Transforming Tomorrow

You might find accessing the commercial world straightforward. Not everyone does. One in five people in the UK have a disability, so how do we make the marketplace more accessible for them? Dr Leighanne Higgins and Dr Killian O’Leary are here to talk about their Marketplace & I project, which works with organisations to improve their accessibility for consumers through specialist training. We find out how they use art and artworks produced by people with a disability and their families at the heart of their project – and which artworks really stand out to the project leaders; and how their work goes beyond shops and cafes to charities, universities, and councils, taking a broad look at issues. Leighanne and Killian tell us why they are so passionate about ending exclusion from society, and how all of us might face accessibility issues as we enter old age. They show how things have evolved over the last decade when it comes to accessibility attitudes, and how organisations they worked with several years ago are now exemplars of change. We talk about the difference between visible and invisible disabilities, and how needs differ when entering the marketplace. And we discover how public exhibitions of the artworks led to direct business engagement with key issues. We look at the importance of creating a welcoming atmosphere, uncover myths surrounding the costs of accessibility, and see how employees can be inspired by training. Plus, why is Jan not a fan of shopping? And why are we talking about Monsters Inc’s Mike Wazowski? Find out more about the Marketplace and I project and some of the artworks here: The Marketplace and I And details of their accessibility training workshops are here: Accessibility training workshops - Lancaster University This is the website of the Jumbulance Trust, whom we mentioned in the show: Jumbulance Home And the NeuroChatin podcast can be found here: https://pod.co/neurochatin Episode Transcript

There is a big difference between doing things we might not like, being assigned a task at work not to your particular liking, and being forced into a job by your government. And there is just a radical a difference between reading about forced labour in a textbook and speaking with someone who had experienced it first-hand. Farmon Asadov is now a PhD researcher at Lancaster University, but before that he spent time as a forced labourer within Uzbekistan’s cotton industry. Farmon is here to tell us about his experiences in a country that only moved away from widespread forced labour in the last decade. He also enlightens us the history of his country, why cotton has been such an important pillar of the Uzbek economy, and the intensive labour system that involved two million people being corralled by the government for each year’s harvest. But most importantly, Farmon tells us how as a student he was sent to remote camps to carry out the cotton harvest, receiving little to no reward, and all framed as being his patriotic duty. We hear about the long hours of hard labour in intense heat, the sometimes-impossible quota targets they were set, and the punishments for not meeting them. We discover the forces that brought about change to the state-imposed forced labour system, the influence of major corporations in the change, and how Uzbekistan tried to get around sanctions when the world clamped down on exports. We find out how the cotton industry works now; how new markets have been grown; how supply chains have been built with international support; and how quickly new generations have no memories of the old system. Plus, do your clothes have a label saying ‘Made in Uzbekistan’? Chances are you’ll be rooting around your wardrobes to find out. Meanwhile, Jan is already planning her next holiday on the old Silk Road to Samarkand – joining 10 million other annual tourists to the country. Find out more about Farmon and his work within the Pentland Centre here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/about/meet-the-team/farmon-asadov Discover the Better Cotton Initiative in Uzbekistan: https://bettercotton.org/where-is-better-cotton-grown/better-cotton-in-uzbekistan/ And learn about other groups here: Cotton Campaign Uzbekistan: https://www.cottoncampaign.org/uzbekistan Better Work Uzbekistan: https://www.betterwork.org/uzbekistan/ GIZ Uzbekistan: https://www.giz.de/en/downloads/giz2021_en_Factsheet_Cotton_Uzbekistan.pdf

Once you go sustainable, you never go back. Careers in sustainability may not always be obvious, but once you get involved in the sector, it has its claws in you. Richard Mason is Positive Business Director at Pentland Brands – who include Speedo, Canterbury, Berghaus, and many more brands under their umbrella – and is a two-times Lancaster University graduate. Richard talking us through how sustainability threaded through and was inspired by his studies at Lancaster and went on to influence his subsequent professional roles with the likes of AO and Burberry. And as we consider how we each end up in our careers, Jan reveals a boring teenage rebellion that revolved around accounting, Richard reveals how his mum sent him in the right direction. We find out how sustainability has grown over the last two decades, and how it no longer sits separately from the rest of a company but rather as part of everything. As we delve into how corporations consider sustainability in their operations, Richard talks about how businesses balance sustainability and innovation with considering consumers – while not being dragged down by unengaging jargon – and the influence of global politics on business operations. We look at the challenges of brands selling clothes they do not always manufacture in-house, how clothing brands collaborate when it comes to sustainability in their supply chains, the challenges that regulations present to corporations, and how companies can no longer make unfounded green claims. Plus, can you ski in Belgium? When is a journalist not a journalist? And did we really find some positives about AI?! Discover more about Pentland Brands: https://pentlandbrands.com/our-brands/ And you can see the six points to check when figuring out if a green claim is genuine, or take part in a quiz on green claims to see if you understand the rules, here: https://greenclaims.campaign.gov.uk/ Episode Transcript

We’re boarding the EU Omnibus to see how European corporate reporting regulations affect businesses – tens of thousands of them – within the EU and beyond. The EU has been a major innovator when it comes to sustainability regulation, but it has not come without controversy. Professor Andreas, from the Copenhagen Business School Centre for Sustainability, joins us to talk about the changes that we have seen in recent years, where they have worked – and where there have been issues. We talk about why the EU gets involved in sustainability directives and regulations in the first place; discover how they have been a pacesetter in the field; and show how regulations are more than just red tape, but also question how they could be improved. We touch on the ambitions of the Green Deal, the environmental taxonomy, Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulations (SFDR), the attempts of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to standardise sustainability reporting, the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), and try to understand the scope of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). All the while trying not to drown in acronym soup and looking at the whole as one big system. We see how thousands of companies have been affected – even if they don’t have to report themselves; how politics has pushed back against regulations, with the USA playing a role from outside; where the omnibus comes into everything (it’s not an actual bus); and the ever-changing nature of regulations, and why that can cause confusion. Plus, we send Goldilocks on the hunt for just the right level of regulation; come to understand the concept of smart compliance – companies following the rules even if they don’t have to; and we look at how other countries are following Europe’s lead, and may even overtake the EU when it comes to regulations. And we might even mention Brexit – however briefly. For an overview of the EU’s Green deal: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en Information about the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) is here: https://finance.ec.europa.eu/sustainable-finance/disclosures/sustainability-related-disclosure-financial-services-sector_en And to understand the rationale for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/doing-business-eu/sustainability-due-diligence-responsible-business/corporate-sustainability-due-diligence_en Episode Transcript

What is a taxonomy? Why are they important? How do they touch upon sustainability? And why should anyone with an interest in financial markets pay them attention? Dr Charika Channuntapipat knows more about taxonomies than most people – certainly than Paul – and is perfectly placed to answer all these questions. Charika is a researcher and social scientist based in Bangkok, Thailand, where she works for the Thai Stock Exchange. She gives us insight into how taxonomies decide which economic activities are environmentally sustainable, what the key objectives are, and how these and their enforcement can vary from country to country, and region to region. We discuss the concepts of the objectives (to which taxonomies seek to channel funding); Do No Significant Harm (DNSH), and its importance when deciding if an action is considered ‘green’; and Minimum Social Safeguards (MSS), which relate to human rights and community impacts. Charika also tells us about the overall sustainability picture in Thailand – both environmentally and economically – and how the government has strengthened governance around sustainability and is pursuing ambitious climate change goals. We learn how the Thailand taxonomy is a living document, that can evolve as sustainable technologies and endeavours become obsolete. And we discuss the importance of varied and local expertise in shaping policies, the complications of involving so many voices in its creation, and how different taxonomies around the world can complement each other. And find out why Paul and Jan have gone down a road of confusion with stuffed badgers. Enjoy a taste of the fast-moving world of taxonomies around the world here: https://www.climatebonds.net/expertise/taxonomy/world-taxonomies And see more on the second phase of Thailand’s Taxonomy here: https://www.bot.or.th/en/news-and-media/news/news-20250527.html Episode Transcript

Introducing Transforming Tomorrow, where we make the complex understandable, the theory practical, as we guide you through the ever-changing and often exciting world of sustainability in business.

