implement sustainable solutions that promote regenerative agriculture. Listen as Amanda and Jayce introduce us to FarmRaise and discuss how the company is working to solve these problems within the industry while creating social equity. Jayce also touches on industry best practices and natural resource priority concerns. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form.

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Thanks again to EarthUP, our September Sponsor. EarthUP enables employers to crowdsource corporate emissions reductions from their employees. They use a bottom-up approach to reduce costs for sustainability teams while de-risking a company's emissions reduction strategy. EarthUP’s mission is to make sustainability part of everyone's job so companies can meet their emission goals. Visit them at earthup.eco In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with CEO/Founder of EarthUP, Stephen Bay. EarthUP provides a vertically integrated SAAS platform that allows companies to measure emissions, purchase offsets, and reach net-zero through employee action. Stephen is passionate about creating solutions to reduce emissions and improve our environment. He channeled his passion for sustainability into his first company, Eco Consulting, in partnership with Puget Sound Energy, the largest utility in the Northwest. The concept for EarthUP came to life while working with Skanska to identify low-hanging opportunities to reduce their corporate emissions and get employees involved in their climate goals. EarthUP's mission is to "Make climate action part of everyone's job." Listen as Amanda and Stephen discuss how employee engagement can be the game changer in an organization’s sustainability efforts. Every job turns into a climate job by inspiring, educating, and activating employees. Organizations that are successful in this transformation make it personal for their employees by connecting sustainability topics and addressing the creation of healthy work-from-home environments. Stephen reminds us that sustainability changes are not about sacrifice but improvement. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form. - Resource Links EarthUP Website: https://www.earthup.eco/ EarthUp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthup-eco EarthUP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthup.eco/?hl=en EarthUP Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthup.eco/ EarthUP Twitter: https://twitter.com/EarthUP_eco

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Elizabeth Carlson, Tricon’s Chief Sustainability Officer. Elizabeth focuses on developing and driving the company’s sustainability strategy and initiatives. Her background is in corporate responsibility, economic development, and environmental and social impact in non-profit and private sector organizations with experience across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Before joining Tricon, Elizabeth worked in various sustainability-related roles on construction and engineering projects in the oil, gas, and mining industries, most recently leading global sustainability at McDermott International. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and Russian from the University of North Carolina and an M.Phil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. Tricon is a chemical trading and distribution company headquartered in Houston with business relationships in approximately 140 countries across the globe. Listen as Amanda and Elizabeth discuss various topics, including Tricon’s overall approach to responsible sourcing, human rights in their supply chain, and the circular economy. As a best practice for sustainability leaders seeking insights on structuring programs, Elizabeth describes a framework consisting of three sustainability pillars, all rooted in a strong governance foundation. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form. - Resource Links Tricon’s Sustainability Report: PowerPoint Presentation (triconenergy.com)

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Juliana Garaizar, Head of Houston Incubator and VP of Innovation for Greentown Labs. Juliana is a Board Member of the Angel Capital Association and the Lead Investor of the Portfolia Rising America Fund, which invests in BIPOC and LGTBQ founders, Portfolia Consumer, and Rising Tide Funds. She is an active Advisory Board Member of the Houston Diversity Fund, Investors of Color Network, Latin Startup Alliance, and Impulse4women. As a Kauffman Fellow experienced in bridging the gender gap in investing, she is a vital part of the City of Houston’s Women Commission. Juliana holds an MBA from the London Business School and Haas School of Business, Berkeley, specializing in Entrepreneurship. Listen as Amanda and Juliana discuss how Greentown Labs, the largest climate tech startup Incubator in North America, is driving innovative solutions for climate change, emerging trends, and their intentional efforts to create positive impacts for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form. - Resource Links Greentown Labs Website: https://greentownlabs.com/ Houston Angel Network: https://www.houstonangelnetwork.org/ Portfolia.co: https://www.portfolia.co/

This week, we are featuring a fan favorite episode where Kaitlyn Allen talks with Bill Davis, founder of Stance Capital. Stance Capital was established in 2016 to bring to market investment portfolios that mitigate material environmental, social, and governance risks and generate excess returns while at the same time allowing investors to align their portfolios with their belief systems. Bill has a BA from Connecticut College and has taught or been a guest lecturer at Columbia University, Harvard College & Harvard Business School, MIT & MIT Sloan, and Vanderbilt University. Bill also serves on the Ceres and the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation boards. Listen as Kaitlyn and Bill clarify some common ESG-related terms, including ESG investing vs. impact investing and greenwashing. They also bring up the genesis for intentional focus on ESG data gathering and how it started with voluntary CSR reports filed by companies. (Currently,  the vast majority of S&P 500 companies are now preparing these filings.)  Bill and Kaitlyn also cover the three key elements of portfolio construction and the importance of having industry-specific comparisons and measurements. Make sure to subscribe to ESG Decoded on your favorite streaming platforms and our new YouTube Channel so that you’re notified of our vodcast episodes! Don’t forget to connect with us on our social media channels. Enjoy this episode! Interested in being a guest on the podcast? For consideration and scheduling, please fill out this form.