ESG Decoded Podcast

In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Ian Van Der Vlugt, VP of Product & Research for Datamaran, a software analytics platform that monitors external ESG risks in real-time and brings a data-driven business process for materiality analysis.  Ian manages product development, working with internal and external stakeholders to deliver the greatest product value for clients. He also oversees the creation of product-related data, content, and research.  Before joining Datamaran, Ian was the head of the data team at CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), managing the organization's data cleaning and modeling work and associated projects, primarily through a climate change lens. He also previously worked at the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), growing its Sustainability Disclosure Database, and bridging technical and content work. In the space of ESG reporting, policy and technology, things are evolving quickly. From remote sensing, to blockchain, to AI, there is a lot to know…but ESG Decoded has you covered! Listen as Amanda and Ian review the concept of materiality from an ESG perspective and discuss how AI is improving the materiality assessment process and increasing efficiencies related to disclosures and reporting. As with other ESG/Sustainability topics, the views on these issues may vary based on the region of the world. As a resource boost for this episode, it was recently announced that  Deloitte & Touche SpA is also using Datamaran to expand their research and analytics capabilities in conducting assurance of sustainability disclosure by providing evidence-based insights. Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode!

ESG Decoded is the podcast powered by Global Affairs Associates, a ClimeCo company to share relevant updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a manner that is clear and actionable.  In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Fariyal Khanbabi, Dialight Group CEO & Chairman of Dialight Foundation.   Dialight is the world leader in LED industrial lighting technology (listed on the London Stock Exchange) with millions of LED fixtures installed worldwide. It launched its first LED product 51 years ago and continues to innovate in LED lighting technology. Fariyal is the 2020 winner of Silver Stevie® Award in the Woman of the Year – Manufacturing category. Prior to Dialight, she held the positions of Chief Financial Officer for Blue Ocean Group Ltd. and Chief Financial Officer at Britannia Bulk Holdings, Inc., and Chief Financial Officer at Britannia Bulk Plc (a subsidiary of Britannia Bulk Holdings, Inc.). Fariyal received an undergraduate degree from the University of Leeds. Listen as Amanda and Fariyal discuss how Dialight is helping its customers meet their environmental and safety goals by focusing on fully recyclable products and lighting designs that reduce pollution. We are reminded of ‘other’ benefits of sustainability: 1) how it can increase employee engagement and strengthen company culture and 2) it can be a driver in meeting company financial goals. They also discuss a topic that has received increasing airplay in the past few years, gender-balanced boards. Unlike many other companies, Dialight did not just talk about gender-balanced boards, they took action! This topic is important for men and women.  While women are navigating the path to leadership opportunities, men need to know how to show up as allies on the journey. We want to engage with you about this episode. Share your best practices related to gender-balanced boards. We still have a lot of ground to cover.   As a resource boost, learn more about Dialight Foundation which is dedicated to transforming the lives of people in need in the communities around Dialight facilities, with a focus on children and youth, providing them with the resources to become beacons of light. http://www.dialight.com/dialight-foundation/ Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Erica Lasdon, Senior  Director, Capital Markets for ClimeCo.   Erica joined ClimeCo in 2021 after serving as a Senior Consultant with Global Affairs Associates, LLC. A seasoned ESG professional bringing over 20 years of experience from the investment and non-profit sectors, she specializes in ESG integration, materiality analysis, investment trends, and engagement strategy. Erica has deep expertise in multi-stakeholder engagement, proxy voting, and ESG data analysis and management across a wide range of asset classes. She served on the development team for the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s Level II exam for the inaugural FSA credential, the Steering Committee for the Intentional Endowments Network, and as an Advisory Committee Member for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health for Business framework. Erica earned a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in History from the University of California, San Diego. She loves skiing, exploring new places, and any activity involving excellent food. The topic of ESG has come a long way in a short period of time. Establishing an actionable ESG strategy has evolved from a nice-to-have to a business imperative. While this process may appear to be a complicated undertaking, listen as Kaitlyn and Erica provide guidance on how to approach this strategic development exercise...which may be a great way to start the new year.  Erica lends her expertise on areas of focus for planning, frameworks and benchmarks to consider for impact measurement, and the connective tissue between ESG strategy and other corporate strategies.  There is also discussion on ‘green finance’ which are financial instruments created for a better environmental outcome.  We hope that this episode will decode the complexities related to ESG strategic planning and serve as a helpful resource for key stakeholders for these short-term and long-term plans. Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Jason Roe.  Jason is CEO & President of EcoVapor Recovery Systems, a company dedicated to helping industries improve their environmental and financial sustainability with innovative technology. Prior to joining EcoVapor, Jason was CEO of Avitas, a Baker Hughes venture focused on emissions monitoring and detection strategies enabled through robotics, AI, and digital techniques.  Before that, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of XACT Downhole Telemetry. Jason received his B.S. in Finance from the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Flaring and venting of natural gas during oil and gas production operations results in the release of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Sometimes, flaring is necessary for safety, such as to prevent blowouts. But routine flaring is problematic for a few reasons: harmful releases of methane to the environment, waste of a non-renewable resource, and loss of revenue. Companies are looking for ways to reduce or eliminate routine flaring, as is prescribed by the World Economic Forum, to reduce the impact of methane releases to the environment, reduce scope 1 emissions, and sell instead of waste a product that currently heats homes and powers stoves.     Listen as Kaitlyn and Jason discuss Ecovapor’s technology which helps oil and gas companies to reduce their Scope 1 emissions (direct emissions from company-controlled resources).  Their conversation also touches on: That natural gas is still a fuel source in the International Energy Agency (IEA) Sustainable Development Scenario, so we need to make it operationally carbon neutral. Shared technology from the oil field across other forms of energy  Renewable natural gas How carbon reduction goals can go hand in hand with poverty reduction goals.  The information shared in this episode is solutions-focused with the intention to educate on how we can all make the most impact, especially as we enter in the new year.  Resource Boost: --Ecovapor Recovery Systems - ecovaporrs.com --International Energy Agency Sustainable Development Scenario – https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-model/sustainable-development-scenario- sds --Goldman Sachs Carbonomics Report: https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/pages/gs-research/carbonomics-f/ report.pdf Thanks to everyone who connected to ESG Decoded this year! It’s been a great year and we look forward to all that is to come in 2022.  Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode!