Are innovation and sustainability natural bedfellows? Can you have one without the other – and would you even want to? We’re talking to Barbara Salopek, an innovation strategist; the founder and CEO of Vinco Innovation in Bergen, Norway; a Lecturer at BI Norwegian Business School; and the author of Future-Fit Innovation. She knows her stuff when it comes to innovation and business! We look at how sustainability (across economic, environmental and social aspects) and innovation intertwine, how each can drive forward and reinforce the other, and how AI can be both a positive and negative force for them both. Barbara tells us about how innovation means more than just something new – it has to be useful as well – why sustainability and innovation are not one-size-fits all solutions, the importance of long-term innovation over short-term thinking, why we all have innovation inside us – and the problems of lionising certain individuals as innovators, and why it should not be exhausting. We discuss the problem of treating innovation as a buzzword, take lessons from companies who have failed to innovate in the past, and learn from those who have innovated successfully, and assess what elements can create an environment where innovation and sustainability can flourish – or fail (including politics). Plus, Jan questions Paul’s levels of innovation and waxes lyrical about Bergen, we try to rehabilitate the reputation of the Luddites, glueless chairs (!), and we dive into the concept of functional fixedness. You can see more about Barbara’s book Future-Fit Innovation here: https://practicalinspiration.com/book/future-fit-innovation Discover more about Barbara and the Norwegian Business School in Bergen: https://www.bi.no/en/about-bi/employees/department-of-leadership-and-organizational-behaviour/barbara-salopek/ Find out about the Luddites: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/why-did-the-luddites-protest/ And for everyone looking for 101 uses for Vaseline, look no further: https://www.vaseline.com/za/en/articles/ingredients/hundred-and-one-uses-for-vaseline-petroleum-jelly.html Episode Transcript

You need individual accountability if you are going to be a good leader, but not everyone has it. Sanjay Rishi is a leadership coach with experience around the world, and the founder of @intersections. He is also an Entrepreneur in Residence in Lancaster University Management School, and he comes to us having seen how sustainability and leadership go together (or not). Sanjay talks us through his nomadic existence, a stint as a film student, and his life consulting on organisational change and coaching leaders – via his studies at Lancaster. We take a dive into transitions – where individuals and companies are moving from one reality to another, and where old tools and skillsets are no longer relevant. In this context, what are sustainable transitions, and how do you build an organisation and yourself to make it possible? We look at the conflicts between attitudes and behaviours, the importance of knowing your own role and story – not just what your organisation expects of you, and how intent among leaders plays a big role no matter where you are in the world. How do geography and generations play a role in approaches? Can younger leaders pull themselves away from the idea that success equals fast cars, big houses and private planes to move towards a more environmentally friendly approach? And how can organisations rewire themselves to consider the sustainability of their people? Plus, is Jan a good leader? Is Paul planning to start a dictatorship? And do we use the word joy enough? Find out more about Sanjay here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjay-rishi-26-intersections And read about his thoughts on the interplay between families and business for leaders here: https://doc.your-brochure-online.co.uk/Lancaster-University_FiftyFourDegrees_Issue_20/38/ Episode Transcript

How much will it cost to look after old people in the future? What can we do to help plan for this expense? And what will happen if we don’t prepare? More than 1.1 billion people on Earth are aged 60 and over – this is how old people are defined (whether you may like it or not), and at 65 you are seen as elderly. That number is only set to grow and grow. So, how do we manage social care and protection? Dr Qisha Quarina, from Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, is working with the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the costs of caring for older people in Indonesia, and returns to Lancaster to discuss her work. We look at how the demographic shifts in Indonesia, and the long-term social security situation in the country, including who pays for elderly care once people retire, and what happens in a nation where nursing and retirement home networks still need to be developed. Discover how the burden of elderly care often falls on daughters and daughters-in-law, the problems that arise when people work in informal sectors with no pension schemes, and what governments need to think about when planning for future societies. There is time to discuss pensions and retirement age, the relevance of Logan’s Run to modern-day society, the political implications of the issues, the role of the ILO in liaising with governments, and the stigma of putting parents and grandparents into care (including Paul’s cut-price plans for his dad). Plus, Jan gets touchy about her age, Paul ponders flossing, Qisha joins a disturbingly large group of people who miss the Lancaster weather when they move away, and we clarify for our listeners that Indonesia is more than just Bali (a whole 17,000 islands more). Find out more about Qisha’s university here: https://ugm.ac.id/en/ And if you want to remind yourself about Logan’s Run, look no further: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan%27s_Run_(film) Episode Transcript

What can be done to make your building greener? How can centuries old castles and churches be sensitively adapted to the modern age – becoming more sustainable while retaining their historic character? Alfie Stephenson-Boyles is an architect with Donald Insall Associates, who specialise in conservation and heritage architecture. He brings his experience across working on ancient buildings and new builds to the show, and of working with clients to show them the impact sustainable actions can have. Alfie tells us how sustainability has grown as a key aspect for clients, and we look at the many ways sustainability and architecture go together; the key issue of decarbonisation in new constructions and renovations; and the importance of considering sustainability from the start of a project and not putting it in as a late-stage ‘eco-bling’ bolt-on. Discover the difficulties of working in heritage buildings – and the opportunities to make changes; the myths and reality of Passivhaus, and the concept’s application both around the world and in Jan’s home; and the problems with retrofitting UK homes to – in theory – make them more energy efficient and sustainable. Learn why you should never speak to strangers on a train; what architects actually do – it’s much more than drawing nice pictures with crayons (though Alfie is a self-professed colouring-in specialist); whether Paul rabbits on too much; and about the oil age of architecture. Plus, ask yourself if Windsor Castle has a podcast studio. You can find more information about the idea of ‘Passivhaus’ here: https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/what_is_passivhaus.php And the wonderfully named Association for Environmental Conscious Building can be found here: https://aecb.net/ Episode Transcript

It’s time to rethink how family businesses think about and act on sustainability issues. It’s not always about being willing to act – but being capable. Professor Alfredo De Massis, of Lancaster University Management School; the University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy; and IMD, in Switzerland, has worked on family businesses and entrepreneurship for decades – striving to produce knowledge that these firms can use to their advantage. He joins us to look at why family business decisions are not always rational, why the generation in control of a firm is key to sustainability, and the differences made by geography, company size, industry, and the involvement of external experts at board level. We look at why some family firms want to have a positive social impact and are more embedded in the community, the importance of transitions in leadership in affecting change in sustainability attitudes, and the differences between a business-first and a family-first family business. Plus, Alfredo reveals why he is the black sheep of his family, we consider what AI will mean for the future of sustainability in businesses, Paul gets muddled by Gen-Z, and Jan is mesmerised by an Italian accent. Read more about Alfredo’s work on environmental practices in family firms here: https://doc.your-brochure-online.co.uk/Lancaster-University_FiftyFourDegrees_Issue_23/50/ For more information about Lancaster University’s Centre for Family Business, see here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/research/areas-of-expertise/centre-for-family-business/ And discover more about Alfredo here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/alfredo-de-massis Episode Transcript

