Modern Idealist

Join us as Samira Khan, a seasoned expert from Salesforce and Microsoft, delves into the essential fusion of social innovation and responsible AI. Samira shares her journey from witnessing social injustices to becoming a leader in sustainability, emphasizing the need for holistic, interdisciplinary approaches. She discusses the impact of parenthood on her views, the importance of up-skilling for the AI era, and her hopes for global innovation. Discover how unified strategies in tech and ethics can drive meaningful change.

As of 2021, the top 1% of households in the United States held 32.3% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% held just 2.6%. Additionally, the top 20% of the wealthiest Americans possessed 80% of all financial assets. Meryn and Valerie dive into the macro and micro perspectives on wealth and privilege. Whether you are in the top 1% or the top 20%, there is no escaping the harsh question: on whose shoulders do we stand to gain the wealth and enjoy the privileges that we have?

Valerie and Meryn's take on the tragedy of the commons. In a world of free markets (with good intentions), we've gotten so competitive that we've forgotten we all live in the same world sharing resources (beyond land and natural resources) and that we ultimately face the same problems. We question if we've been over gamified in today's societal standards that hurt the economy and ultimately hurt ourselves. Will we be able to break our of it as a group and what can we do as individuals?

Petter Reistad CEO and co-founder of Celsia, a sustainability management and reporting software company aiming to make regulatory sustainability reporting simpler, talks to Valerie about how Celsia has been navigating this emerging field. What the wins have been, and what hidden hurdles remain to be overcome. Since the recording of this episode, Celsia has been acquired by ISS Corporate. Petter elaborates on the importance of better quantifying sustainability, how the market is developing, and why he stays hopeful for this field of quantifying sustainability. 

