+

12. Are ESG Leaders Naturally “Wired for Disruption”?

In today’s VUCA world (short for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous), businesses around the world are asking what skills and traits are necessary for those leaders who will weather the storm well. What does it mean to be resilient during disruption? Today’s guest Henna Inam answers those questions and more in her new book “Wired for Disruption.” She highlights in our conversation five types of agility necessary for leaders to weather today’s storm and the storms of the future, and how ESG issues are at the forefront of the future of business and its ability to remain agile and resilient.

Read More
+

11. Your House Could Be “Green” or LEED Certified without Spending Millions

We’ve all probably heard about LEED Certified buildings, but mostly related to commercial buildings. Your home can also be LEED Certified. But most of us have some common misconceptions of so-called “green” homes – that they’re wildly expensive, that the process takes years of planning, that they’re out of reach for most of us. Our guest today, Aaron Stash, and his family, built a LEED Platinum home in the suburbs of Chicago – a home that continues to inspire his family to lead a more sustainable life. Tune in to see how this process might inspire you as well.

Read More
+

10. Integrated Reporting 101 – A Lesson in Intangible Value and Its Relationship to ESG

In 2008, only 358 companies globally were producing a sustainability report in accordance with GRI standards. Today, more than 30,000 companies use the GRI framework globally. As sustainability reporting has grown these last 10 years, another like-minded framework has risen simultaneously – the notion of integrated reporting and more deeply integrated thinking. The founder of the U.S. Integrated Reporting Community, Mary Adams, joins Table Stakes to dive deep on integrated reporting – what is it, how does it work, what are the barriers to adoption and how is it different and similar to sustainability reporting?

Read More
+

9. Until Justice Just Is – The Work of the Racial Justice League from the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis earlier this year spurred a national movement toward racial justice different than any in recent years. Months later, many of us are asking ourselves: “What now?” How can we continue to invest in racial justice, help to spur the much needed change in our society, and ensure those actions are catalytic rather than performative in nature? The YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s CEO Dorri McWhorter joins us to talk about their new initiative to move the needle on anti-racism – The Racial Justice League. With their campaign “Until Justice Just Is,” and the resources they provide, the organization gives us all action steps to move forward.

Read More
+

8. The Anatomy of a B Corp – More Than Just a Patagonia Rubber Stamp

Google “B Corp” and you’ll find: “Certified B Corporations are a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit.” But what does that really entail? We’re diving deep on B Corp certification with B Corp business owner Emily Lonigro of LimeRed. What is a B Corp? How does it work? And are there flaws in the B Corp system?

Read More
+

7. Sustainability in Jewelry – Making Your Purchasing Power Values-Based

For those invested in sustainability, we are often thinking about how our purchasing patterns are connected to our values. We know the importance of reduce, reuse, recycle. We’ve had all the difficult conversations about “fast fashion.” But have we considered how some of the largest purchases of our lives – for instance, our wedding rings – are syncing with our values systems? Joined by gem expert and founder of All the Brilliants, Melissa Dusenberry joins the podcast to open our minds to the world of sustainably sourced, thoughtfully designed jewelry.

Read More
+

6. Navigating the Issues of Employment and Change Management During COVID-19 (in Partnership with Office Baggage Podcast)

Today’s episode is a special “crossover” between Table Stakes Podcast and Office Baggage Podcast. In the environment of COVID-19, the issues surrounding employment and change management are affecting everyone whether through layoffs, furloughs, working from home, or training and safety for essential employees. All of us are dealing with both macro and micro economic issues as we consider a return to work and continued change and transformation in our work. CEO of the Prinz Law Firm, Kristen Prinz, and The Parker Avery Group’s Kathi Toll join us with expert commentary.

Read More

5. Sustainability-Based Decision Making in Travel with Wanderful’s Beth Santos

Joined by Beth Santos, the CEO of women’s travel platform, Wanderful, we are tackling the topic of responsible, sustainable travel. Safety for women, environmental sustainability, social impact, and many other key ESG topics in travel play directly into success for leaders in the travel industry. As all of us expand our horizons and travel the world, we have a duty to ensure our travel leaves the world better and not worse. And as we consider going “back” to travel following a global pandemic, how do we evaluate the values and practices of a company we may patronize in our travel?

Travel has a fraught history of exploitation, even now. We must all make sure we are using our travels to make ourselves and the world better.

Beth Santos, Founder and CEO, Wanderful
Read More
+

4. So You Want to Work in Corporate Responsibility

Jobs in corporate responsibility, social impact and ESG are notoriously difficult to find, and even more difficult to “get.” If you’re interested in a role in this field, today you’ll learn from host Marcy Twete and guests Margaret Skrmetti (Morton Salt) and Elizabeth Okey (Wintrust) on their paths to roles in this field. We tackle the possible paths to a role, the issues with finding a role, and the ways our industry can become more inclusive and open to new ideas and new people.

Read More
+

3. Pressing the “Reset” Button on Corporate Trust with Barie Carmichael

When Barie Carmichael and her co-author the late James Rubin wrote “Reset” just two years ago, corporate trust was at an all time low. Consumers’ access to information about the companies they buy from and work for was at an all time high, the expectations of stakeholders growing rapidly. That trend has only been exacerbated with the onset of the #MeToo movement, COVID-19, and the recent protests surrounding racial injustices. How can companies respond to a public who doesn’t trust them and how do you “get it right” socially in today’s ever-changing environment?

Read More