Step onto the terraces and discover how sustainable – or not – the global phenomenon that is football really is. Paul puts his decades of sports reporting experience to good use as we talk to Dr Idlan Zakaria, from the University of Birmingham. Idlan returns to her old Lancaster University stamping grounds and brings with her passions for both football and sustainability. She talks us through a love of football sparked by the 1982 World Cup and nurtured through years of supporting – to Paul’s annoyance firstly Manchester United, but now mainly Arsenal Women – watching, playing, and then coaching, and how sustainability ties into it all. From the greenhouse gas emissions of clubs, fans and major global and continental tournaments, to the ‘world’s greenest football club’ Forest Green Rovers and their vegan-only diets across staff and players, and the rationality (or lack thereof) of supporting Barrow AFC, we look at how the beautiful game affects the planet. We analyse the climate impact of constructing and maintaining stadiums – from carbon footprints to single-use plastic waste to water use to floodlight usage; become diverted by the Olympics; talk fast fashion football-style; consider the huge pay disparity between world-famous players and other club staff; and praise the power of grassroots organisations in instigating change among fans and clubs. Can footballers be sustainability influencers? Can more clubs follow the Forest Green model? Why do clubs have so many different shirts? Plus, Paul takes the chance to have a rant or two; Jan faces awkward questions about football; Dundee United, Aberdeen and Partick Thistle take some unwarranted abuse; the definition of a good Geordie comes into question; and Jan is bafflingly compared for the first – and probably last – time to pop megastar Taylor Swift! Read more about sports sustainability charity Pledgeball, who support fans and players to take meaningful climate action, here: https://pledgeball.org/about-us/ And you can discover more about Forest Green Rovers – minus why other teams don’t like them – here: https://www.fgr.co.uk/another-way/ Episode Transcript

Nature is naturally on the move. But how does wildlife move through and across urban environments that are not designed for it? And what can people and businesses do to support movement? This is where nature corridors come in. Duncan Pollard, Honorary Professorial Fellow with the Pentland Centre, joins us to expand on his previous discussion of business and biodiversity with a talk about helping species move. With a focus on agriculture, forestry, lineal infrastructure (such as power lines or railways cutting across landscapes), and asset owners, Duncan looks at the actions that companies have taken, and what they might do going forward. We talk about the dynamism of nature, what a nature corridor can be – both naturally and artificially – why governments and business have focused on protected areas rather than connectivity in the past, and the importance of neighbouring organisations working together to make a substantial difference. Discover how golf courses can encourage nature, whether there are any companies reporting well on their dependency on nature, and what might be coming next. Plus, is Jan’s garden a menace to her neighbours? How has this podcast aged its hosts? And what has Jan geeking out? For more information on the Pentland Centre’s Business and Biodiversity Knowledge and Action Hub, see here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/activities/knowledge-and-action-hubs/business-and-biodiversity/ And details of the free business briefings from the Pentland Centre can be found here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/activities/knowledge-and-action-hubs/business-and-biodiversity/biodiversity-literacy/ The Global Reporting’s standard on biodiversity can be found here: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/standards-development/topic-standard-for-biodiversity/ For more detail on Suzano’s restoration in Brazil activities see here: https://www.suzano.com.br/news/suzano-will-restore-cerrado-atlantic-forest-and-amazon-biomes and see the funding model they have adopted here: https://www.suzano.com.br/en/sustainability/planet/environment-and-biodiversity/biomas Episode Transcript

How do teachers, students and researchers carry on in a time of war. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, and life changed overnight. Dniprotech University, in Dnipro, is in an area that has experienced power outages, bombing, drones and jets flying over. Yet, they have maintained a full education programme – utilising blended learning – and continue to build relationships with business and with international partners. We spoke to Kseniia Tiukhmenova, Olena Krasovska and Tetiana Kuvaieva, from Dniprotech, in late 2025 about how they are operating in such a difficult situation. Lancaster is twinned with Dniprotech as part of Universities UK’s Twin for Hope initiative, supporting Ukrainian universities through the crisis in matters relating to the brain drain, resilience, research, skills and knowledge exchange. We learn how this works, and the benefits both sides are gaining from the new relationship – even if our guests are too polite to admit they had not heard of Lancaster before the partnership started! We find out about how a university in the industrial heart of Ukraine has grown and developed, how it has built expertise around sustainability, the enthusiasm of students for these topics, and the setting up a new rival (or partner) to the Pentland Centre. Kseniia, Olena and Tetiana tell us about the power of universities in uniting people in a time of war, the importance of relationships with business, and the strength they gain from their endeavours now as they plan for post-war recovery. Plus, Paul finds something positive to say about rankings, Jan smiles as the word benchmarking comes up unprompted, and there is talk of the legendary status of Ukrainian soil. Find out more about the Twin for Hope initiative here: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/creating-voice-our-members/campaigns/twinforhope-uk-universities-standing Episode Transcript

What do you think of the economy? What would you do if you couldn’t afford insurance? What does a thriving community look like? And how can economic policy help that flourishing? These are all key questions when it comes to addressing societal equality and resilience. Susan Murray is Director of the David Hume Institute, an Edinburgh-based economics-focused thinktank – despite not classing herself as an economist. She joins us to talk about the importance of diversity in economic thinking, how resources are allocated across society, the changing nature of migration over the last 40 years, and three major projects the David Hume Institute is involved in. We discuss the importance of local communities and place in contributing to shaping action and policy, how to reach and include ‘normal people’ in otherwise ignored places, the importance of recognising what we all have in common, and what it actually means to be thriving. Susan introduces us to the Great Risk Transfer, how people consider risk in their own lives, the importance of having resources to manage those risks, and why people don’t always trust organisations such as insurance providers. We look at public attitudes towards the economy and how they change; what people wanting to save rather than spend can tell us; and how economic and sustainability issues tie in with politics at a national level. Plus, we discover how sustainability became a part of Susan’s life when she was young – via the media of Blue Peter and Raymond Briggs, the cause of Save the Whales, and under the threat of nuclear war. And finally, we ask the important questions: When is an economist not an economist? What’s the difference between an accountant and an economist? Do accountants and economists ever walk into bars together? To hear if we ever get to the punchlines of these and other bad economics jokes, listen in. To find out more about the David Hume Institute, visit: https://davidhumeinstitute.org/ Episode Transcript

We talk to a lot of researchers and businesspeople about sustainability, now bring on the politician! On our 100th episode, we welcome Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, the former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability in the Malaysian government, to tell us about his career, and how he has seen governments around the world tackle sustainability challenges. Nik has gone from the self-professed school geek to being an elected legislator in his homeland, a minister in government, and a part of major international climate meetings such as COP. Now he gets to take part in our podcast centenary celebrations. Discover how the environment sits in the political world; how the youth voice and voters can be influential on politicians – and the risk for government of ignoring them and climate change issues; and the power of the people in making an impact in saving the planet. Niks tells us about the major issue of waste – both plastic and electronic – in Malaysia, and how the world contributes to the issue; the attitudes across ASEAN to waste, and the challenges of finding a common voice; and his views of the attitudes of some leading global politicians that climate change is hokum. We discuss whether Jan is the Kevin Bacon of the sustainability world – and discover Jan’s shocking lack of knowledge of Mr Bacon’s career; the parallels between BBC sitcom Yes Minister and real life; and how Nik has learned a lot from groundbreaking politicians from around the world. Discover Nik’s book Saving the Planet here: https://www.penguin.sg/book/saving-the-planet/ And Nik even has his own Wikipedia page, so you can find out more about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nik_Nazmi Episode Transcript

