FutureReady

In this episode of FutureReady, we sit down with Janna Schneidewindt, Head of Internal Communications at RWE, to explore how strategic internal comms can drive business transformation and employee engagement. Janna shares valuable insights on activating employees, empowering leaders to navigate ambiguity, and simplifying communication for impact.  Key discussion points include: How to turn corporate milestones into pride moments that foster a sense of belonging. The evolving role of internal communications—moving from content creation to strategic advisory. Why “less is more” in today's information-saturated workplace. How AI is transforming internal communications and why it's a mindset shift, not just a tool.  Whether you're an internal comms professional or a business leader, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you inspire, engage, and lead with purpose. The link to the Positive Intelligence tool that Janna mentioned: https://www.positiveintelligence.com/

Understanding engagement as a continuous process is key to successful employee communication. When it comes to employee engagement, the 'engaged' vs. 'not engaged' binary is rather simplistic. True engagement requires a holistic, on-going investment into creating open modes of communication and dynamic work cultures. So, how do we foster these cultures of engagement? This is the question that Dr. Eleni Georganta helps us unpack in this episode. Eleni is an Assistant Professor in Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, and a leading researcher in team dynamics and collaboration optimisation. Ready to get your employees engaged? Let's jump right in! This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Nina Cerasuolo and Ana Luiza Loio Becil. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens.

Introducing AI as a colleague may sound crazy, but it can help organizations foster a culture of trust and collaboration in human-AI teams. Such an approach requires leaders and employees to think of AI as a valued team member, and to consider how to strategically employ its abilities. It prompts us to think of AI integration as not just mere tech implementation, but as a true cultural transformation. To delve into this strategic shift, our host Arne chats to Dr. Eleni Georganta – an Assistant Professor in Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Amsterdam, and a leading researcher in human-AI collaboration. This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Nina Cerasuolo and Ana Luiza Loio Becil. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens.

The key to a successful AI implementation is not just jumping straight into AI implementation – but ensuring that employees understand and support these new tools. After all, every successful tech transformation is strategic. And that includes intentionally crafting messages that educate your employees and help them embrace change. In this episode, our host Arne speaks to Scott Likens, head of PwC's Innovation Hub, about their pioneering efforts in implementing their very own gen-AI tool – ChatPwC, currently being rolled out globally. Click the 'play' button to hear Scott's insights on how to ensure company-wide AI literacy, and how to make your people excited for the AI transformation! This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Nina Cerasuolo and Ana Luiza Loio Becil. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens. You can find Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlikens/ or X: https://twitter.com/scottlikens?lang=en

The AI revolution has swept through our world just over a year ago – yet, for future-ready organizations, so much is already changing. New tools, such as the recently launched Microsoft Copilot, promise to combine powerful data processing and human expertise to bring business intelligence to new levels. So, how will AI complement human talent in the new landscape of work? In this episode, we have a chat with Pascal Brunner, the Head of Modern Work at Campana & Schott Switzerland. He takes along a journey through the latest AI tools launched by Microsoft – to include Copilot and the employee engagement tool Viva. This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Nina Cerasuolo and Ana Luiza Loio Becil. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens. --- You can find Pascal's newsletters, mentioned in this Podcast, on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascal-brunner1/ Book "The Employee Experience Advantage", by Jacob Morgan: https://www.amazon.com/Employee-Experience-Advantage-Employees-Workspaces/dp/111932162X

Corporate communications are notably behind marketing or sales when it comes to being data driven. Can AI finally give us the leap we need? In this episode, our host Arne has a chat with Thomas Mickeleit. From IBM to Volkswagen to Microsoft, Thomas has been driving tech transformations in the comms industry for three decades. Today, he leads his own CommTech working group in Germany, gathering around 450 network members. We discuss the hottest topic in the CommTech world right now. That is, how AI can help us better understand our stakeholder journeys and craft on-point, inspiring narratives. This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Nina Cerasuolo and Ana Luiza Loio Becil. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens. — Möchten Sie mehr über Thomas' Arbeit erfahren? Dann lesen Sie sein brandneues Buch 'Erfolgsfaktor CommTech: Die digitale Transformation der Unternehmenskommunikation' hier: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Thomas-Mickeleit-ebook/dp/B0C7MHCX2W

