People Inspired By Purpose - Purposely Podcast

Ajaz.org CEO Nicola Brentnall joins Purposely Podcast to share her story and the joy she gets from philanthropy and advising charities inspired and run by the British Royal Family. She talks about the recent loss of her dear husband Tom from cancer and dealing with the daily challenge of grief, ‘it can hit you out of nowhere’. Tom had a passion for Nicola’s work, and he would often travel with her (at his own expense) to see the charitable projects in person. Nicola discusses the affinity she felt with marginalised young people and how this inspired her 14-year career with the Prince’s Trust. Using her skills to help the team inspire young people to be the best they could be and achieve their full potential. Nicola worked as a strategy and governance consultant to The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation and for The Prince’s Trust, as Company Secretary. Leaving the Prince’s Trust Nicola received ‘a phone call out of nowhere’ outlining an opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to advise and direct the Royal Family on a ‘spend down programme’ donating £35 million to good causes over a 4-year period through The Queen’s Trust. These funds had been raised in a single year in the 1970’s and a decision was made to run a giving programme to help young people in need. Major recipients of the funds include the charity ‘Onside’ supporting the building of youth centres providing an inclusive space for young people in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK. Nicola also led the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust for five years and dramatically furthered its reach and relevance to the communities it served across the world. A qualified Chartered Secretary, she has an MSc in Corporate Governance and Ethics, and a degree in The History of Art. Nicola was awarded an MVO. Nicola is also a Trustee of BEAT (a nationwide charity supporting people affected by eating disorders) and Opera North.

Dave Rouse joins Purposely Podcast to share his journey including his successes and failures. A former medical student ‘I wasn’t mature enough to deal with death and illness at that point of my life’ and commercial pilot. Dave is now a successful entrepreneur and early stage investor. He also has a day job as CEO of a successful green tech company CarbonClick. CarbonClick was created after two of Dave’s colleagues, founders Jan Czaplicki and Paul Brady were working on an offsetting programme for a major international airline. The third founder is aviation expert Michelle Noordermeer. They saw how hard it was for businesses to create their own programme, access or perform proper due diligence on offset projects, and then trace and reconcile those credits to prove customer payments had been accounted for. CarbonClick was born to make climate action simple and transparent for businesses. The founders approached Dave to be their CEO after he had invested in the company early, at the ‘family, friends and fools round’. He believed in the founders and the concept.

Rachel Brown, ONZM – Founder & CEO, Sustainable Business Network Rachel Brown is the founder & CEO of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) and was one of the early champions of the ‘business for good movement’ in New Zealand. Rachel launched her organisation 20 years ago at a time when people doubted the science emerging around human environmental damage. Back then sustainability was associated with ‘greenies’ or ‘tree huggers.’ Rachel, however, did believe the science and was determined to do something proactive to turn the tide on environmental damage in an effort to protect the planet. So why business and sustainability? In part because of her childhood, she describes a wonderful upbringing where her parents, especially her mother, introduced her to the science of sustainability at an early age. At the same time, she was intrigued by the growth and buzz of capitalism. Rachel quickly realised that business could play a productive and leading role in sustainability and could be a force for good rather than bad. In the podcast Rachel discusses those times and how ‘well meaning’ business leaders refused to connect business practices to the environment. Often, they could not see a purpose beyond making a profit for shareholders - ‘nice people who would push me towards their charitable giving activity’. They hadn’t made the connection that care for the environment was going to be crucial to the long-term success of their business or that a different approach could give them a competitive advantage. The SBN network she created now includes 600 organisations from a range of sizes and sectors. Rachel has overseen the creation of systemic collaboration projects focusing on climate action, designing out waste, and regenerating nature. SBN runs the Sustainable Business Awards, New Zealand’s largest sustainability award programme as well as a series of successful training programmes. In 2009 Rachel was personally selected by Al Gore to present The Inconvenient Truth (part of the global climate change education programme). In 2012 she was invited by Al Gore to join an elite group of international presenters to be part of the Climate Reality Project broadcast. The broadcast reached over 3 million people across the globe. As a regular presenter, collaborator, investor and driver of action within NZ communities, Rachel is committed to the role business plays in supercharging and transforming NZ’s economy into one that is smarter and more sustainable. Rachel regularly sits on government panels to inform on policy. Currently she is on the Advisory Panel of ‘Jobs for Nature’, a Board member of the Milford Foundation, and on the business advisory panel for All of Government Procurement. She is a member of the advisory panel for the National Waste Strategy and the Million Metres Streams Advisory Board. Rachel also provides advice and support to a number of new and emerging businesses, individuals and social enterprises. In 2018 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for years of service to sustainable business.