Do you know your Omega 3 fatty acids from your Ultra Processed Foods? Your salmon from your sardinella? Dive in, as we look at the importance of seafood to the diets of millions of people – and how global industries and consumption patterns are taking it away from those who really need it. Professor Christina Hicks, from Lancaster Environment Centre, is a leading expert on fisheries – particularly in Africa – and the broader food system, and she gives us an introduction to the global trade in nutrients. Her work in West Africa shows how fish provide otherwise unavailable nutrients in places where plants make up the bulk of the diet. While in the UK seafood is recommended as part of a wider diet, in these countries it is a key source of micronutrients and protein for the population – especially those who are less well-off. Find out the effects of fish farming and the fishmeal industry on ecosystems; the health, environmental, economic and social impacts of moving from local economies of fishers in canoes to bigger boats and factories owned by companies in countries thousands of miles away catching these fish; and the difficulties in policing fishing regulations designed to protect local waters. We discover how large corporations build a presence on the Senegal coast – and how it is hard to uncover the ownership of vessels fishing in West African waters; the gender-related effects of machines replacing workers; why Jan is a big fan of haddock; and whether Christina will become a supervillain! Plus, is there anything you can do as a consumer to help solve the problems? See here for more details on Christina and her work: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/people/christina-hicks Find out more about the People and the Ocean Knowledge and Action Hub of the Pentland Centre here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/activities/knowledge-and-action-hubs/people-and-the-ocean/ Episode Transcript

For a podcast from a nation obsessed with the weather, we’ve been remarkable restrained in discussing it so far. No more! We’re going full-on into weather forecasting and measurement, to discover what Lancaster can tell us about the world. Dr James Heath, from Lancaster Environment Centre, is one of the team taking daily readings from the Hazelrigg Weather Station, which measure temperature and rainfall, and contributes to long-term Met Office records. He has always been obsessed with the weather, and recent years have brought a lot to think about in his role. We learn about Hazelrigg’s origins; James’s family links to the Met Office – and the lack of Bill Giles and Michael Fish at mealtimes; why the way we manually measure the climate in the long-term has not changed in decades; and discover what the term ‘since records began’ when we hear about record-breaking weather events. Find out the limits of weather stations when it comes to recording patterns beyond a small geographic area; the differences between the weather and the climate; and the changes Hazelrigg has tracked that are reflected across the globe – both for heat and for rainfall levels. Plus, are the Norwegians – and their natural gloom – really so much better at forecasting weather in Lancaster? Is Jan always such a slacker when it comes to homework? See links to the Hazelrigg Weather Station here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/environmental-science/facilities/ Read about the record breaking weather patterns from spring 2025 here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/lancaster-scientists-measure-record-breaking-spring-weather And find out more about the lawnmower aurora incident here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37168678 Episode Transcript

Words matter. How you use them when you want to get your sustainability messaging across is key – especially when fossil fuel companies spend billions on advertising. As we wonder whether sustainability is even the right word to reach right audience, Florencia Lujani, co-founder and Strategy Director of ACT Climate Labs, joins us to talk about language and communication in winning the battle. Florencia works with the likes of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, bridging creativity and strategy to drive their messages home. She talks us through the campaigns ACT have worked on to shift attitudes and behaviours around the world – from Brazil to the West Midlands. We learn about the Persuadables – the crucial middle ground of the population who believe in climate change but need to be drawn into action or change and away from climate denial. And we take optimism from companies continuing to pursue sustainability plans despite any changes in the political winds. Florencia tells us about the key to effective advertising, the problem of false messaging, and the trap of communicating only with those who are already convinced – leaving other to think action is ‘not for people like me’. And she moves from local communities to the United Nations, working across all levels of society. Paul admits his bafflement at the non-stop stream of sustainability messaging he is exposed to on his way to work. Jan’s pub discussions are in the spotlight. Roger Moore and Tony Curtis get long-overdue praise. And Jan struggles to accept Paul’s assertion she is an extremist. For more details on the Overton Window concept, which is definitely nothing to do with stained glass, see here: https://www.mackinac.org/OvertonWindow And find out more about ACT Climate Labs here: https://www.actclimatelabs.org/

How can net zero be built into major projects? Does being a trend setter in this area make it harder – but easier for those who follow? Anna Cockman, Head of Estate Development (Project Delivery) at Lancaster University, was once the hands of BBC2 (really), but is now overseeing a huge project to build the Net Zero Energy Centre. After discovering exactly what project management is, we discuss the challenges universities face when it comes to declaring a climate emergency, and achieving Net Zero targets, and how approaches to sustainability in project management have changed in recent years. We discuss the importance of messaging for major construction projects and their impacts, the challenge – and criticality – of carrying out life carbon assessments, and find out what the Net Zero Energy Centre is and how it will impact Lancaster’s carbon footprint. Among the big questions, we ask: Is Jan good at managing projects? How niche can specialist topics be on Mastermind? And, is watching energy silos being delivered a good use of your weekend? We reminisce over old BBC trailers, Jan offends Australians (again), Paul discovers the person responsible for his workplace conditions, Anna bemoans the impact of The Apprentice on the image of project managers, and Shortland Street gets some more well-earned publicity. Read an outline of Lancaster University’s Net Zero Energy Project here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/facilities/estates/net-zero-energy-project/ And find more background on Lancaster University’s approach to sustainability here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sustainability/annual-report/ Episode Transcript

Broadsword calling Danny Boy. We’re going where eagles dare to investigate the sad fate of beautiful birds of prey in 19th century Scotland. A concerted effort to hunt golden eagles led to a massive reduction in their numbers in the 1800s. But why were they persecuted? And what can we learn from how many were killed to tell us how many there used to be? Jason Harrison, who combines being a PhD researcher at Lancaster University with being Jan’s husband, joins us to discuss his work on sustainable mountain development in Scotland, and the eagles who live there in particular. We discover what was happening in the Scottish Highlands when the eradication efforts stared, skirt around the politics of the Highland Clearances, talk about why landowners wanted rid of eagles (and foxes), and how they drove golden eagles from their habitats. Valuable bounties were offered on eagles, their chicks and eggs – and you needed gruesome proof to claim the rewards – and it led to up to 75% of the population being wiped out. This is a tale of man against beast, where man was the definite victor, and where – to Jan’s delight – accounting record keeping is the key to understanding historical biodiversity baselines. We discuss how place names can tell us where eagles used to nest; look at the status of the birds in Scotland and England today – and how the fate of England’s hen harriers now harks back 200 years; and wonder why there is no specific Sustainable Development Goal for mountains. How do Wordsworth and the Lord of the Rings fit into all this? And what’s the story with Balamory? Discover more about the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Centre for Mountain Studies here: https://www.perth.uhi.ac.uk/subject-areas/centre-for-mountain-studies/ And see the paper by Agetsuma on estimating previous populations from hunting data: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0198794 Episode Transcript

