Join us on this episode of Leadership Conversations as we speak with Rachel Youngman, the deputy CEO at the Institute of Physics. Rachel shares her unconventional career journey, from having worked at the international bar association to leading a science organisation, and how she has dedicated her career to achieving more sustainable outcomes and enabling companies to meet their ESG targets. We delve into Rachel's work in promoting diversity and inclusion in the world of science, including her focus on enabling non-dominant groups and girls to enter the field. Rachel inspires us to take career paths that can make a real difference in the world, and she offers practical insights into the power of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Rachel Youngman Rachel Youngman is deputy CEO at the Institute of Physics and a sustainability consultant for charities, government departments, and NGOs. With a background in social justice, she enables companies to meet ESG targets by implementing sustainable strategies with diversity and inclusion at their core. She has spearheaded the IOP’s Limit Less campaign, challenging gender stereotypes and encouraging other underrepresented groups into physics and has worked to strengthen international research collaboration between the UK and Africa to continue research into solutions for climate change. Rachel also chairs the board at the black and migrant women’s charity Hibiscus and is a member of the External Advisory Board of the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology. The IOP's podcast 'Looking Glass: Climate Solutions' that was started by Rachel in 2020 was now nominated for the New York Festivals’ Radio Award. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR) is an independent, non-profit initiative aimed at highlighting various aspects of sustainable leadership and corporate governance. We are particularly interested how leaders and boards respond to the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda of their stakeholder ecosystem. Leadership Conversations is the podcast by TSBR. In this interview series we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

TSBR continues to be an independent, non-profit initiative aimed at highlighting various aspects of sustainable leadership and corporate governance. Our reports, intelligence, and conversations aim to drive accountability for a sustainable future. ​ We have undergone a small makeover and now work in three dedicated workstreams: ​ Research & Policy Centre Our Research & Policy Centre reports and promotes sustainable practices in leadership and governance, including ESG engagement of boards. This is the home of our popular annual report on boards' ESG preparedness and other research, as well as the core of our organisation. Thought Leadership We share insights and perspectives on the latest trends and issues in sustainable leadership, corporate governance, and ESG engagement. Our podcast features interviews with industry experts and thought leaders, while our articles and opinion pieces provide in-depth analysis and commentary on key topics. Expect more webinars to come out shortly too. iTSBR Intelligence Our new Intelligence unit provides customised research and analysis to help stakeholders assess organisations' performance as it relates to their sustainability commitments and ensure accountability. ​ Our work is rooted in addressing the pressing issue of the challenges of greenwashing and inadequate sustainability strategy implementation and oversight. We're now open for donations and welcome your contribution We are on a mission to create a more sustainable and responsible future, and we need your support to scale our efforts. With your help, we can produce more insightful reports and thought leadership, engage a wider range of stakeholders and beneficiaries, and offer more programmes. Your donation will help us fund staff and operating expenses to advance our work. We are currently focused to develop the following initiatives: Open-source database (Funding required) Multiple Webinars In-person and virtual roundtables (Funding required) A conference to produce a position paper and handbook on Leadership of ESG (Funding required) Toolkits and frameworks Join us in our efforts to drive impactful leadership, and harness business to achieve a sustainable future. Engage our new Intelligence Unit We offer comprehensive assessments of sustainable business activities, board of director E&S governance, and sustainable strategy implementation. We provide recommendations how to improve ESG engagement and overall sustainability performance.​ Following services are currently available: Outside/In Board Assessment. Tailored report on ESG preparedness for publicly listed company boards ESG preparedness assessment for private companies Peer comparison Searches and reports on individual director’s online disclosure Mapping of ESG engaged directors ‘Laggard Reports’ for lawmakers and activist investors​ All fee income from our iTSBR services are reinvested into our non-profit research work. Save the Date for a new Webinar: The Implications of AI to Corporate Governance Thursday, May 11th 2023, 10am ET / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the business landscape in ways that were once thought impossible. As AI adoption continues to grow, boards of directors are facing new challenges and responsibilities in governing its use within their organisations. With the potential for AI to significantly impact a company's reputation, financial performance, and regulatory compliance, boards can no longer afford to ignore its implications. We are hosting a webinar, where we'll explore the critical questions that boards must address to ensure that AI is used ethically, responsibly, and for the betterment of their organisations. Join us as we examine the board's role in governing the business use of AI. Sign-Up invitations will be sent next week.