Welches Potenzial hat KI in der Unternehmenskommunikation jenseits von ChatGPT? Und wie reiten wir auf den tosenden Wellen des Wandels, die auf uns zukommen werden? In der ersten Folge unserer Staffel über künstliche Intelligenz sprechen wir mit Pajam Hassan, dem CEO und Gründer von Intuitive.AI - einem Unternehmen, das sich auf die Entwicklung und Implementierung von KI-Lösungen für komplexe Geschäftsprobleme spezialisiert hat. Auf der Grundlage von Pajams Erfahrung als Datenwissenschaftler und Unternehmer demystifizieren wir aktuelle KI-Entwicklungen, von denen du dachtest, sie seien zu technisch, um sie zu verstehen. Außerdem entdecken wir aufregende neue Möglichkeiten für unsere Branche und reflektieren über die Rolle von Kommunikationsverantwortlichen in der KI-Revolution. Bist du bereit, mitzumachen? Diese Folge wird von Arne Kötting präsentiert und wurde von Ana Luiza Loio Becil und Nina Cerasuolo produziert. FutureReady-Musik "Botanics" von Elizabells, und Tonbearbeitung von Carsten Steffens.

So... what is AI's potential in corporate comms beyond ChatGPT? And how do we ride the roaring waves of AI change that are about to hit us? In the first episode of our Artificial Intelligence season, we are joined by Pajam Hassan, who is the CEO and founder of Intuitive.AI - a company that is specialized in building and implementing AI solutions to complex business issues. Drawing from Pajam's expertise both as a data scientist and as an entrepreneur, we demystify current AI developments that you thought were too tech-y for you to understand. We also discover exciting new possibilities for our industry and reflect on the role of comms leaders in the AI revolution. Ready to jump in? This episode is presented by Arne Kötting, and was produced by Ana Luiza Loio Becil and Nina Cerasuolo. FutureReady music theme "Botanics" by Elizabells, and sound editing by Carsten Steffens.

**How can we make sustainable behaviours more appealing?** Dr. Brandi Shaw Morris suggests that neuroscience can help us catalyse sustainable change by understanding how our brains work and what drives our behaviour. Brandi has worked in both academia and the private sector for more than 15 years. Currently, she is an assistant professor at Aarhus University in Denmark. Conducting research at the intersection between sustainability and neuroscience, Brandi believes that **by understanding our brain's natural tendencies, we can design interventions that nudge people towards more sustainable behaviour.** In this episode, we learn from Brandi about the importance of changing people's minds before we can change entire systems – and about the role of communications and storytelling in doing so.

“Long-term well-being for all is the ultimate goal of an economy.” Putting this insight into practice requires a radical rethinking of business-as-usual. Companies must recognize sustainability as their raison d'être. After all, what is sustainability if not the pursuit of long-term well-being for all? **In this episode, we learn from Dr. Victoria Hurth about how purpose can help companies position sustainability at the core of their operations - for widespread change.**

Building partnerships across sectors is an essential aspect of tackling sustainability issues effectively and holistically. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognise sustainability as always having social, environmental, and economic facets. Addressing the SDGs therefore requires varied approaches -- acting on multiple fronts and involving different actors. It requires the private, public, and non-profit sectors to work together. But joining forces for sustainability is not an easy task. Interests, objectives, and resources vary among stakeholders, and thus many pitfalls might arise. How can partners align on their sustainability vision and make a difference together? In this episode, we hear from Simon Brown about how businesses and non-profits can build strong partnerships for sustainability. Simon is Deputy Technical Director for Economic Empowerment at Sightsavers, an international organization that works with partners to treat and prevent avoidable blindness. With his extensive experience working for both businesses and NGOs, Simon has been building inter-sector partnerships for many decades.