How can courts enforce the right to a healthy environment? And how are international courts, individuals and companies shaping the laws that will affect our futures? It’s time for us to bring the law back to Transforming Tomorrow, to look at how the legal system is evolving as the climate is changing. Camilo Cornejo Martinez, a PhD researcher in Lancaster University School of Law, joins us once again to discuss how verdicts and advisory opinions from across Europe, the Americas, and the world are shaping nations’ attitudes and behaviours. We look at how the courts view the impact of human activity on the seas, the responsibilities of states when it comes to climate change, why even advisory opinions – and we explain what those are – have weight in courtrooms and law-making, and ask how does denouncing climate treaties affect a country’s legal position? We discover how a group of students from Pacific states have made a major impact on international rulings; the obligations of nations to abide by the likes of the Kyoto Protocol – whether or not they signed the agreement; and how the International Court of Justice has surprised even the most optimistic climate lawyers with their opinions. Plus, pirate courts! Discover more about Camilo and his work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/pentland/about/meet-the-team/camilo-cornejo-martinez And these are links to explanations about the various cases and advisory opinions that we discussed with Camilo: Klimaseniorinnen case from the European Court of Human Rights (April 2024) - https://www.netzerolawyers.com/news-events/failure-to-act-on-climate-change-violates-human-rights-the-klimaseniorinnen-case Advisory Opinion on Climate Change from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea -ITLOS- (May 2024) - https://www.biicl.org/blog/77/a-commentary-on-itlos-advisory-opinion-on-climate-change Advisory Opinion on Climate Change from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (July 2025) - https://blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechange/2025/07/08/a-blueprint-for-rights-based-climate-action-the-inter-american-court-of-human-rights-advisory-opinion-on-the-climate-emergency/ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change from the International Court of Justice (July 2025) - https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10354/ Episode Transcript

It’s time to go back to outer space – and to explore another frontier region – as we push the boundaries of sustainability in new directions. We bring together Donald Trump, satellites, Greenland, rocket launches, polar bears – and penguins – to explore the connections between the Arctic and Outer Space. Dr Mia Bennett, from the University of Washington, has seen a polar bear in Svalbard, but her expertise is on the indigenous people of the Arctic and how the space industry has grown in their homeland and affected their lives. She tells us how her dreams of being an astronaut evolved into an interest in the Earth’s poles, and then the links between them in the forms of satellites, inter-continental missiles, and spaceports. We go back to the origins of the connections between the Arctic and space, when stars were used to navigate and to monitor the seasons; how the threats of the Cold War turned the Arctic into a region to monitor space, and the impacts of this development on the land and the local peoples. We discover how populations have been displaced and damaged by colonial and militaristic expansions, how land and sea have been polluted by radioactive waste, how food systems have been disrupted, and how Trump’s Greenland obsession fits into the bigger historical picture. But we also learn how the growth in the satellite industry – particularly Elon Musk’s Starlink network – has brought jobs to new areas through ground stations in the harsh environs of the far north, and that there are other benefits for the indigenous communities as well. Jan dredges up her worst snow-related puns, Paul ponders why he keeps forgetting Greenland is an island, and we ask, what is the perfect number of penguins in a fight? Mia and Klaus Dodds have written a book about the future of the Arctic, Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic. Discover it here: https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300259995/unfrozen/ Read about the Outer Space Treaty here: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.html And find out more about Mia and her work here: https://www.cryopolitics.com Episode Transcript

The future is coming – who will be there to lead us into it? Some companies are operating with the future in mind, but how much and how so? What legacy will they leave behind? Professor Nick Barter, from Griffith University, in Australia, returns to discuss the concept of generational governance – where organisations consider the next generation in their actions. Nick tells us whether we are closer to the Future Normal being normal now, looks at how we think 30 years ahead, and reveals the importance of bringing younger people into the boardroom – and even having next generation advisory boards. We consider existing examples of companies with future boards in place; talk about how Wales and Finland set examples for other countries to follow; wonder how we can help the next generation move in the right direction; and dig deeper into Nick’s survey of companies across the UK, Japan, and Australia, to see what it reveals about attitudes and practices around generational governance. Plus, why is everything 5 out of 10 in Japan, how have we lost sight of the meaning of sustainability, what are the origins of Nintendo, and – possibility most importantly – how sustainable are the Moomins? See how Wales has integrated future generations into its thinking: https://futuregenerations.wales/ Take a glimpse into the Finnish Committee for the Future: https://www.parliament.fi/EN/valiokunnat/tulevaisuusvaliokunta/Pages/default.aspx Read about Dr Innan Sasaki’s work on ancient companies in Japan: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/research/fifty-four-degrees/old-and-crafty And discover more about Nick’s work on his Future Normal site: https://futurenormal.net/ Episode Transcript

Did you make an action figure avatar of yourself? Do you ask ChatGPT every time you have a question? Does Co-Pilot write your emails for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, did you think about the energy consumption and sustainability consequences? We tell you how much energy a ChatGPT search uses – and as generative AI becomes increasingly commonplace, and infrastructure spring up around the world to cope with demand, we need to understand these often-invisible costs that come with it. It might even cost you a loaf from your local bakery! Professor Adrian Friday – still not a fan of the Sustainable Development Goals – returns to talk to us about data centres, what they are, how big they are, and what happens in them; who they provide services for; their need for rare earth metals; and the need to cool and power them – and to deal with the heat they generate. It turns out data centres use more energy each year than Italy – and the demand is growing faster than the system can cope with. We discover why Adrian’s picture (with silly hat included) is stuck on Paul’s fridge; contemplate the logistical difficulties of putting a data centre at the bottom of the sea; discuss the potential need to take an army of ninjas to change a lightbulb; realise the importance of AI to the survival of the Welsh language; and rant about the blanket default of AI across all of life. And remember, to turn off the AI functionality of a ‘normal’ Google search, simply type ‘-ai’ at the end of your search. A UK Parliament research briefing provides an entry point to our discussions: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10315/ And discover more about Adrian’s work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/people/adrian-friday Episode Transcript

People are trafficked illegally around the world every day. They are coerced and exploited – the victims of criminal gangs, of war, of poverty, and are exploited for commercial and sexual means. We return to the topic of modern slavery, this time with someone who has experience on the ground in the UK, Greece, Australia, and Bangladesh, and who has some shocking tales to tell. Kyla Raby is an antislavery specialist completing her PhD at the University of South Australia. She has designed and managed support services for refugees and survivors of trafficking, is a Non-Executive Director of Be Slavery Free, and was an inaugural member of the New South Wales Anti-Slavery Commissioner's advisory panel. In other words, she knows her stuff. We uncover the extent of human trafficking into the UK and the development of response services; how Modern Slavery Acts in Britain and Australia changed the situation in the two countries; the problem of forced marriage and domestic violence; the importance of recognising the impact of trauma on trafficking victims and building support structures; and the problem of relying on consumer behaviour to force corporations to change their actions on modern slavery in their supply chains. Kyla talks us through her time in Cox’s Bazar, the world’s largest refugee camp on the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar – home to around 1.4 million people (which would make it the second-largest city in the UK). This is a hotspot for human trafficking, and one negatively affected by cuts to global aid funding. And we compare this with Greece in 2016, towards the end of the refugee crisis. Kyla is also Australian, prompting Jan to test Paul out on his knowledge of the differences between New Zealand and Oz, and create a new species of koala bears made from kiwi fruit. Watch the Everyday Slavery series here: https://www.youtube.com/@Everyday_Slavery Find out about the Palermo Protocol, designed to present, suppress and punish trafficking in persons: https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/protocol-prevent-suppress-and-punish-trafficking-persons And the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act: https://oag.ca.gov/SB657 And, finally, discover more about Kyla and her work here: https://people.unisa.edu.au/Kyla.Raby#About-me Episode Transcript