In this episode we speak with James Purcell, Group Head of Sustainable Frameworks at Credit Suisse. He has co-authored a new book called Sustainable Investing in Practice. We talk to James why he wrote the book, what he is trying to achieve, and why sustainable finance shouldn’t be a difficult concept. He explains the dangers of polarisation and the importance of taking an accessible and scale approach to impact. James also expands on ESG data and why he feels for business leaders who are overwhelmed. Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About James Purcell James Purcell is an author, educator, and expert in sustainable finance and investing. He is the Group Head of Sustainable Frameworks at Credit Suisse, where he coordinates the firm’s approach to sustainable investing and lending. Previously, James headed up the Sustainable, Thematic and Impact Investing division at Quintet Private Bank and was a Managing Director at UBS and Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investments. He Is a visiting lecturer in Sustainable Finance at the ESCP Business School. He is also the co-author of the new book, Sustainable Investing in Practice, which he wrote with his friend and mentor, Simon Smiles, and is available to purchase now. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

The start of the year was all about OpenAI's ChatGPT. We tried it out and created a sustainability committee board charter for Microsoft (see my LinkedIn post from January). Eco Business picked up our little experiment and expanded on ChatGPT's potential impact in an article on the future of ESG report writing. You can find the link to the article below. We have also released 2 new episodes of Leadership Conversations by TSBR. I spoke to Kayla Winarsky McKenzie of BSR on Human Rights and Nazneen Rahman on Sustainability of Life Science and Boards. Both were fascinating conversations and full of useful advise and wisdom. We have multiple exciting projects and announcements in the pipeline and aim to share these with you in the weeks to come. Best regards, Frederik Otto Founder, The Sustainability Board Report Read the newsletter

In our latest episode we speak with Nazneen Rahman, scientist, physician, entrepreneur, and non-executive director (NED). Nazneen discusses how she combines her life science and sustainability expertise. She explains her current initiative to significantly reduce wasted medicines as CEO of YewMaker. Then she shares her thoughts on sustainable governance and organisational implementation of ESG strategies from her experience as a NED on the board of AstraZeneca, where she chairs the science and sustainability committee. Nazneen also is a singer/songwriter and we play her song 'Midlife Musings' at the end of the interview. Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Nazneen Rahman Nazneen is Founder and CEO of YewMaker which builds science-based sustainable healthcare solutions. YewMaker is the initiator and executive lead of the Sustainable Medicines Partnership, a not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder action collaborative of 48 organisations executing a 4-year programme to reduce the waste of medicines and the waste from medicines. Nazneen is a Non-Executive Director at AstraZeneca, where she Chairs the Science Committee and the Sustainability Committee. Nazneen was previously Professor of Human Genetics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London and Head of Cancer Genetics at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and is an internationally recognised expert in genomics for discovering and clinically implementing cancer genes. Nazneen has garnered numerous awards, including a CBE in the 2016 Queen’s birthday honours for services to Medical Science. She is also a singer-songwriter and has released four albums. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

In this episode we speak with Kayla Winarsky McKenzie of the Business for Social Responsbility (BSR). She is a recognised human rights expert and gives us some insights into her career journey and what issues made her specialise in this field. Kayla gives us an overview of the role of business in human rights due diligence and governance, and reveals the problems at hand, focus areas, guiding standards and steps to take to mitigate human rights violations. She also shares some materials from the WEF on boards and human rights (that BSR contributed to) which can be found here: Launch blog, Guidance note, Report. Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Kayla Winarsky McKenzie Kayla collaborates with global companies on projects centering on the corporate responsibility to respect human rights as a Manager in the Human Rights team at Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), where she is also the project manager for BSR's Human Rights Working Group. Her areas of expertise include consumer sectors, energy transition, anti-corruption, and gender. Prior to joining BSR, Kayla spent several years advising multinational companies and investors on human rights as an Adviser at the Danish Institute for Human Rights, during which she also served as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on Business and Human Rights (BHR), international human rights, anti-corruption, and EU law. Previously, she worked on global anti-corruption investigations and cross-border white collar litigations as an Associate Attorney at the international law firm King & Spalding LLP, where she was the founding member of the firm's BHR initiative. Kayla holds a JD and a Certificate in Global Human Rights from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, which included course work at the Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement, and a BA, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude from Tulane University. She is a fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

In our anniversary episode, we speak to a world leader of women empowerment, diversity, leadership, and inclusion- Laura Liswood is the Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders and a former Senior Advisor of Goldman Sachs. Laura is a veteran of the gender equality movement and a confidant to the worlds powerful. Her style of explaining concepts of systemic change is second to none. Wonder what an elephant and a mouse have to do with leadership? Listen in. Listen to the podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Laura Liswood Laura Liswood is an international, award-winning speaker who conveys her insights regarding leadership, diversity, women in politics, and business to both large and small audiences. In her speeches, she explores the questions surrounding myths of leadership and lessons of leaders. She looks at best practices of excellent leaders drawing upon the interviews she has conducted with women heads of state and heads of government. She shares insights on how to enhance opportunities to lead and shape one's career successfully. Liswood is an expert on diversity and unconscious bias and why they matter. Liswood is the Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders, located in Washington, DC, which is composed of women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of government. The work of the Council expands the understanding of leadership, establishes a network of resources for high-level women leaders, and provides a forum for the group to contribute input and shape the international issues important to all people. Liswood co-founded the Council with President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland. It is the only organization in the world dedicated to women heads of state and government. From 2002 to 2015, Liswood held the position of Senior Advisor at Goldman Sachs, a global investment bank. She was previously Managing Director, Global Leadership and Diversity for Goldman Sachs. Liswood holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from California State University, San Diego. She holds a J.D. degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in California and Massachusetts. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