Should companies be run to earn a profit, or to serve a purpose? Alex Edmans joins Purposely Podcast to talk about his ground-breaking book, The Pie-Growing Mentality A new approach to business (and indeed capitalism) that works for both investors and society. The book lays down the argument that “Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit” and that it is not an either or choice. Drawing from his research evidence and real-life examples spanning industries and countries, Edmans demonstrates that businesses driven by purpose are consistently more successful in the long term. He describes how a purposeful company must navigate difficult trade-offs and take tough decisions. Edmans' provides an actionable roadmap for company leaders to put purpose into practice, and overcome the hurdles that hold many back. He explains how investors can discern which companies are truly purposeful rather than green washing and engage with them to unleash value for both shareholders and society. And he highlights the crucial role that citizens can play as employees, customers and investors, in reshaping business to improve our world. What is the pie and what is pieconomics'? ‘The pie is the total amount of social value. It's not just financial value, but it's the amount of total happiness or welfare that a company creates. You can think about that pie as being divided between profits to investors and value to society. So often when people think about businesses becoming more responsible, they think about well, should we split the pie differently? So should we reduce profits in order to pay higher wages? or should we reduce profits in order to charge fair prices to customers? Similarly, if you're a CEO, many CEOs think about how to split the pie in their favour. So they might think the way to maximise profits is to charge as much as I can get away with or to pay my workers as little as possible. So what is pieconomics argues is that the relationship between business and society is not a zero sum game and the pie is not fixed. When a company chooses to invest in its workers or to become better stewards of the environment or to treat customers better. They're not just sacrificing profits, instead they're growing the pie, ultimately enhancing profits. For example, if you treat your workers better they'll be more motivated and productive and more likely to stay similarly with the environment and customers. So while there might be trade-offs in the short term but in the long term, a responsible company is not just being more ethical it is being more commercially savvy and boosting its long term returns.’ Alex Edmans' is Professor of Finance at London Business School.  Alex graduated from Oxford University and then worked for Morgan Stanley in investment banking (London) and fixed income sales and trading (New York).  After a PhD in Finance from MIT Sloan as a Fulbright Scholar, he joined Wharton in 2007 and was tenured in 2013 shortly before moving to LBS.

Professor Ioannis Ioannou joins Purposely to share his thoughts on ESG and sustainability. Ioannis is respected and renowned strategy scholar whose research focuses on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Purposely caught up with Ioannis while he was in on sabbatical in Miami and we covered a wide range of topics. Ioannis's focuses on how modern business contributes towards building a sustainable future and his academic work evolves around two main themes, including; understanding how the broader investment community perceives, evaluates and reacts to corporate engagement with, and integration of, environmental and social issues into strategy. Also, understanding the multiple and multilevel factors that may affect the corporate decision to adopt environmentally and socially responsible strategies. Ioannis regularly publishes in top-tier peer-reviewed academic journals regularly winning awards for his leading and thought provoking work. In 2016 he was awarded the ARCS Emerging Sustainability Scholar Award; an award that recognises a scholar in the area of corporate sustainability. He is also very active on social media and a frequent contributor to articles in the popular and managerial press including outlets such as the Financial Times, Bloomberg, The Guardian, BBC, Le Monde, and Forbes. In further recognition of his impactful work, Ioannis has been shortlisted for the Future Thinker Award of Thinkers50, the first-ever global ranking of management thinkers whose mission is to recognize ideas that have the power to change the world. Dr Ioannou’s has also been recognized by various rankings as one of the top social media influencers around the world for issues of responsible business and sustainability. Ioannis graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, majoring in Economics and Mathematics and holds a Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University and the Harvard Business School. He joined London Business School in 2009 as an Assistant Professor and he is currently an Associate Professor with tenure. He has taught on the MBA and EMBA Core Strategy courses at LBS, and several other degree programs such as the Masters in Finance degree, the Emerging Leaders Program and other senior executive programs, including the Senior Executive Programme (SEP). He is a regular contributor to multiple LBS executive education programmes including modules on Responsible Business and Sustainability. Dr Ioannou has presented his research at many academic conferences, and universities around the world, and also, he is very often invited to deliver keynote speeches on issues of responsible management and sustainability at numerous high-profile events and conferences globally. He is a member of the UK Network Rail’s External Transparency Challenge Panel and the Advisory Board of Ethical Corporation. Dr Ioannou is also a member of the World Economic Forum Expert Network with expertise in the area of Sustainable Development.