What’s the weather like in space? This isn’t the British obsession with the weather gone made, it really exists! It may not be covered in the TV forecasts, but it affects our lives – and on technology. This is not Michael Fish and telling us about rain on Mars, or storms on Jupiter, but how solar activity influences us on earth. Jim Wild is President-Elect of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Professor of Space Physics at Lancaster University, and is perfectly placed to tell us all about what space weather is. He brings us up to (light) speed about solar flares, predicting the sun’s behaviour, how space operators can protect themselves, how it might affect you and your phone, the importance of the Earth’s magnetic field (and its similarities with the shields on the Starship Enterprise), monitoring the aurora borealis, and his work with UK infrastructure operators on the risk of space weather to their operations. Plus, we learn about the Carrington Event in 1859, when telegraph lines went haywire after a giant solar flare erupted. What might happen if something similar were to occur in the modern electronic world? How often do these big solar events happen (and could they be bigger)? And how does it all tie in with the Northern Lights over Lancaster and GPS glitches for farmers and their tractors in California? You can find out about Aurora Watch UK here: https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ See the latest space weather forecasts from the UK Met Office here: https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/specialist-forecasts/space-weather And discover more about Jim and his work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/about-us/people/jim-wild Episode Transcript

It has been a turbulent nine months for the world of sustainability – and for Transforming Tomorrow. So, what have we learned? Paul and Jan look back over the series and discover themes that run through our guests’ thoughts on sustainability – whether they were with us to talk about plastics or biodiversity, Morecambe Bay or Malaysia. It’s a chance to talk about how things have already changed since we talked to some guests and pick out our favourite moments from a packed series. We consider the recognition of the importance of long-term resilience and determination to change and progress; realise just how wide a reach there is to the sustainability world; celebrate what once was theory being turned into practice; and place hope in the next generation. Plus, we find the time to discuss which of our hosts is most likely to murder the other (and Jan’s possession of a new sword); give Luxembourg it’s due when it comes to asteroid mining; and lament Paul’s ice hockey tipping prowess. Transforming Tomorrow will return for a third season in autumn 2025. Episode Transcript

You might not see climate change on your doorstep every day, but you can see biodiversity loss. Find out what businesses are doing to address biodiversity concerns, and how they can be helped to improve their actions. Dr Michael Burgass is from Biodiversify, a consultancy company that uses cutting-edge science to develop biodiversity strategies for some of the world’s largest companies. He has long been interested in how people interact with their environment. As businesses have become more interested and engaged with biodiversity, Michael is working with companies who are at the heart of some of the planet’s biggest issues. The mainstreaming of biodiversity into company planning means just about all organisations are becoming involved. We learn about spatial science, physical risk and transition risk, look at action and implementation over discussion and policy, discuss why big companies are listening to external experts when it comes to biodiversity education, the impacts of biodiversity loss on supply chains, and how the Science Based Targets for Nature can help to validate company efforts. Find out more about Biodiversify here: https://biodiversify.com/ And learn about the Science Based Targets for Nature here: https://sciencebasedtargetsnetwork.org/how-%20it-works/the-first-science-based-targets-for-nature/ Episode Transcript

Discover how you can embed sustainability across a Higher Education organisation. Dr Alex Ryan, Director and Founder of Learning Energy, returns to her old Lancaster University haunts to tell us about her work inside and outside universities on the ‘great big gobbling monster’ of sustainability. Alex helps people and organisations address sustainability challenges: work is not always easy. We discuss the evolution of understanding and action in universities over the last 20 years; the importance of changes to culture and strategy; how to place the common good ahead of self-interest when making changes; and how the university sector mirrors other areas of society and the economy when it comes to attitudes and behaviours around sustainability. We discover how a positive mindset change across an organisation can help overcome ‘change humps’; the essential role of universities in brokering systems change; and how to think differently around reporting and numbers. Plus, Jan questions her own knowledge and skills, we discover Paul and Alex’s differing experiences of Lancaster University Library and its fines system, the Great Vowel Shift gets belated publicity, and we consider becoming the Pentland Centre for Love and Justice in Business. Read the Advance HE Measuring What Matters report here: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/measuring-what-matters Episode Transcript

Antibiotics have been around for hundreds of thousands of years – no, we didn’t know that either! They are harmful to bacteria, and without them we would have a world where life is much harder. But in recent decades, overuse of antibiotics has led to the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This evolutionary response has been accelerated as humans have developed more and more antibiotics – leading to a biological arms race. Dr Oskar Nyberg, from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and Dr Patrik Henriksson, from Leiden University and the Stockholm Resilience Centre, are part of a project looking into the effects of antibiotics in the food system on humans and the animals involved. We take a deep dive into Thai shrimp farming (and contrast them with the shrimp living in Morecambe Bay), learn more about aquaculture, and ecotoxicology in the marine environment, consider how long it takes and what conditions are needed to raise a shrimp (they do not eat sausages), discover how you measure how much antibiotics are in a shrimp (something that many farmers do not know themselves), and discuss why the drugs are used and how you can avoid needing them in the first place. Oskar and Patrik tell us more broadly about superbugs, the regulations and protections in place for using antibiotics in farming, and the differences between human and animal treatments. Plus, Paul’s aversion to penicillin, Oskar’s history in the culinary industry, and why is Patrik in a German beer garden? Discover more about the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Keystone project: https://seabos.org/anti-microbial-resistance-amr-keystone-project/ Episode Transcript

Culture is visibly lacking from the Sustainable Development Goals – but why? History, tourism, the arts, and even video games all have a part to play in the sustainability picture, so we need to consider the sector’s importance. Dr Chiara Donelli, from the University of Venezia, is an expert in cultural sustainability and she is here to keep us informed. She explains why culture does not have a specific SDG assigned to it, how it fits into the big picture, and how it has been involved in sustainability activity for longer that you might think. Taking Venice as a prime example, we look at sustainable business models for tourism, the problems of over-tourism – and how the industry can be just as destructive as other more obviously damaging sectors – and how a place can lose its very nature and identity through an excess of visitors. We discuss Venice’s new tourist tax, conservation at Machu Pichu, population displacement in the Dolomites ahead of the Winter Olympics, Lake District honeypots, Morecambe jetties, and much more. Find out why Paul is speaking Italian – while the Biennale leaves Jan flummoxed; why Venice at one point needed to stimulate tourism; the role of hippies in the sustainability movement; and the arts as advocacy for positive change. Discover more about Chiara and her work here: https://www.unive.it/data/people/25748316 Episode Transcript

If you carry out fascinating work on entrepreneurship and sustainability, you still need for people to understand it. Professor Sreevas Sahasranamam, from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow, pipped Jan and Paul to the Management Publication of the Year Award – but do they hold a grudge? No, they don’t! Sreevas is a keen proponent of communicating research and expertise in novel and accessible ways. His blogs aim to reach and engage policymakers and government, as well as the public, opening previously inaccessible doors for him, such as opening up access to the world of the G20, and giving his work new impact potential. We talk through Sreevas’s work in his India homeland looking at the role of digital ecosystems among entrepreneurs, and on how rural entrepreneurship ecosystems are built in remote communities, as well as more broadly on the links between the Sustainable Development Goals and entrepreneurship. Sreevas has found that despite a lot of talk about entrepreneurs in the Global North engaging with sustainability, it is those in the Global South who are taking the lead – where the impacts of climate change are being felt more keenly. Discover the difference between SDG awareness and SDG action, the familial links to natural resources in parts of India, and the benefits to business of the spread of cheap internet access across that country. Plus, buying chai from a small roadside business with contactless payments, the rise of the Chinese sustainability market, and the benefits of QR codes (even for accounting). Find out more about Sreevas and his work here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/business/staff/sreevassahasranamam/ And read some of his award-winning blogs here: https://sites.google.com/view/sreevas/media?authuser=0 Episode Transcript

