On this episode, sustainability advisor John Elkington offered lessons on corporate sustainability and how businesses can lead the way toward meaningful change. Elkington discussed the dangers of greenwashing and how leaders can move beyond PR stunts to create significant environmental, social, and governance progress. He also explored the transformative potential of AI, acknowledging its complexities, but championing its adoption at scale to achieve long-term sustainability goals.
Episode Guest
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John Elkington
Variously known as the “Godfather of Sustainability” and an “Ambassador from the Future,” John is acknowledged as one of the founders of the global sustainability movement. Mainly focusing on business and markets, he has worked as an advisor to an A-to-Z of businesses across the globe for over 40 years.
He has co-founded four companies since 1978, all of which still exist in some form: Environmental Data Services (ENDS, 1978); John Elkington Associates/ Countercurrent (1983); SustainAbility (1987); and Volans (2008). Over the decades, he has served on over 80 boards and advisory boards—and was a faculty member of the World Economic Forum from 2002-2008. He has addressed over 1,500 conferences around the world.
Along the way, he coined such terms as environmental excellence, green consumer and green growth, the triple bottom line (People, Planet and Profit/Prosperity), business-as-unusual and green swan.
He is the author or co-author of 21 books, including the million-selling Green Consumer Guide series. His most recent book—Tickling Sharks: How We Sold Business on Sustainability—was published in June 2024 by Fast Company Press. He has received many awards, most recently the World Sustainability Award.
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