In this captivating installment, we sat down for a chat with Dennis Yao Yu, a true champion for diversity and a fervent advocate for highlighting minorities, with a particular focus on the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) community. Dennis shares a wealth of insights drawn from his experiences in the heart of big tech and corporate life in Silicon Valley and the West Coast. Dennis delves into the critical importance of cultivating robust professional networks, especially for Asian American and Pacific Islander professionals who, according to a recent study by Coqual, face unique challenges in career advancement (being least likely” to say they have been promoted at their current companies and “significantly less likely" to say they have strong networks). He unravels the power of 'Otherness' and how embracing our differences can drive personal and professional growth. His talks on 'Otherness is a feature, not a bug' cut through to showcase the true value that inclusive and diverse workplaces bring. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Bruce Lee's philosophy of 'being like water,' Dennis empowers individuals to find their voices and advocate for themselves. As he puts it, "closed mouths don't get fed," and he offers invaluable guidance on how to speak up and make a lasting impact. Prepare to be energised and inspired as Dennis shares his journey and insights on navigating the corporate landscape while championing diversity. It's an episode that will leave you motivated to forge your own path and create meaningful change. *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!* ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND  ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast  ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast  ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!*   Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more on!   ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Welcome back to another episode of Modern Idealist, a podcast for career driven professionals striving to make an impact in today's fast paced society. I'm Valerie Leung. And we've brought on a very smart and data-driven friend of Modern Idealist today, Tony Senanayake, is a Chief Strategy Officer at Fortify Health, a non-profit that provides micronutrient-rich wheat flour to combat iron-deficiency anemia. He's passionate about development economics, public policy, and using data and evidence to amplify impact for people on the ground. He talks to us about data driven development and how he has been working with data driven methods to ensure and further his impact. If you stick around to the second half of the episode, we get into how development work, which often receives philanthropy funding, looks out on the ground.  *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!*  ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast  ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast  ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!*  Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more on!  ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com  ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND  *RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE EPISODE* Doctors Without Borders Video, Anti-racism: When you picture Doctor Without Borders, what do you see? Book: Poor Economics, by Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo Banerjee Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Welcome back to another exciting episode, where we delve into the raw and honest experiences of individuals living and working abroad. In this episode, we'll explore the international life in Norway, focusing on navigating relationships, work, and dating, and providing personal tips and insights on how to thrive abroad, particularly in Norway and the Nordic region. Join us as we uncover the joys and challenges of building a life as foreigners. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Rethinking Sustainable Finance with Rodolphe Bocquet In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Rodolphe Bocquet, a distinguished sustainable investment and policy expert, to delve into the world of sustainable finance. Rodolphe brings a vast array of knowledge and experience in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainable investments, making this conversation a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of finance and sustainability. Our discussion begins by introducing Rodolphe and exploring his extensive background in the field. We learn about his diverse expertise and the factors that fueled his passion for sustainable finance. From there, Rodolphe shares valuable insights and reflections on his career journey, including the challenges he encountered while advocating for sustainable practices within the financial industry and sustainability field. One of the key highlights of this episode is Rodolphe's proposition to reimagine the term "ESG." He argues that calling it "GSE" (Governance, Sustainability, and Environment) might be a more efficient way to achieve our hairy sustainability goals. We delve into the limitations of the existing terminology and the potential benefits of adopting this alternative order. As the conversation progresses, Rodolphe outlines his vision for the future of sustainable finance. We discuss the role of policymakers, businesses, and individuals in driving change and achieving sustainable development goals. Rodolphe also shares practical advice for aspiring professionals looking to make a difference in this field. Throughout the episode, we engage in a dynamic and insightful conversation that challenges our preconceptions about sustainable finance. Our reflections on the discussion underscore the importance of reevaluating our approaches and embracing a more comprehensive mindset in order to create a truly sustainable financial system. Tune in to learn from Rodolphe Bocquet's vast experience, and discover why the term "GSE" might be a game-changer. Join us as we explore the path towards a more sustainable and equitable financial future. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Valerie meets up with Bjørn Kjetil Mauritzen, Head of Sustainability from Hydro, a Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company. It is also one of the world's largest aluminum company. We discuss the hot topics of industrial sustainability, holistic value chain approaches and innovations applied in the heavy industries towards sustainability. Aluminum production is deeply complex as it has heavy carbon emissions, it is extractive of raw material, and could create toxic chemicals in production that results in polluting local waters. On the other hand, it is known to be the greener metal compared to the other metals as it is largely recyclable, and has a big recyclable potential.  In addition, Bjørn shares his intriguing personal journey, tracing their transition from the world of crude oil trading to their current pivotal role in industrial sustainability. Through this enlightening episode, we gain invaluable insights into the strategic approach adopted by the Hydro company to navigate the intricate landscape of sustainability while maintaining profitability. Our guest unveils the very tangible challenges encountered along the way, with a particular focus on the intricate interplay between aluminum and key industries such as electric vehicle (EV) batteries, renewable energy, and the elusive realm of consumer behavior. With EVs revolutionizing the automotive sector, we unravel the vital relationship between aluminum production and the quest for sustainable battery technologies. Bjørn Kjetil offers a wealth of knowledge on the concerted efforts being made to ensure that aluminum production processes and supply chains align seamlessly with sustainable practices, mitigating the environmental impact associated with EV battery manufacturing. But our exploration does not stop there. We shed light on the profound significance of fair trade within the aluminum industry, as our guest emphasizes the critical need for inclusive practices that extend benefits to all stakeholders. The path to a greener and fairer aluminum industry is to prioritize the well-being of communities, workers, and marginalized groups. Join us in discussion as we peel back the layers of industrial sustainability challenges, delve into the innovative and value chain opportunities that lie within, and continue the progression towards a fairer trade for all stakeholders concerned. Correction of the New York's tax free bagel: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/19/1170715220/tax-free-bagel-loophole-sandwich-tax --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Meryn and Valerie reunite on air after a brief hiatus caused by Meryn's loss of voice due to illness. While Valerie has been traversing the states, from New York to North Carolina, Meryn has been holding it down in Oslo, Norway. Join us as we catch up on our respective journeys and dive deep into discussions surrounding work-life setups and the complexities of privilege and materialism. We contemplate the privileges we enjoy and the material setups they possess, including the finer things in life, financial stability, luxury, wealth, careers, salaries, and overall well-being. Honesty being the core principle of our podcast, Meryn and Valerie question our own actions and aspirations, delving into the paradoxical nature of striving for success within a discriminatory and capitalistic system. One intriguing topic emerges during the conversation is the rising trend of building passive income, particularly through real estate ownership, among middle-income individuals. We explore the ethical dilemmas and conflicting implications associated with this growing phenomenon, challenging its impact on society and personal values. Additionally, Valerie drops an exciting career update and talks about feeding her latest insights into updating her theory of change. Tune in and let us know what you think! Resources mentioned on the show : -Instagram skits: Shabazsays (https://instagram.com/shabazsays?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

