The Lens – UK Responsible Business Podcast

In this bonus episode, our host Sarah Travers shares stories from One Young World Ambassadors who visited Belfast in October 2023 for the One Young World Summit. She shares who they are, where they work, what part of the world they are from, and of course why they are attending the Summit. Importantly, she gets to the nitty gritty of how they plan to change the world and finds out what they are already doing to make a difference. We hope you enjoy this special episode and are inspired to find out more about responsible business by getting in touch with Business in the Community at www.bitc.org.uk.

This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability & External Affairs Officer at SUEZ UK – a leading global provider of environmental solutions; and from Germany, Philipp Eder, Sustainability Strategist / Procurement Strategy, AUDI AG.  In this episode, we will explore the circular economy from two very different organisations, but from our two guests’ perspectives – both of whom are committed to making the world a better place. 

This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Tony Judd, Managing Director of Verizon Business for the UK and Ireland. Verizon is one of the largest communication technology companies in the world, and we hear about Verizon’s plans for the future and how it is taking its responsibility for people and the planet to the next level. And our second guest is Loek Hageman, Early Careers Talent Development Programs, Bayer. Based in Berlin, Loek’s company, Bayer, is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life, and at the same time, it aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power.  In this episode, we will explore how Tony and Loek’s shared passion for people development plays out in both of their businesses, how development talent for the future is critical for business success, and we’ll ask them what a responsible future looks like for them personally, professionally and digitally.  Find out more by listening to the latest episode of The Lens. 

This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Tom Burke, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director at a very well-known global brand - Coca-Cola and Svanika Balasubramanian, Co-Founder and CEO at rePurpose Global - the world's first Plastic Credit Platform. In this episode, we will explore packaging with purpose. We’ll look at how one of the world’s biggest drinks production companies is continually innovating in how it packages its products, and how another is helping consumers and businesses across 26 countries create impact by catalysing innovative waste management and circular solutions that stem the flow of ocean plastic. 

In this bonus episode, our host Sarah Travers hands over the reins to her ex-colleague BBC's Health Correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly, who interviews two-weight world champion boxer, Carl 'The Jackal' Frampton. Marie-Louise interviewed Carl at a recent Business in the Community event (please be aware that this episode contains background noise).Carl has proven himself as one of the world’s leading professional boxers, quickly climbing the ranks by winning both the IBF and WBA Super-Bantamweight belts, before going on to win the WBA Featherweight Championship. If you’ve ever seen Carl in the ring, he was one of the most exciting boxers to watch operating with incredible punching power, intelligence and speed.Carl’s background is interesting and complex, so you’ll hear more about that in this episode of The Lens. Recently Carl worked on a thought-provoking documentary for the BBC called Men in Crisis focusing on the troubling reality of men’s mental health. Listen in to find out more about what Carl discovered and how business leaders can spot the signs with their people.It's good to remember that every person is different and those companies that can develop a human-centred approach to their people can really make a difference. If your business would like help and support with wellbeing and inclusion, please get in touch with Business in the Community at www.bitcni.org.uk.

Sustainability and profitability – complement or competition?This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Anna Moore, Partner at global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, and One Young World Ambassador, Robin Spierings, Project lead – The Sustainable Flight Challenge, KLM and  In this episode, we will explore whether sustainability and profitability can work hand in hand, how green credentials can make a difference for businesses, and how responsible businesses are positively influencing their supply chains.

In this special one-off episode, we meet with Business in the Community’s new Chief Executive, Mary Macleod to discuss the future of responsible business in the UK. With a plethora of challenges for business, how can businesses not just survive, but thrive and fully meet these challenges for the benefit of people and the planet?Find out more by listening to the latest episode of The Lens with Mary Macleod, Chief Executive of Business in the Community.

Building a responsible business culture This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Pippa Clarke, Chair and Partner at Bishop Fleming Chartered Accountants – experts in accounting, audit, tax, and advisory needs; and Hamzah Sarwar, Global Social Impact and Partnerships Director at Reckitt – a multinational consumer goods company that produces health, hygiene and nutrition products. In this episode, Sarah and her guests explore how businesses can build a responsible business culture, how are guests are using their personal passions for people to create workplaces that are agile and creative; places where people want to come to work every day.

This month our host Sarah Travers is joined by Troy Douglas, Founder of drinks company Nexba. The company is taking the world by storm and has already removed more than 5 billion grams of sugar from global diets, and it’s just getting started. Our second guest is Taylor Quinn of Tailored Foods, whose ambition is to be a key catalyst in ending hunger by 2030 by building delicious, nutritious, low-cost food systems around the world. In this episode, Sarah and her guests explore the world of responsible food and drink, how the ingredients we use, or don’t use, impact the health and wellbeing of nations, how those living in areas of severe deprivation are benefitting from the work of our guests, and what’s next innovation in these sectors.