In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, I sit down with Ralph Thurm, founder of a|head Ahead and co-founder of r3.0, to explore a pressing question:

Has the sustainability movement lost its way?

Drawing on decades of experience—from Siemens and Deloitte to his leadership role at GRI—Ralph delivers an unflinching critique of the current state of sustainability.

Through our conversation, he questions whether sustainability, as it's practiced today, even exists, and together we unpack what went wrong—from flawed assumptions and missed opportunities to the industry's failure to deliver systemic transformation—and what needs to happen now to reclaim the original purpose of the movement.

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In this episode, Rich speaks with Dr. Tauni Lanier, a pioneer in sustainable finance, about her 30-year journey bridging environmental issues with the world of investment and risk.

From her early days in investment banking during the Asian debt crisis to launching the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Tauni reflects on how the language, structures, and professional expectations in sustainability have shifted across generations.

She discusses the growing complexity of data, the emergence of uninsurable risks, the role of regulation, and the pendulum swing between generalists and specialists.

The conversation offers a candid look at the current environment, the risks of dilution and defensiveness, and thoughtful advice for those working—or entering—the sustainability field today.

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In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, I speak with Harco Leertouwer, a leading recruiter of sustainability executives, abdout the The Future of Sustainability Careers.

It is a conversation that begins speaking to the current state of hiring, and the implications of the recent pullback in sustainability roles, and from there we speak to what it means for teams, budgets, and opportunities across industries.

From there, we explore how the career paths of Chief Sustainability Officers and other professionals are evolving, why conviction and pragmatism are now critical to success, and the skills that define leaders who can both inspire with vision and deliver impact in challenging times.

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