In this episode of the Modern Idealist Podcast, we sit down with Verel Rodrigues, a climate activist, engineer and environmental campaigner to hear his perspectives on corporate activism. We discuss the need for social momentum vs technology because, as Verel rightly says, while the technology is already available, we're still missing the political will to affect change. Verel discusses how can climate-conscious companies build momentum and that we needn't look further than the oil and gas industry for strategies they've used to gain political favour. For Verel, campaigning with Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion was a way for him to deal with climate anxiety, however, he sheds light on the many ways people can be activists without taking to the streets. He destigmatizes what activism truly is to give us a fresh perspective on how to use it in the workplace. The conversation then turns towards the expansion of human consciousness and the concepts of time, drawing parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of how fast we can make things happen when the will is there. We hope that you're both enlightened by Verel's insights and that you take with you some concrete ways to build momentum in your organisation, regardless of your role. How to find Verel:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/verelrodrigues/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/verelrodrigues Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/verelrodrigues/ SUBSCRIBE  TO  US! ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast CONNECT  WITH  US! Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND Books and resources that were mentioned on the show: The Good Ancestor by Roman Krznaric The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle For 3 Pathways for Civilization graph, go to our Instagram @ModernIdealistPodcast --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Back with some life updates and sustainability and social responsibility rants. Valerie talks about the complexity and interlinkages of sustainability and social challenges and pushes companies to do more. Both are fed up with Linkedin Posers, and ideaprenuers. Warning to our male audience, we go straight into the dilemmas of a single woman in her 30's, and Meryn challenges the existing social construct. *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!*  ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast  *CONNECT  WITH  US!*  Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

In this episode, we focus on content for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) specialists and professionals, and our guest Vikram walks us through a 5-day outreach sprint that he has come up with. Vikram has an impressive background working with major international organization bodies for responsible (sustainability and social) businesses, including the UN PRI, Textile Exchange, Finance UNEP Initiative, Access to Nutrition Index, SustainAbility and many others. He shares his insights on why organizations are increasingly interested in improving their DEI practices and the opportunities he sees in using data and storytelling to help DEI professionals. Vikram designed the 5-day outreach sprint specifically to assist DEI professionals who are often limited in capacity or in need of some outreach tips. The technique uses a simple data collection-to-data storytelling approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative approaches, to create connections with new clients. We discuss the importance of growing the DEI market and the need for more companies to work on improving DEI practices in a measurable way. Through this conversation, DEI professionals will learn valuable outreach techniques and insights that can help them create meaningful conversations within organizations. Join us as we explore the world of DEI and discover new ways to promote inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. 5-DAY OUTREACH SPRINT: https://73bit.com/DataDrivenDEI Free Prototype Scorecard Checklist: ⁠https://73bit.com/spcc⁠ Vikram's podcast, Sustainability Scores: bitly.com/73bitOnSpotify How to find Vikram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikramshettyc/ or vikram@73bit.com *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND Sources that were mentioned on the show: https://www.fastcompany.com/90829346/collaboration-is-vital-for-innovation https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/after-years-of-research-google-discovered-secret-weapon-to-building-a-great-team-its-a-lesson-in-emotional-intelligence.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Laura Smith is an American based in Helsinki and is an organizational researcher and founder of VALIDEI, a research agency specializing in the assessments of organizational inclusion, equity, and social responsibility. The incoming DEI Leader at Wolt and the former Head of DEI at Bolt, Laura specializes in developing strategies and evolving organizational practices, policies, and supports to be responsible to and impactful for stakeholders across global organizations. Laura values being practical and impactful, so in this talk, we'll not only walk through the concepts of organizational responsibility and applied empathy, we'll discuss real examples, actual metrics, and concrete action points you can take to integrate responsibility & empathy into your organization and better support your stakeholders. **How to reach Laura Smith*** For research-informed perspectives on DEI and responsible organizational development, follow Laura on LinkedIn at (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraelizabethsmith/) or to book me for a 1:1 chat at calendly.com/validei. Organizations interested in learning how to better serve and support their stakeholders are welcome to visit www.validei.com for research opportunities. *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more about! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

We had the pleasure of hosting our dynamic guest speaker, Georgia Elliott-Smith, Element Four's Managing Director. In this episode, we explore the hidden narrative of sustainability consulting and the importance of disruptive practices that enact meaningful and systemic change. Georgia shares how she got into this space and sheds light on the lucrative salaries and perks offered by big business to sustainability consultants. She touches on the critical role of corporate activism in holding profit-driven corporations accountable and discusses the importance of calling out greenwashing. We delve deeper into challenging the status quo and paving the way for a new model of sustainability management that prioritises the planet's well-being over business interests. We discuss the need for dedicated planet-serving roles that disrupt the norm and lead us to a brighter, more sustainable future. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