Dear TSBR Follower, This month we are celebrating our 1st anniversary of Leadership Conversations by TSBR, the podcast of The Sustainability Board Report. On our show we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Over the last 12 months we had the great pleasure of speaking with 18 outstanding individuals about sustainable leadership. To keep our podcast going we need your help! Please rate and follow our show and share it with your network. 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Soundcloud, as well as on our website. We are also very interested in hearing your feedback, or would you like to recommend a guest? Please let us know. Our first episode, 1 year ago! Halla Tomasdottir on the need for leaders to show up In our first episode of 'Leadership Conversations' we speak with Halla Tómasdóttir, CEO of The B Team. Halla shares her personal leadership journey and pivotal moments along the way. She also talks about the work of The B Team, and shares some inspiring stories of leaders that embrace more responsible business. Go to the episode, or watch the trailer below or on YouTube: Our latest episode: Jessica Cheam on Sustainable Strategy Implementation in APAC In this episode we speak with Jessica Cheam, the Founder and Managing Director of Eco-Business, and Non-Executive Director on the board of ComfortDelGro. She is talking to us about bold sustainability strategy and challenges around implementation. Jessica shares an Asian centric perspective on how businesses are changing in the region and how to foster ESG. Go to the episode, or watch the trailer below or on YouTube: Upcoming episode- Wednesday 14th of December: Laura Liswood on the world's most powerful women In our anniversary episode, we speak to a world leader of women empowerment, diversity, leadership and inclusion- Laura Liswood is the Secretary General of the Council for Women World Leaders and a former Senior Advisor of Goldman Sachs. Laura is a veteran of the gender equality movement and a confidant to the world's powerful. Her style of explaining concepts of systemic change is second to none. Wonder what an elephant and a mouse have to do with leadership? Watch out for the episode next Wednesday. Our Spotify Wrapped for 2022

In this episode we speak with Jessica Cheam, the Founder and Managing Director of Eco-Business, Asia Pacific's leading independent media and business intelligence organisation dedicated to sustainable development. Jessica also is a Non-Executive Director on the board of ComfortDelGro, one of the world's largest land transport companies. She is talking to us about bold sustainability strategy and challenges around implementation. Jessica shares an Asian centric perspective on how businesses are changing in the region and how to foster environmental and social governance (ESG). Listen to the podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Jessica Cheam Jessica is the Founder and Managing Director of Eco-Business, Asia Pacific's leading independent media and business intelligence organisation dedicated to sustainable development. She is recognised as a sustainability pioneer with two decades of experience in media, sustainable development and ESG issues globally. She is a regular columnist for national newspapers and is on the Board of Directors for Singapore-listed ComfortDelGro, one of the world's largest land transport companies, as an independent non-executive director. She chairs the Group’s Board Sustainability Committee, and is a member of the Audit & Risk; and Digitalisation Committees. She holds the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing and is the General Partner of the Sustainable Future Fund, a collaboration between Tembusu Partners and Eco-Business to fund early-stage sustainability-focused ventures. Jessica is also a member of the Singapore Institute of Directors (SID), and serves as its ESG committee member. She is also a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia. Jessica specialises in advising the Boards of a wide range of government and multi-national organisations on ESG strategy. She was a Singapore Press Holdings scholar and has been recognised in many regional and international journalism and sustainability awards, including Women of the Future Southeast Asia Awards, Gen.T List List 2021 and LinkedIn’s Power Profiles, and is frequently invited to speak at and host discussions across the globe on her areas of expertise. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