Every industry faces distinctive challenges when it comes to sustainability. But dare we say, **some industries face greater challenges than others due to the nature of the products they manufacture**. The chemicals industry is one of the sectors where sustainability transformations can feel like a real enigma. Chemical manufacturing companies must undergo drastic changes to reduce their negative footprint while maintaining profitable revenues. The size of these challenges means that companies must be reoriented towards sustainability across the board – a single sustainability department is not enough. This is the intricate mission that *Evonik Industries AG - a leading chemical manufacturing company** - is currently in. In this episode of the FutureReady Podcast, host Arne Kötting talks with Stefan Haver. At the time of this conversation, Stefan Haver was working at Evonik as Head of Sustainability. Since January 2023, he has been working as Head of Communications & Sustainability at the **RAG Foundation**. Among many exceptional insights, Stefan shares knowledge about assessing product portfolios, the importance of language, and methodological approaches to sustainability.

Though all industries need to address environmental impact, **the path to sustainability is not homogenous**. Different business models and diverse socio-economic contexts require businesses to find unique solutions to sustainability challenges. Merging creativity with problem-solving, effective design is key to successful sustainability transformations. Did you know that 80% of a product's environmental impact is decided in the design phase? In this episode of the FutureReady Podcast, host Arne Kötting talks with **Frouke Bruinsma** about designing more sustainable value chains from A to Z. At the time when this conversation was recorded, Frouke worked in the Sustainability, Procurement and Legal department at **Fatboy the original – a global home and garden goods manufacturer**. In this captivating chat, Frouke shares valuable knowledge on the importance of product design, the role of consumers in sustainability transformations, the concept of circular economy, and much more.

To successfully navigate sustainability transformations, companies must expand their operational toolkits in response to ever-changing challenges. The urgency of sustainability transformations requires strong strategic thinking, extreme adaptability, and a serious commitment to innovation. Zeynep Özbil understands the complexity of these tasks. She is the Executive Director of Global Communications at Arcelik Group-Beko-Grundig - a global home appliances brand that is setting the benchmark for sustainability in the industry. In this episode of FutureReady, Zeynep talks to our host Arne Kötting about how companies can successfully approach sustainability, develop strategies and KPIs, and create narratives that work for these transformations.

The call for more sustainable business models and corporate cultures is getting increasingly stronger from all sides. To create meaningful change in the long run, companies must weave sustainability into every aspect of their operation – including communication, employee engagement, partnerships, and more. The task is huge and even harder than it sounds! To help you find your way through the sustainability maze, our host Arne Kötting talks with Marina Schmitz about how to create sustainability transformations. Marina is a CSR expert at Polymundo AG and a researcher and lecturer at IEDC - Bled School of Management. In this episode of the FutureReady Podcast, Marina shares unique insights on the differences between ESG and sustainability, the importance of building emotional connections to the issue of sustainability, the shift to impact-driven business models, and more.

Future-ready companies understand sustainability transformations as key to innovation and industry leadership. But many still feel intimidated by the sizable efforts they require. Too often, sustainability transformations fail to trickle down into all departments of a business. They live only in the minds of leadership, in quarterly board meetings, and in yearly sustainability reports. So, how can we win the hearts and minds of employees for the issue? How can we effectively mainstream sustainability across our organizations? In the new Sustainability Series of the FutureReady Podcast, we spotlight stories of companies who have been successfully integrating sustainability into their corporate culture. We hear insights from professionals who are leading the way on sustainability breakthrough practices and impactful communication. They speak to host Arne Kötting about topics such as ESG, sustainability strategy development, partnership design, and more!