Hannah Bellamy joins Purposely to share her leadership story with global aid organisation charity: water. 77 million people live without clean water. Nearly 1 in 10 people worldwide. The majority live in isolated rural areas and spend hours every day walking to collect water for their family. Not only does walking for water keep children out of school or take up time that parents could be using to earn money, but the water often carries diseases that can make everyone sick. Hannah and her team know that access to clean water is vital and means education, income and health - especially for women and kids Hannah outlines their vision to create a world where everyone has clean, safe drinking water. Incredibly they have funded clean water for 15 million people since inception in 2006 Globally revered, Charity: water has been recognised for their innovative, transparent, impactful approach by Fast Company, Forbes, and the New York Times among others. In 2019 Hannah brought the charity's model to the UK and Europe, she launched subscription giving, and forged partnerships with fashion, retail, and other brands to catalyse change. We touch on the charities origin story, with founder Scott Harrison transitioning from a decade long career as a New York City club promoter to running a charity helping millions. From 2004, Harrison committed two years of his life to the poor and marginalized through volunteer service in Liberia with Mercy Ships. He recognized that problems surrounding education, safety, and health may trace back to a lack of clean water and basic sanitation systems. Originally from Dorset, Hannah Bellamy has lived all over England and in Scotland, Norway, Alaska, Abu Dhabi, India, and Texas. Her degree in English and American Literature launched her career in publishing, but she transitioned into corporate responsibility and then the nonprofit world. Prior to charity: water Hannah was the founding CEO of United Way UK. In this episode we explore her purpose led work journey and also explore how she navigated the pandemic and adapted the way she worked. You will also hear how she believes in the power of mentoring, both to help motivate her and how she mentors women through FemMentored, and is an advisor for Good Brains for Good People.

Alecia Hancock joins Purposely Podcast to share her founder story with Hancock Creative. A former fashion journalist and editor, Alecia is now a celebrated businesswoman and entrepreneur who has a passion for helping charities, non-profits and for purpose businesses shine a light on the causes they support. Alecia is a woman on a mission, an incredibly driven individual who is willing to take risks to deliver value to others. Her determination is evident in this episode as she describes ‘keeping on, keeping on’ through some tough times, refusing to be beaten by the pandemic or by her own health issues. Alecia’s mission is to high-light worthwhile causes around the world by providing accessible online education for cause based organisations. Alecia founded Hancock Creative in 2010, initially focused on providing small business a range of creative services. The business Alecia runs today is very different to that early vision. Hancock Creative now focuses on worthwhile global causes by providing accessible education to not for profits and socially-motivated organisations, ‘We help them tell their stories in today’s digital world’. Her education seminars and events aptly named change the world help cause-based organisations tell their story.  They predominately teach causes to use social media to fuel their growth. Alecia describes social media as ‘the most powerful tool that exists today to reach out to an audience and get them to take action – with little or no money spent’. Hancock Creative also delivers impactful content through a podcast and global training events While Alecia and her team are based in Perth Western Australia their reach is global and they regularly work with clients across North America, the UK and the rest of Australasia