In this episode we speak with Fiona Reynolds. As the previous CEO of the UN PRI, Fiona was incremental in designing the approach to responsible investment globally. Fiona was named one of the 20 most influential people in sustainability globally by Barron’s magazine and has twice been named one of Australia’s one hundred women of influence by the Australian Financial Review. Fiona talks to us about her mission to democratise wealth, and how she got into sustainable finance. We learn more about her legacy at PRI and how she thinks the industry is evolving. Fiona also shares the story of two leaders who inspire her: James & Timea, who she met as the commission chair of the FAST initiative: https://www.fastinitiative.org/ James Kofi Annan: https://challengingheights.org Timea Nagy Payne: https://www.timeascause.com/ Listen to the podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Fiona Reynolds Fiona Reynolds is the CEO of Conexus Financial. She served as the CEO of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) for over nine years, stepping down at the beginning of 2022. As part of her role in the UK, she was on the board of a number of organisations including UN Global Compact, Climate Action 100+, the UK Green Finance Institute, the Greening the Belt and Road Global Committee, and the Asset Owners Net Zero Alliance Fiona has 25 years' experience in the financial services and pension sector. She joined the PRI from the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST), where she spent seven years as CEO. Fiona was named one of the 20 most influential people in sustainability globally by Barron’s magazine and has twice been named one of Australia’s one hundred women of influence by the Australian Financial Review. Fiona also serves on the Board of Frontier Investment Consulting, the investment Committee of the Laudes Foundation and Advisory Boards of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, PWC, Affirmative Investment Management and the Advisory board of BASF. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

In this episode we deep dive into Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). We speak with Karen Loon, Non-Executive Director, Author, and Diversity Expert. Karen has been involved with diversity initiatives for many years, and just released her debut book: “Fostering Culturally Diverse Leadership in Organisations - Lessons from Those Who Smashed the Bamboo Ceiling”. She provides us with a personal narrative and offers insights into different approaches to D&I. We also discuss the importance of diverse leadership and creating equal opportunities for people from all backgrounds. Lastly, Karen shares her views on trends in the boardroom. Listen to the podcast here: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music Soundcloud About Karen Loon Karen is passionate about ensuring that both women and those from culturally diverse backgrounds are given the right opportunities to thrive within their organisations. Combining her business and governance experience as Non-Executive Director (NED); her 29 years working with the world’s leading financial institutions as a senior relationship and assurance partner at PwC; her knowledge gained from leading change initiatives in diversity; and her academic research in system psychodynamics, Karen delivers research-based and yet practical advice to the organisations she works with. Karen is a recognised thought leader and speaker on workplace diversity and inclusion. She was formerly PwC’s Singapore and Asia-Pacific Diversity Leader and a member of its Global Diversity Leadership Team and Global Financial Services Diversity Steering Committee. Under her leadership, PwC won the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore’s 2017 Embracing Diversity and Inclusion Award. She was also awarded a certificate at the 2017 Singapore Committee for UN Women HeForShe Awards to recognise her work to promote gender equality in Singapore. Karen regularly shares her views on enhancing diversity with leading organisations and professional and industry bodies in Australia and Singapore. She is also a commentator on governance and culture matters. Karen is a NED on several for-profit, professional, and educational organisation boards. She has an Executive Master in Change from INSEAD, a Master of Business Administration from Macquarie Graduate School of Management, and a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney. In addition, Karen has several post-graduate qualifications in accounting, finance, corporate governance, and culture. Find out more on Karen's website. About 'Leadership Conversations by TSBR' Leadership Conversations is a podcast by The Sustainability Board Report (TSBR), an independent not-for-profit project. We aim to showcase different dimensions of sustainable business leadership and corporate governance. In this podcast we interview global leaders who advocate for more positive societal impact and responsible business. Leadership Conversations is hosted by Frederik Otto and Helena Guðjónsdóttir.

This essay of our founder, Frederik Otto, was part of the TSBR September 2022 newsletter: Dear TSBR Follower, The last few weeks have seen an avalanche of scrutiny for one of the world's most infamous abbreviations: ESG. It has become victim of the political divide in America, synonymous with liberal policy, a scapegoat for stagnant fund performance, and a special report in an influential newspaper. On the other spectrum are business leaders keen to monetise on the sustainability narrative as well as lawmakers eager to impose reporting regimes and oversight. We urge to take one step back and not let the current negatively charged debate undo the progress that has been made over the last few years. That is, setting environmental and social concerns on top of the corporate agenda. We have advocated since 2019 to make sustainability, or ESG for that matter, strategy oversight part of the board's core purpose. This is in increasingly happening as our 2022 annual report will examine once again. It will be published in early Q4 2022. Although there are different schools of thought how the board should setup ESG oversight, it is first and foremost a leadership issue before anything else. We believe that powerful leaders, such as CEOs and the board as fiduciaries, as well as shareholders, are responsible for a sustainable future. Oversight should not be mistaken as a mere reporting exercise and only focus on risk mitigation, reduction of harm, and reducing negative externalities. That is of course a good start, but the world needs actual impact: doing good rather than doing less bad. Businesses need to pivot their strategies to solution for what the world and society needs. Some more so than others of course, but whatever it means in any leaders specific context, and whether you are managing or governing- a meaningful ESG/sustainability agenda requires courageous leadership. We hope you enjoy our selection of short articles below that all examine the state of ESG and where 'the rubber meets the road'. Link to newsletter. Frederik Otto Founder The Sustainability Board Report