In this episode, we speak with Gerbrand Haverkamp, Executive Director and co-founder of the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA), about what benchmarking is for—and of the power benchmarks have to accelerate corporate action.

Gerbrand explains why WBA was founded in the wake of the SDGs, how WBA translates evolving standards into comparable measures of performance, and how change happens through a mix of learning, pressure, and ultimately norm-setting.

The conversation closes with a grounded message to sustainability leaders: focus on what actually reduces emissions, restores nature, and improves lives—because that’s what will stand the test of time.

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In this episode, we speak with Heather Navarro about her work at the Midwest Climate Collaboration to support a spectrum of stakeholders making climate progress in the Midwest.

Through our discussion, we explore why the Midwest may be one of the most consequential regions in the world for climate progress — and why the most effective work happening there often doesn’t look like “climate action” at all.

Along the way, you’ll hear practical lessons from the intersection of advocacy, governance, and implementation — including why solutions break down without the people who have to live with them, enforce them, and maintain them.

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In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, we dive into the concept of degrowth with John Mulrow, founder of the Degrowth Institute and adjunct professor at Purdue University, as a way to answer the question "What if sustainability isn't enough?"

A question many sustainability professionals have begin to reflect on as they seek to better understand true impact of their work—and question whether efficiency gains and carbon reductions are enough— at the same time the topic of degrowth is emerging as a conversation about what the wider goals should be.

John unpacks what degrowth really means—beyond the buzzword—and why it's essential for achieving ecological sustainability and social justice. We explore the shortcomings of traditional sustainability frameworks, the role of economic savings in fueling further consumption, and how professionals and organizations can begin to challenge the growth paradigm in their own work.

With thoughtful insights into equity, historical responsibility, and systems thinking, this episode pushes us to reimagine prosperity in a world of limits.

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