This episode is part 2 of our last episode. In the second part, we're going macro, we're also going to give our thoughts and reflections on some of the big bold predictions for 2023. Specifically, we will be referring to a list that Linkedin published at the end of 2022 called, Big Ideas 2023, 23 bold predictions of the year ahead. This was recorded in January 2023, and there are 20 predictions on there, and we'll take the first 5 in today's episode. Linkedin Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/big-ideas-2023-23-bold-predictions-year-ahead-linkedin-news-europe/?trackingId=zWQuC9iQSSCiugVgU5ZSpw%3D%3D --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Happy 2023! We're finally back in O-Town in Norway! After a festive and restful holiday season, we feel energized and excited to share with you some reflections from our time off, relationship updates, where we went and who we spent time with Most importantly some big-bang intentions for this upcoming year. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/modernidealist/message

Welcome to Episode 18 on 'Reimagining the global workforce through diversity.' A couple of episodes ago, we dropped a hint about Meryn's new venture, Umbrella, so we decided to bring in the founding team, Jyoti Sohal-David and Sabrina Zeng, to share what they're doing, the dent they want to put in the world and how they're tackling the challenges and opportunities when it comes to empowering a truly diverse and innovative workforce. We talk about how they got started, how they met, where the future of work should go from a human-centred perspective and how important it is to tap into diverse talent to move towards a better future. Together we explore short-term vs long-term good for business when it comes to making an impact, discuss why the way we work is broken and ask ourselves whether it's actually possible to create a fair and equitable, democratised business landscape. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Today we sit down for a heartfelt and unfeigned talk with Daniel Roth, founder of JumpScale, a company that focuses on sustainably scaling companies through the lens of well-being and mental health. Daniel shares his rich experience working with founders, his work as former Director for Sustainability at Cornell University and how Somatic Movement Therapy and reconnecting with the body has become a guiding force through his life's work. Daniel is also the producer of the storytelling podcast, Heal Story where people share stories about ancestral healing. We hope you find this episode as enriching and healing as we do. *REACH DANIEL HERE!*

It's been a wild ride for us in the past couple of months so we're bringing you a  double episode special over a glass of wine or two to give you the down low on all that's ensued. We've had the Diversify Nordics Summit, performed at The Annual Gala, ran events and spoke at Oslo Innovation Week on diversity, ESG and social impact. We both bought apartments, Meryn founded a new company and kicked off a collaboration with HerTech accelerator program, and Valerie spoke on a sustainability podcast which you can check out here ...Join us as we unpack some of the topics and key highlights discussed at our recent events such as the paradox of the Nordics, the importance of systemic change for true inclusion, attracting and retaining international talent in the workplace, tokenism, stereotypes and breaking out of the mould. *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!*  ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast  ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast  ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!*  Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more on!  ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com  ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND  *RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE EPISODE ESG Insider -A Podcast from S&P GLobal: How human rights are moving up the agenda for businesses and investors  Valerie on Arthan's Conversation of Change --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

It's been a wild ride for us in the past couple of months so we're bringing you a double episode special over a glass of wine or two to give you the down low on all that's ensued. We've had the Diversify Nordics Summit, performed at The Annual Gala, ran events and spoke at Oslo Innovation Week on diversity, ESG and social impact. We both bought apartments, Meryn founded a new company and kicked off a collaboration with HerTech accelerator program and Valerie spoke on a sustainability podcast. In this episode, we unpack some of the topics and key highlights discussed at our recent events such as the paradox of the Nordics, the importance of systemic change for true inclusion, attracting and retaining international talent in the workplace, tokenism, stereotypes and breaking out of the mould. *SUBSCRIBE TO US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅ Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT WITH US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more on! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND *RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE EPISODE* 7-Eleven | Land of Chlamydia Campaign Bloomberg Law | Asian Women are the Losers in Big Law Valerie on Arthan's Conversation of Change --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Today's episode starts with a Mindful Arrival, facilitated by our wonderful guest speaker, Bonnie Coberly. The perfect start for those who are back in the daily grind after the holiday period. If you're still feeling overwhelmed or that your break was a band-aid approach to a general feeling of being overworked, riding burnout or simply feeling uninspired, then you might get a lot out of this one. And you're definitely not alone. We discuss Bonnie's accidental journey in social entrepreneurship, born out of her own healing journey, how she overcame challenges after discovering her business profits were being stolen, and the way she pushed through the anxiety, burnout and depression to pay back the debt and how she rebuilt and found her way back to herself. She shares with us tips on how to prioritise and change your relationship to yourself to create a non-negotiable time for self-care and equips us with tools around habit formation (including a personal recovery kit). Currently based in Denver, Colorado and working with social entrepreneurs, Bonnie helps founders overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome and works with their inner dialogues in order to step into the work they're inspired to do. ‘You will not make a change until you have a big enough reason why.' - quotable quote We hope you enjoy this episode and are as enriched by Bonnie's story and wisdom as much as we are. *RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE*

