40% of plastic produced is for one-time use packaging. Only 9% of all plastic ever made is recycled. A large portion of the rest, ends up littering our land and oceans, harming wildlife and human health through microplastics.

Next week, the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee will be held in Busan, South Korea, to develop an internationally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. This treaty presents a crucial opportunity to radically reduce plastic usage and waste, while encouraging businesses and individuals to embrace the circular economy.

To shed light on the treaty and its implications, Richard Howitt is joined by Justine Maillot, European Coordinator, and Emma Priestland, Global Corporate Campaigns Coordinator for Break Free from Plastic, a global coalition of 13,000 organizations committed to ending plastic pollution.

In this episode you’ll hear more about:

• Why is plastic such a dramatic issue for the environment: Its effects on climate, biodiversity, pollution, and the human impact of all these factors

• What is the context leading up to the discussions in Busan, South Korea next week

• How businesses are positioning themselves in relation to the treaty

• Why reducing plastic production is essential for the treaty’s success and how the zero-waste hierarchy is a critical element of achieving this goal

• A call for every company to act now to eliminate plastic use and the opportunities available for immediate action.

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Are companies saying one thing about sustainability, but doing something in their political lobbying that is very different?

A new report has just been published today by the sustainable finance pioneer, the Eiris Foundation, as part of a project called Social LobbyMap. It provides detailed and independent research on business lobbying on Europe's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The report is helping to provide the inside story of what was really going on in what was one of the most high profile political pressures on any piece of EU legislation.

To discuss this topic, Richard Howitt welcomes Peter Webster, Chief Executive of the foundation.

In this episode, you’ll hear more about:

• Corporate lobbying and its contribution to watering down the CSDDD

• The companies that do the right thing and how can companies contribute to being positive voices in sustainability

• If trade associations are doing the “dirty work” on behalf of companies

• How this research provides the data and the evidence that investors, civil society and companies themselves can actually use to align on these issues.

... and more!

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Is the role of the corporate chief sustainability officer at a crossroads?

According to the renowned Business for Social Responsibility’s latest report, it is. The report is based on detailed interviews with chief sustainability officers in 31 companies worldwide and represents 30 years of combined experience in responsible business from the report's authors.

To discuss the future of companies’ Chief Sustainability Officer, Richard Howitt welcomes Laura Gitman, one of the report’s co-authors and Chief Impact Officer at Business for Social Responsibility. BSR is the world's oldest sustainability consultancy, and is currently working with a network of 300 businesses.

In today’s Frankly Speaking episode, you will hear more about:

• How has the profession evolved in the last 15 years

• The turbulences that companies and Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) have been facing

• If CSOs are really burnt-out?

• The potential of CSOs to drive the business beyond compliance

• The future of sustainability leadership within companies

... and more!

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