What is the reality for a small business when it comes to adopting sustainable practices? How hard is it to turn ideals into practical applications? In the first of our Local Heroes episodes, Steve Parkman, from Cumbrian design studio 42 Creative Thinking talks us through the changes he has made to his company’s operations to make it more sustainable. Steve has been part of the Transforming Tomorrow journey since before it was a podcast, and he discusses his learning journey in both design and sustainability. We discuss how sustainability has changed fundamentally the role of a designer – when they work in both print and digital; how Steve has switched to solar power for his design work; and the attitudes of the businesses and customers Steve works with towards being greener. Steve talks us through how print and paper products can be sustainable, the growth of European forests in recent years, how green servers can reduce digital carbon footprints, and the advantages small businesses have when they decide they want to make a switch in their operations. Discover why Jan turned down the chance to cycle to Malaysia, how the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fits into everything, whether Paul and Jan understand a word of Welsh, and why Steve has gone off the grid. Find out more about 42 Creative Thinking here: https://www.42creative.co.uk/ Episode Transcript

What is servitization? Could it be the future for more businesses? How does it link to productivity and sustainability? And why is it spelt with a z? We answer at least three of these questions as we explore an area that is relevant to giant global corporations and small businesses alike. What if, instead of a crane, you charge by the number of lifts it carries out; if instead of selling a physical tyre, you provide a certain amount of miles; if a company offers you so many air miles from an engine? These are all examples of servitization that already exist – it even applies in industrial food packaging. Lancaster University Management School’s Professor Andreas Schroeder is a servitization expert, working with numerous firms on how they can change their operations to move to a servitization model to benefit their operations, and others on how they can use their data in new ways. He tells us about the key differences between products and services; how servitization blurs the boundaries on relationships with customers and suppliers – are they now more like partners?; the differences between rental agreements and servitization; and why it can be easier for smaller companies to pivot their operations to this model. Discover some of servitization’s success stories, how it can affect a company’s carbon footprint and align profit with sustainability, how it encourages an operation to design and create products for service, repair and circularity, and how data collection, analysis and optimisation can identify where value opportunities lie and improve practical operations. Paul lets his anger at American spelling take over; Jan discovers a new friend who can put on a Kiwi accent; and everyone becomes fascinated by tyres, hydrogen-powered diggers and aeroplane engines. Find out more about Andreas and his work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/andreas-schroeder Episode Transcript

A location for romance, violence or murder – sleeper trains in film and fiction are always places for drama. But the reality may be somewhat different. As a sustainable travel option that is enjoying a resurgence in Europe – and, perhaps surprisingly, in China – they link big cities and are evolving to meet modern needs. Lancaster University Management School Marketing Lecturer Dr Nicole Bulawa may never have taken the midnight train to Georgia, but her work on sleeper trains tells her that Murder on Orient Express and From Russia With Love may not be the most accurate depictions of the medium. She tells us why sleepers went into decline and how attitudes towards sustainability played a role in why they came back; the importance of speed – and sometimes the lack of it; how services have evolved to include private mini-cabins for individual travellers; and how issues of logistics tend to lead to arrivals that are either really early or too late for some travellers. We find out that Jan’s knowledge of 1970s and 80s soul and R&B music is sadly lacking, but that she is the only person in the studio to have been a regular sleeper user; that Paul’s James Bond watching may have put him off this particular form of transportation; and that Austria has been a leader in the sector’s resurgence. Plus, everyone picks out their favourite train journeys – taking in Sweden, Morecambe Bay, Switzerland, and beyond. Discover more about Nicole and her research here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/nicole-bulawa Enjoy the drama set on a sleeper train between Glasgow and London that Jan mentions here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m002265y/nightsleeper Episode Transcript

How can we educate university students around the world on important sustainability topics? You cannot talk to them all in the same way as those in other countries – because different countries and cultures have different attitudes and priorities. Dr Stephen Homer has gone from being a commercial fisherman and a fishmonger to a leader on sustainability education at Sunway Business School in Malaysia, inspired by his experiences before moving into academia. He tells us all about the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) and how they help management and business schools make sense of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stephen explains the need to educate students on sustainability actions, so they take values with them into their careers; how different universities take varying approaches to sustainability; and the importance of understanding what students want to learn. We talk about Malaysia’s chocolate and palm oil industries; the desire of students in Malaysia to achieve economic success, and how his can be balanced with sustainability; the challenges of delivering a sustainability education that is interesting and engaging to the country’s different ethnic groups, and to those on a wide range of programmes; and the problem of accountancy students (to Jan’s disgust). Discover more about Stephen and his work here: https://sunwayuniversity.edu.my/sunway-business-school/staff-profiles/dr-stephen-thomas-homer Find out about PRME here: https://www.unprme.org/about/ And read Lancaster University Management School’s PRME report here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/PRME-Report.pdf Episode Transcript

Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity have become dirty words in some quarters recently. But not on Transforming Tomorrow. We want to talk about the need for greater gender equality in business, the challenges the movement is encountering in the face of Donald Trump and other vocal critics, and how Malaysia measures up when it comes to EDI. Sunway University’s Professor Yuka Fujimoto has spent years travelling from country to country and has built and interest and expertise on diversity and inclusion as a result. We discuss how the political climate can change corporate behaviour; how organisations can foster harmonious workplaces and encourage varied perspectives – and how this can affect productivity and innovation; and whether the battle is, as some people would have us believe, already won. We ask how Japan, Malaysia and Australia measure up to each other – and the rest of the world – on diversity efforts? Why is Malaysia such an inclusive society? What do we mean by affirmative action? Why is EDI such a political football – and are people misrepresenting it on purpose? Plus, we look at how nature can be a part of EDI considerations. Discover more about Yuka and her work here: https://sunwayuniversity.edu.my/sunway-business-school/staff-profiles/professor-yuka-fujimoto Episode Transcript

Economic inequality from childhood impacts on all aspects of life, affecting work prospects, educational attainment, and health outcomes. Reducing inequality, therefore, is central to building a better future for millions of people. From the site of a former mining operation just outside Kuala Lumpur, we are joined by Professor Mahendhiran Sanggaran to discuss how the location is now home to Sunway University, a leading light in Malaysian sustainability research and development for more than 50 years. Mahendiran’s work includes the Desa Mentari project, and we discover how work among low-income communities can benefit young and old who might be caught up in a polycrisis of health, economics, environmental and social factors. Through encouraging better access to education, the programme assists families in bettering themselves and inspires hope among residents. The models used there could be applied in other housing projects in Malaysia and SE Asia – and even links in with our own Morecambe Bay based initiatives. Beyond that, we look at the importance of higher education across Southeast Asia – and how students who used to leave the region and never return are now starting to both study and work back at home, thanks in part to partnerships such as that between Sunway and Lancaster University. Mahendiran tells us about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is made up of 10 nations across the region and home to more than 670 million people. The ASEAN committee is being chaired by Malaysia in 2025, and the words ‘Sustainability and Inclusivity’ can be seen on signs across the city. We discuss how ASEAN can help close societal gaps within and between countries, how it can ensure long-term sustainable development, whether an integrated transport system across member nations could become a reality, and how this could affect other areas of society and industry through a GRID economy. Plus, Paul and Mahendiran bond over Liverpool FC, there is more chat on Malaysian thunderstorms – and the effects of climate change on Mahendiran’s own home. Meanwhile, Jan explains what a ‘green’ taxonomy is. More details on the Desa Mentari project can be found here: https://sunwayuniversity.edu.my/desa-mentari/about You can find out about ASEAN Malaysia here: https://myasean2025.my/about-asean-2025/ Learn more about the 10-10 MySTIE framework here: https://stip.oecd.org/stip/interactive-dashboards/policy-initiatives/2023%2Fdata%2FpolicyInitiatives%2F99991585 Episode Transcript

