The global economy will face significant challenges over the next few decades. It must meet the needs of 7 billion consumers (growing to 9 billion by 2050) in areas such as food, energy, housing, and health. This growth must be achieved without exceeding the resources available on the planet or causing environmental devastation.

This will require multiple actors to play their role in the process. 

– Large, global corporations will need to change their business models and move to being circular enterprises, using renewable sources of energy and other resources. 

– Startups and other new ventures will have to expedite this process of change by scaling new frugal solutions, taking on the incumbents where necessary, and working with them to bring about change where this makes sense. 

– Consumers will have to change their patterns of consumption, becoming more responsible in the way they buy and consume products and services in the home and at work. 

To help businesses, governments will need to intervene by using regulation and incentives to foster collaboration and competition as needed. In the developed world, the movement from an old fossil-fuel-based, linear economy to a renewables-based circular economy can create new sources of sustainable growth in otherwise sclerotic economies. In the developing world, meanwhile, the move to a frugal economy offers the opportunity for countries to leap-frog their developed counterparts and catch up in an environmentally sustainable way. 

We asked ourselves, how do businesses balance financial growth with sustainability and impact without resorting to green washing and impact washing? 

To understand and find solutions to this huge problem facing humanity today, we decided to do this podcast.

We welcome you to join us on this journey!