Podcast
The Sustainability Communicator
The podcast exploring the intersection of corporate sustainability and storytelling.
The Sustainability Communicator explores the intersection of corporate sustainability and storytelling. Your host, Mike Hower, is a sustainability communication nerd with more than fifteen years of experience on both sides of the podium — as a journalist for media outlets like GreenBiz and a communication strategist for major global companies.
During each episode, we explore interesting sustainability communication challenges, risks and opportunities facing folks in the business community and beyond. If you’re ready to talk your walk, then you’ve come to the right place.
If you would like to pitch a topic or guest, please contact us here.
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Ep.17: Finding a voice for corporate climate policy action
In this episode, Mike speaks with Bill Weihl and Deborah McNamara of ClimateVoice a nonprofit that leverages the power of corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win crucial policy battles.
Ep. 16: A new ‘KIND’ of sustainability communication strategy
In this episode, Mike speaks with Lindsay Philpott, Sustainability Communication Manager at KIND to learn more about how the company navigates communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers.
Ep. 15: The sustainability communication woes of CSOs, with Ellen Weinreb
In this episode, Mike connects with Ellen Weinreb, one of the world’s leading sustainability recruiters who has worked with countless CSOs over the years, to better understand the ever-evolving role of the CSO and what this means for sustainability communication.
Ep. 14: Avoiding the legal landmines of greenwashing
Greenwashing law is still in its nascency, but recent regulations in Europe and case law in the U.S. is beginning to shape its future. In this episode, Mike connects with legal and ESG expert Christine Uri to better understand this emerging legalese, and how sustainability communicators should proceed.
Ep. 13: How Microsoft maintains an ‘ESG mindset’ in the era of AI
In this episode, Mike speaks with Matt about his new book, ESG Mindset, to help us better understand the confusion around ESG – and how sustainability communicators can help clear it up.
Ep. 12: What Gen Z wants brands to know about communicating sustainability
In this episode, Mike speaks with Daniel Gonzalez — a recent Master’s graduate from the Yale School of Environment — to get a deeper understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to sustainability communication, and offer some candid advice to companies looking to do better.
Ep. 11: How Neiman Marcus makes sustainability fashionable
In this episode, Mike speaks with Ali Mize, an ESG and sustainability expert to learn more about Neiman Marcus Group’s approach to sustainability storytelling, and how companies can improve sustainability communication overall.
Ep. 10: What to call this thing we do, with Moody’s Raheem Cash
In this episode, Mike interviews Raheem Cash, vice president of Corporate Sustainability at Moody’s Corporation, to better understand where we've been, where we are and where we're going when it comes to sustainability terminology and discourse.
Ep. 9: What ESG investors want, according to GreenBiz’s Grant Harrison
In this episode, Mike chats with Grant Harrison, Vice President of Sustainable Finance and ESG at GreenBiz, to better understand the current ESG investment landscape and how companies can better engage investors with non-financial information.
Ep. 8: Sustainability storytelling in the new era of ESG regulations, with Tim Mohin
In this episode, Mike speaks with global ESG leader Tim Mohin of Boston Consulting Group — who formerly led the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) — to tap into his decades of ESG experience to better understand how companies can make sense of this new glut of regulations and factor them into their sustainability communication strategies.
Ep. 7: How the owners of Grand Theft Auto communicate sustainability
To better understand how the video game industry is approaching sustainability storytelling, Mike connected with Neil Patel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Take Two Interactive Software — owner of Rockstar Games, which produces the popular Grand Theft Auto Franchise.
Ep. 6: What the SEC’s climate rules mean for sustainability communication
To better understand what made it into the final SEC climate rules, and how this impacts sustainability communication moving forward, Mike caught up with Derek Young, VP of ESG at the REIT CBL Properties.
Ep. 5: Navigating the uncertainties of sustainability storytelling, with Allison’s Whitney Dailey
In this episode, Mike brings in the expertise of a fellow sustainability communications expert — Whitney Dailey, Executive Vice President, Purpose at the global public relations firm Allison Worldwide — to better understand how companies can navigate sustainability storytelling in 2024.
Ep. 4: The fundamentals of effective sustainability writing
In this episode, Mike discusses key learnings from over a decade as a writer and editor in the corporate sustainability space that form the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing.
Ep. 3: Why your sustainability story sucks
In this episode, Mike explains common reasons why businesses struggle to tell good sustainability stories - and how to do better.
Ep. 1: Rethinking the role of sustainability communicators
In this inaugural episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses how the increased risks and rewards of bad and good sustainability communication, respectively, are calling for a new type of sustainability communications professional capable of translating between marketing and sustainability departments.