We’re by the pool in the Malaysian sunshine. But we’re not here to sunbathe – we’re talking all things sustainability in a country with challenges both familiar and foreign to Western Europe. Jan’s ‘academic granddaughter’ Dr Ann Marie Sidhu is a chartered accountant who works with business and government in Malaysia on the challenges of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. We discuss what Government and industry in Malaysia need to do to achieve the SDGs – especially energy transition in an economy where the petrochemical industry is dominant – how an emerging economy deals with regulations around sustainability, the potential for green financing, and how the underprivileged in society – the Bottom 40 – might be affected by changes. Ann Marie reveals the attitudes of the companies she works with towards sustainability, how SMEs are acting, and what help small firms need in seeing value in enacting sustainability. And as the word ‘sustainability’ is plastered on posters and banners across capital city Kuala Lumpur (KL), we talk about the need for sustainability education in Malaysian schools and universities, and the biodiversity considerations for a country that is still developing and reliant upon palm oil as a major export. Plus, the effects of climate change on the monsoon season and flooding in major cities such as KL; how Malaysian companies react to EU and other overseas regulation; the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM!) and its effects; and Malaysia’s leading role in Islamic finance, and how this complements the SDG principles. Episode Transcript

It’s time to look to the future and consider what comes next for society and industry. Dr Rebecca Liu, from Lancaster University Management School’s Department of Marketing, and Steve Kremer, from consultancy Periphas, who specialise in connecting technology innovators, join us to discuss Society 5.0 and Industry 5.0. Both concepts envision the world’s next evolution. This means a vision of a super-smart society, where smart tech is integrated into every aspect, serving the needs of humanity, and solving major global issues as it blends the cyber and physical worlds. In industry, it is about achieving growth and creating jobs, but also driving prosperity and respecting planetary boundaries, prioritising societal well-being and recognising limits of resources. It is a move away from the take, make, dispose industrial model to adopting green tech, reducing carbon emissions and minimising waste. In both cases, tech and industry work for people, not the other way round. We consider what came before Industry and Society 4.0; how the next iterations are different; whether 5.0 should really be 4.1; and the challenges of realising ideas and ideals. Plus, Manga, Greek mythology, the Terminator, and Jan’s Industrial Revolution rebirth. Discover Rebecca’s work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/rebecca-liu And find out about Periphas here: https://periphas.com/ Find out more about work ongoing under the Industry 5.0 initiative see here: http://industrial-upcycling.cz/ Episode Transcript

Not everyone takes breakfast, lunch and dinner for granted. For millions, there is no guarantee of where their next meal will come from, or its quality. Biraj Patnaik, Executive Director of the National Foundation for India, introduces us to the concepts and realties food poverty and food inequality, and how his organisation works with communities on the margins of Indian society towards enabling social justice. We discuss how and why the right to food has been part of legislative discourse in India; how the caste system and gender discrimination influence who suffers malnutrition and starvation; the right to life; and the devastating prospect of teaching your child to sleep hungry. How will climate change affect different communities – especially in the already baking heat of India? Where will extreme weather impact global crop production and food availability, especially in low-lying coastal areas? We cover the complications of industrial agriculture; the lessons the world can take from India’s changed farming practices; the environmental pitfalls in relying on importing most of your country’s food; and the importance of learning how to live with nature from indigenous communities. Find out more about the National Foundation for India here: https://www.nfi.org.in/ The start of the Lake District Farmers mini-series on Transforming Tomorrow can be found here: https://pod.co/transforming-tomorrow/lake-district-farmers And discover Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach here: https://iep.utm.edu/sen-cap/ Episode Transcript

Are you a public or a private person? Or maybe a bit of both? It’s not always easy to say. The same goes for how we characterise the public and private sectors. The private sector goes beyond a simple characterisation of making a profit – and the public sector beyond providing services for people. The boundaries are blurring – where do the public and private sectors meet, and how does their symbiotic relationship work? Dr Martin Quinn is a Reader in OWT – which in his northern brogue suggests a life of vague reading lists and relaxed afternoons in a comfy chair. But he brings with him expertise in the private and public sectors, and how they play out in terms of politics and the environment. We discuss the concept of public value, how the public sector can help the private sector flourish, whether the private sector operates for anything other than profit, and examine anchor institutions that provide sustained employment, and sometimes even a reason for towns and cities to exist. Plus, as Martin searches for hope, we take a journey to the world of Thomas the Tank Engine – and Paul’s childhood on Sodor – discuss GCSE geography lessons; talk about how Venice – and Morecambe – changed during Covid; and reveal the joys of working with geologists. Discover more about Martin’s research here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/people/martin-quinn Here is more detail on the Ministry of the Future book mentioned in the podcast: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ministry_for_the_Future Episode Transcript

Young people are bombarded with a huge number of issues – from cost-of-living to the challenge of finding employment, an ever-changing global political landscape to inclusion. Where does sustainability fit into the mix? Darren Axe, Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS)’s International Membership and Engagement Manager, has an ironic name given he has planted many trees during his career – and surely no-one has ever mentioned it! We discuss the work of SOS in the UK and across their international team in galvanising students and allowing them to realise how sustainability cuts across the challenges they face. Darren talks us through the main environmental issues concerning young people around the world, how to get students active and involved – and how they engage with university management and try to hold them to account. Jan gets very excited about trees – but depressed about the world we are leaving the next generation – and Paul wonders whether the trees he helped plant will one day end up as hand-carved spoons in Jan’s kitchen. Discover more about Students Organising for Sustainability International here: https://www.sos.earth/ Episode Transcript

How do we educate the next generation on sustainability? How do we help them think of themselves as citizens of ‘one world’? What are their – and our – responsibilities as future responsible leaders? Dr Jose Alcaraz-Barriga, from Lancaster University Leipzig, tell us how he teaches his students to connect business activities with the planet’s future. Jose takes his own knowledge on planetary boundaries and the Anthropocene and applies it in his teaching to ensure young people are not overwhelmed by the situation but also understand how action at a local level can make a real impact. We learn how filmmaking can become a valuable medium for students to learn sustainability lessons in a personal way. We discuss the importance of imagination, and of connecting with people from different walks of life to gain new perspectives. And we wonder how we ended up talking about Elon Musk. Discover more about Jose and here work here: https://www.lancasterleipzig.de/staff/dr-jose-alcaraz-barriga/ Here is a taster of Afrofuturism: https://thecontrapuntal.com/afrofuturisms-reflection-on-waste-and-climate-crisis/ Episode Transcript