Get ready for some great news! This is a monumental episode for ESG Decoded as GAA announces its acquisition by ClimeCo, a leader in the management and development of environmental commodities and deployment of sustainability solutions. To mark this exciting development, Kaitlyn Allen is joined by Bill Flederbach and Emily Damon.    Bill is ClimeCo’s President and CEO.  He co-founded ClimeCo in 2009 and three years later acquired all company shares to assume full ownership. Under his charge, ClimeCo has grown rapidly from a pioneer in N2O abatement projects to a respected leader in the environmental commodities market.   Emily is VP of Sustainability, Policy and Advisory, leading the consulting business unit at ClimeCo. Emily specializes in ESG performance and disclosure. She also has deep expertise in corporate climate strategy, including greenhouse gas accounting, target-setting, abatement strategy, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Before joining ClimeCo in early 2021, Emily spent over a dozen years in sustainability consulting, most recently leading Guidehouse’s ESG practice in North America. This newly formed powerhouse team provides an overview of ClimeCo’s three business units – Project Development, Environmental Credits, and ESG Advisory-- leading to a robust discussion about the thesis of the acquisition. To put it briefly, GAA’s clients need ClimeCo, and ClimeCo’s clients need GAA. Finally, hear directly from Bill about his experience at COP26 in Glasgow and why— despite anti-offset sentiment—voluntary environmental markets are crucial for rebalancing ecosystems and getting to net zero with more fairness. Of course, Kaitlyn also has some fun questions for Bill and Emily.  Congratulations to Kaitlyn, Amanda, and the entire GAA family on this new adventure and the start of an amazing next chapter!  2022 will be their best year yet!   Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode

This is an exciting episode featuring Kaitlyn Allen, Carol Liffman, and Dr. Ivonne Cruz.  Carol is a Senior Consultant with Global Affairs Associates who started her career in oil and gas as a geoscientist.  She was also the featured expert on episode #6 of this podcast.  Dr. Cruz holds a Doctorate and Masters degree in Sustainability. She serves as the Puentes Consortium Administrator, a Resident Scholar for the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at the Baker Institute and conducts research on climate change and social issues.  Most recently, Dr. Cruz was a faculty member of the Master in Global Affairs program where she teaches sustainability and global Issues. She has been in academia as associate researcher in countries such as Spain, U.K and the U.S.  She has experience as a consultant working on projects with international agencies, nonprofits and public and private entities.  Dr. Cruz has published several papers and book chapters on the social dimensions of environmental change, and she has collaborated in the elaboration of sustainability reports for private companies and local governments. The information shared was recorded by Dr. Cruz for her students, and we wanted to share it on the podcast also.  As Dr. Cruz points out, today’s students are very engaged in the topic of sustainability.  They understand the importance of clean energy and conservation, and many are familiar with the UN SDGs. Their conversation covers a variety of topics from how much waste we generate today, to today’s unconventional energy sources that may be more mainstream in the future, to carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery.  Remember, everyone organization or company needs to define what ESG means to them, and the innovative solutions will be, in large part, local strategies. The discussion these three experts have is like a mix ‘ESG 101’ and a high-level review of previous episodes.  So, whether you are new to the topic of ESG or a faithful follower of this podcast, this information is for you.  As a resource boost for this episode, check out Project Drawdown. Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your feedback and topic suggestions. Enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Mark Williams.  Mark is responsible for the sales strategy across the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Datasite, a leading SaaS provider for the M&A industry. Prior to joining Datasite, Mark held several sales leadership roles in a variety of SaaS companies including Chief Revenue Officer at SmartFocus and Vice President of Sales for Kno Mark graduated with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Humberside University, England. ESG data is no longer a differentiator or ‘nice to have.’ ESG disclosure is moving into the mainstream expectations for this process.  Depending on the industry, more emphasis may be given to efforts associated with the ‘E,’ ‘S,’ or ‘G.’ (Carbon neutral is a current hot topic.) Listen as Amanda and Mark discuss ESG-related reporting trends for mergers and acquisitions, and how ESG impacts the overall valuation process. To ground us in this conversation, Amanda reminds us about the concept of ESG materiality.  She is such a great teacher!  It should come as no surprise that she is currently a guest lecturer at Rice University and the University of St. Thomas.  Super congrats, Amanda!  Those students are so lucky to learn from your expertise. Resource Boost: Climate Change’s Impact on M&A by Datasite https://www.datasite.com/us/en/insights/visualization/infographics/climate-change-s-impact-on-m-a.html Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your perspectives.  Enjoy this episode!

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Jennifer Guidry, Vice President, Global Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) for Precision Drilling, a company known to deliver high performance, high value products and services to its customers in the oil and gas industry. With 25 years of global experience leading change in the upstream oil and gas, heavy construction, and environmental remediation, Jennifer is known for creating industry leading strategies that drive culture change in organizations. Listen as Kaitlyn and Jennifer discuss the evolution of HSE and its connection to ESG.  HSE tends to be more compliance-driven; while ESG is more strategic.  They share their insights as to how perspectives related to energy transition have shifted in the oil and gas sector. Jennifer also provides updates related to opportunities in oil field services (OFS) to reduce emissions and source alternate forms of energy to power rigs, sharing concrete examples from Precision Drilling’s journey. Much of Jennifer’s niche expertise centers in her authentic ability to bring to life the ‘S’ in ESG.  She speaks to the value of ESG programs in a way that motivates leaders and employees to focus on long-term solutions.  She is a champion for Diversity & Inclusion (D&I), which she cites as a game changer for businesses seeking to drive innovation, with diversity of thought serving as the fuel. Moreover, she reflects on her own leadership journey, sharing that the key to success as a business leader--and in life--is to treat others with “humanity and grace.” As you listen to Kaitlyn and Jennifer, they sound like long-time friends chatting over coffee.  (Listen for Jennifer’s story about the sticky note left on her car!)  Their shared passion for ESG and travel has been a point of common interest for both through the years. There is a lot that will inform and inspire you in this episode.   Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your perspectives.

