The issue of gender inclusion, equality and equity is a hotly debated topic in many western workplaces, but change often comes more slowly in Asia’s more conservative company cultures. After an off-the-cuff social media post in 2018, Cindy ‘Sirinya’ Bishop sparked the #DontTellMeHowToDress social movement that brought the harrowing reality of gender-based violence in Thailand to the fore and helped push for greater gender equality and inclusion. Using her platform to move the conversation from t...
Feb 14, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Volatile and fragmented are the words Vanessa Gavan, founder of Maximus International , uses to describe today’s business environment. Climate change, geopolitical uncertainties, distributed workforces, stark differences between the views of older and younger staff, information overload from social media these are all factors that leaders would not have had to contend with 15 years ago. Added pressure comes from the growing expectation among employees and stakeholders that a company’s values sho...
Feb 14, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Getting more than 100,000 employees to buy into the idea that ESG and sustainability makes good business sense can be a monumental task. BASF, which operates across diverse sectors ranging from healthcare products to petrochemical solutions, works hard to make sustainability a core part of every employee’s work ethic. Effective communication that resonates with teams across vastly different cultures, social strata and job roles is critical to make the sustainability message stick. Marko Jelicic ...
Feb 14, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 6
The global businesses landscape is incredibly hard to navigate these days, making it a complex and unpredictable environment to compete in. Issues such as climate disruption, political upheavals and demographic challenges create immense barriers – but these challenges also often provide immense opportunity for leaders who can make the right decisions quickly. As international relationships change, fracture and are made anew, leaders are called upon to evaluate how – or if – they need to react. I...
Feb 14, 2024•41 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Rachna Sharma operates in a region where more than 80% of power production comes from fossil fuels, and it’s her job to educate decision-makers on the importance of addressing climate change. In this episode, Rachna talks about how board members, the c-suite and leaders can get to grips with their climate risk, drive change, and address stakeholder concerns. We also discuss how companies can build their social license in markets where customers are expecting more, and shareholders are willing to...
Feb 14, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 3
The global energy landscape is at a crossroads, a factor which is acutely felt in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia. As consumers continue to gravitate toward electric cars and renewable energy, businesses and countries are taking a cold, hard look at their fossil fuel infrastructure and long-term strategies for moving away from them. In Asia and the Pacific, which produces over 50% of Earth’s CO2 emissions, the big question surrounding this energy transition is, how? In our discussion wit...
Feb 14, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 2
When stakeholders want a look at a company’s ESG record, it’s easy to head to its website and wade through reports, audits and press releases. But sometimes, this just isn’t enough. Going deeper requires more detective work and often yields surprising results from unfamiliar sources. Dylan Tanner, executive director of InfluenceMap , leads a team that analyses financial disclosures, investor communications, hard scientific data and social media, as well as issuing freedom of information requests...
Feb 14, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Corporate communications plays a crucial role in shaping and maintaining a company's culture, communicating its purpose, values, and key messages both internally and externally. But while the core skills have remained largely unchanged over the years, the business environment is much different. Not only does corporate comms a culture of trust, collaboration, and engagement within the organisation, they contribute to shaping a positive brand image and reputation through strategic storytelling and...
Jun 06, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Embedding purpose in a company's culture provides a guiding light that aligns employees, stakeholders, and strategies towards a common goal. More than simply a vision of where a company wants to end up, purpose is deeply ingrained in a company's culture, fostering a sense of meaning and fulfilment that attracts like-minded employees, customers, and partners who are passionate about the company's values and contribute to its growth. But how does a company with no defined purpose embed one in the ...
Jun 06, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The workplace has gone through a rapid and consequential shift over the past few years, not only in the form of the ‘great resignation’ but also in how companies communicate with their stakeholders. To attract and retain staff companies must also understand that employees don’t just want to know what a company does – they want to know why they do it. Sue Stoneman is founder and chairperson of NKD, a world-renowned agency that helps organisations evolve into a company and brand that their employe...
Jun 06, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 4
As ESG issues continue to play a role in the public discourse, companies must be sure to reflect these ideals in their day-to-day operations to reduce their ecological footprint, promote fair labour practices, and enhance accountability. By the same token, the days of claiming ignorance when supply chain abuses come to light are over and consumers demand transparency and accountability from the companies they support. Dr Darian McBain is a globally experienced Chief Sustainability Officer, and a...
Jun 06, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Doing business amid a connected and inquisitive media landscape can be intimidating. With the power of social media and online platforms, news spreads rapidly, and any misstep or questionable behaviour by a company can quickly lead to reputational damage, loss of customer trust, and a decline in sales. Prioritising transparency, ethical practices, and open communication is vital, and understanding how the media works when building stories on these issues is an important skill to have. On this ep...
Jun 06, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Asia’s business landscape has seen rapid change over the past few years, with old structures and hierarchies making way for a dynamic new social and cultural landscape. To stay ahead of the curve, any company that wants to do business in Asia must know how to react to these changes while understanding that the old rules of “East vs West” simply don’t apply anymore. On the other end of the scale, Asian companies need to be especially ready to meet the needs of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are looking...
Jun 06, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