Organizational change experts have increasingly been highlighting deep listening, humility, and intense self-reflection as the top qualities of future-ready leaders. At the same time, recent scientific research has been suggesting that the openness necessary to embody these traits can more easily be acquired through psychedelic therapy. Could psychedelics really be an effective ally in the quest for wiser, more compassionate modes of leadership? In this episode, FutureReady host Arne Kötting speaks to Maarten van Huijstee – the CEO and co-founder of Spinoza, an Amsterdam-based company that provides its clients with curated psychedelic experiences. Maarten is a strong believer in the potential of psychedelics to help make us better people – and to create better leaders. He is also a serial entrepreneur, and someone who has occupied executive positions in multinational companies such as Heineken and Unilever. That is to say that Maarten is the perfect person to share insights into the business, spiritual, and scientific sides of psychedelics. Ready to open up your mind?

In 2020, there were fewer female Chairs of the board than male Chairs called John in the S&P 500 companies. In 2015, working in the philanthropy division of a major bank, Diana van Maasdijk felt that she had hit a wall in her mission to advance gender equality. Frustrated by the slow pace of change when it comes to the workplace gender gap, she decided to resort to a powerful, yet controversial tool: money. Diana then founded Equileap – a company that provides investors with data on gender equality in the workplace, allowing them to make more responsible investment decisions. In this episode of the FutureReady podcast, she chats to host Arne Kötting about the current state of gender diversity in the corporate world. She also shares valuable pieces of knowledge and practical wisdom on how to change workplace culture, getting gender equality off the page and into life.

In today's fast-paced business world, change may sometimes feel like our biggest enemy. Just when we think we have found the most effective structures and visions for our organization, change comes unsolicited and forces us to rethink it all. But instead of letting fear take over, future ready leaders must step into newness to catalyze organization-wide breakthroughs and innovation. To learn more about leading in the unknown, FutureReady host Arne Kötting talks to transformative leadership expert Dr. Nick Udall, CEO and co-founder of the nowhere group. In this 59-minute episode, Nick guides us through the "creativity roller coaster journey". Join us on this ride!

There's a lot of talk about bringing people back to the office (or not), and what the optimal hybrid work environment looks like - but there's often something missing from this ‘operationally-focused' discussion. What about the impact remote work has had on people, and organizations as a whole? And how can we use our understanding of this to design the ideal hybrid scenario? Join us for a 42-minute deep dive into the complex transformations taking place in the 'new normal'. In this episode, host Arne Kötting talks to Dr. Lucia Garcia Lorenzo, Associate Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at the London School of Economics, on how insights from organizational psychology can help us digest and learn from the wide-reaching changes taking place in today's hybrid workspaces.

Organizations spend around USD40 billion on customer marketing research, and 100x less than that on understanding and shaping the journeys of their employees.” Quite the contrast isn't it! Maybe this accounts for some of what we're seeing with the #greatresignation? And it also raises the question, if you don't take care of your people, how will they take care of your customers? In our new podcast episode, we launch our chapter on Workplace and Culture by speaking to Magali Demierre, Global Head of Employee Experience at Philip Morris International who talked us through her learnings of shaping an end-to-end employee journey for 71k colleagues at PMI as it undertakes its ambitious transformation to a smoke-free future.

Changing our own actions is difficult, let alone changing the behaviour of others. One of the hot topics when it comes to the question of how to effect change within organisations is an emerging discipline called #behaviouralscience. Tune in from today to hear our fascinating discussion with Antoine Ferrere, Global Head of Behavioural and Data Science at #Novartis where we explore how data and science can be used by organisations to both measure and improve the impact of #change on behaviours…

Organizations everywhere are going through huge upheavals and transformations. On a change consultant's PowerPoint slides, these can look like nice, neat and easy ‘projects' that seamlessly move the company into its new MO. But can anything ever truly be neat and easy where humans are involved? Even the biggest transformation is ultimately a very personal, emotional thing – and what motivates one, can block the other… To understand the human dimension of change we spoke to Professor Dr George Bonanno, an expert in trauma, grief and resilience. Tune in to discover why trauma isn't what we think it is, how we might remain flexible in the face of adversity, and why resilience is like a pie.

The podcast for and with change-makers and leaders who are on a mission to shape healthy and thriving organisations.