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Rob West, Founder of Thunder Said Energy, a research consultancy for energy technologies and energy transition. Prior to Thunder Said, Rob built up the energy practice at Redburn, among the world’s leading, independent equity-research firms. He was responsible for the team’s energy strategy and commodity market research, while covering Super-Majors.  Rob is also a Research Associate at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Kaitlyn follows Rob’s research, and believes he is one of the best energy transition analysts in the field.  Listen as they discuss the biggest opportunities for meeting the world’s energy needs while achieving net zero carbon emissions. This topic is more complicated than most will admit.  Think about it: when have you gone one day without consuming fossil fuels, especially in light of the fact that two-thirds of CO2 emissions are embedded in “stuff”? Loyal listeners of this podcast have learned that ESG has connective tissue to so many other topics.  In this case, it is so neat to learn that the name Thunder Said is derived from the T.S. Eliot poem, The Waste Land Part V – What the Thunder Said.  A perfect side note for our poetry junkies.  Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your perspectives. Resource Boosts Thunder Said Energy’s Roadmap to complete decarbonization of the global energy system by 2050 at an average CO2 cost of $42/ton: https://thundersaidenergy.com/2020/12/10/decarbonizing-global-energy-the-route-to-net-zero/ Thunder Said Energy www.thundersaidenergy.com Thunder Said Energy on Twitter https://twitter.com/energy_said?lang=en

ESG Decoded is the podcast powered by Global Affairs Associates to share relevant updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a manner that is clear and actionable. In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Steven Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, which offers clients hybrid expertise in government relations, policy, and sustainability empowering them to operate at the intersection of business, government, and media.  Steven has more than 25 years’ experience across government, public affairs, and communications and has lived and worked in Asia since 2003. He consults on sustainability and ESG in the financial services industry, specifically for private equity firms based in Asia. Steve is also Senior Advisor for geostrategic consultancy McLarty Associates, a frequent analyst for CNBC, Channel News Asia, and The Straits Times, and serves as Senior Advisor in Southeast Asia for the Global Private Capital Association. This episode is intended to provide listeners with ESG perspectives that are not centered around US or European constructs.  Listen as Steven covers a range of sustainability topics from an Asian vantage point.   He discusses energy-related social, access, and poverty reduction issues that are often left out of the conversation about energy transition in developed nations.  He also explains how investment decisions can differ in emerging markets, with consideration given to a company’s current ESG mindset and its sustainability potential over time (as opposed to factoring in track record and current performance). Steven only intended to live in Singapore for 5 years. Thank goodness he stayed and became an expert in the region’s sustainability issues. Kaitlyn and Steven have both been fellows with a diplomatic initiative by the National Committee on US-China Relations, called the Young Leaders Forum. It is great to have them collaborate on this episode.  Subscribe to ESG Decoded where you consume your podcasts and connect via social media to share your perspectives. Resource Boosts APAC Advisors https://www.apacadvisors.com/ National Committee on US-China Relations https://www.ncuscr.org/ CDC Group ESG Toolkit for Emerging Markets https://toolkit.cdcgroup.com/ Monetary Authority of Singapore https://www.mas.gov.sg/