Talitha Nelson joins Purposely Podcast to share her leadership story as CEO of the Gloucestershire Community Foundation. Talitha describes the enormity of the challenge faced by people in the UK in the early stages of the pandemic and how her foundation and the 46 other community foundations across the UK played an instrumental role in getting crucial support and aid to people in need. Talitha talks about surviving and thriving as a leader during this time and how the pandemic brought people, businesses, funders and charities together to fight a common enemy and serve the needs of the community. Talitha believes this experience will change the face of the sector in the future, from silo thinking  to collaboration. So what is a community foundation, it is a ‘tax-exempt, nonprofit, publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long term goal of building permanent, named funds, for the broad-based public benefit of the residents in a given area.’ A brief history, started in North America… Community foundations in the United States boomed in the 1920s as the concept spread, especially in the Midwest and Northeast. By the end of the 1920s Los Angeles, New York, Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Rhode Island, Buffalo and dozens more American cities all had their own community foundations. In the 1930s community foundations faced a difficult period of decline during the Great Depression, when resources were scarce and the banking system was in difficulty and disrepute. In 1931 the first Donor Advised Fund was established by a community foundation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Talitha has developed a real passion for community foundations, although you will hear how she started her career in retail, 8 years working at fashion legend Karen Millen, ‘This set me up for a life of success in business, working with founders Karen & Kevin, a true iconic British premium brand’ Talitha has also worked in senior roles in the hospitality sector, owning her own hotel at one until she discover the charity sector and what she describes as ‘A truly fulfilling role as the CEO of the Gloucestershire Community Foundation, where we bring people who care together with the most disadvantaged within our community, influencing and driving change for those who really need it'

Sarah Page joins Purposely Podcast to share her founder story starting the Kindness Collective Foundation (KCF). It began with Sarah bringing together a small group of people wanting to do good in the community, their vision to help build a kinder New Zealand.  The collective is now a registered charity with a network of over 10,000 people including active donors, volunteers, brands and businesses. Described by Sarah as ‘quite simply a match-making service’, matching those in need with those who have more to share. They make it easy for people, brands and businesses to help kiwis in need. They work with schools, early childhood education centres, social services, community groups and other charities to donate time, tools, resources and money. KCF point to the poverty and family violence statistics that continue to climb in New Zealand. 1 in 5 children experience hardship, and at least 33% of New Zealanders experience some form of food insecurity. Sarah believes in the power of communities helping each other to offer creative resource solutions to the many problems families face in society. Before the Kindness Collective, Sarah worked in Marketing and PR for many years within hospitality, music industries and corporate event management. Working with bars, nightclubs and restaurant groups with their marketing, music, events and PR strategies. Sarah started the Kindness Collective in 2014 with a mobile food bank operation delivering food to a local Women’s Refuge group and has grown the charity to what it is now. Sarah has big plans for the Kindness Collective to impact the lives of as many people as possible in Aotearoa.

Former Green Party MP Barry Coates joins Purposely Podcast to share his founder story with Mindful Money. Mindful Money is a charitable social enterprise that aims to make investment a force for good. They aim to switch funding away from pollution and exploitation, and instead to massively increase funding for sustainability and the transition to a low emissions economy. Founded in 2018 the free platform https://mindfulmoney.nz/enables members of the public to find out what is in their KiwiSaver or investment fund and find an ethical fund that fits their values and criteria.  Mindful Money also works with fund managers and the finance sector to raise standards for ethical/responsible/ESG investing and impact investment. They advocate for a legal and policy framework that will enable New Zealand to transition towards a sustainable finance system. Barry lived and worked overseas for many years, gaining a Masters in Management from Yale University, and experience in corporate strategy, fair trade, climate change and sustainability. When he returned to New Zealand he was Executive Director of Oxfam Aotearoa, initiator of a sustainability programme at University of Auckland and a Green Party list MP. Barry has been a member of the Government’s Trade for All Advisory Board and Technical Working Group of the Aotearoa Circle’s Sustainable Finance Forum, and he is a Board member of 350 Aotearoa. Barry was awarded the Sustainable Business Network’s Sustainability Champion in 2016. Barry is highly respected and an expert on a wide range of sustainability issues. He lives a low impact life and leading the way for others to do the same. He has been a frequent and compelling face in the media and amongst other topics he has highlighted the impact of climate change on vulnerable people and the measures that the New Zealand Government and businesses must do to stop polluting.