This week's guest Eivind Fliflet took a break from parental leave (when we recorded this episode in May 2022) to talk with us about what it's like working for the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, Norges Bank Investment Management. Owning 1.3% of the globe's listed companies, you need only take a quick look at their website to see the oil fund's market value going up by hundreds of millions of Norwegian krone before your very eyes. Eivind, who considers himself an idealistic pragmatist, heads up the Environmental Initiatives team within Corporate Governance at the fund and is responsible for weighing in on big topics such as climate change, biodiversity and ethics, and providing recommendations to the companies in which the Fund. We learn from Eivind how the Fund develops views and expectations on climate change and environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidelines to influence the global market and how sustainability needs to be embedded in an organisation's core. We explore oxymorons, career shifts, CEO salaries and the point when Eivind personally discovered the complexities of solving wicked sustainability problems and the paradox that exists between strategy vs action. He shares his views on internal activism and burnout, company value alignment, and that you can be impactful whilst having a balanced approach (something we both struggle with!). For change makers listening to this episode, Eivind leaves us with some words of insight to propel you into your own impact journey. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Are you travelling this summer? Now that many countries have implemented workable solutions for tackling covid in all its variants, international travel has burst open again. It has given rise to an influx of tourism in certain countries across the globe, to the point where the airline industry has shaken under the weight of it all. So we thought it a timely occasion to take a closer look at the way we travel and its broader global impact for better and/or worse. This episode focuses on our social responsibilities as travellers; What does it mean for environmental sustainability when we consider the effects of our carbon footprint both en route and during our time spent at the destination? How is cultural preservation affected in places inundated with tourists, where the disneysation of towns and cities begins to undermine the social fabric? And what about those of us who are native (or practically native) English speakers? We discuss the privileges of having our mother tongue as the universal (second) language with which to connect to the world. But how much does that diminish our cultural sensitivity to other languages? As we scratch the surface of each of these pressing topics, we seek you, friends and listeners, to reflect and share your thoughts with us on how to create better, more sustainable travel experiences that enrich the lives of everyone in the value chain. *SUBSCRIBE  TO  US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅  Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT  WITH  US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

In this episode of MI, we take a look at some of the current trends, that some call idealistic, driving the future of work. A part of being a modern idealist is the balance between our ambition to create an impact in society whilst improving our own quality of life. Sometimes, that refers to financial security, but this time, it's about improving our quality of life. We challenge ourselves to use the LinkedIn Daily Rundown, one of our regular sources of news, to pick our top three up for discussion. 1. Emotions in the workplace - should we be showing up to work as our full selves? What kind of emotional diversity should we expect from our workplaces? 2. Working remote from anywhere - Airbnb is pioneering a 'work from anywhere' policy with employees so they never have to have rigid office structures again. We discuss what it could mean to be truly global citizens who are free to move about the world in this digitally-connected knowledge economy. 3. Work-life balance - we explore the top and bottom three countries, why they work or don't work, and what it could take for other markets to follow suit. *SUBSCRIBE TO US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅ Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast ✅ Linkedin: Modern Idealist Podcast *CONNECT WITH US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ SHARE WITH A FRIEND LINKS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT:

On today's episode of Modern Idealist, we have a conversation with climate evangelist Gala Anania. After a successful career as a translator and interpreter, Gala took a leap into sustainability consulting, embarked on a zero-waste life, and found her own way of balancing the ever-present trade-offs between how she makes a difference in her personal life and through her work where she helps companies decarbonize. Gala is currently working at The Carbon Trust, a global sustainability consultancy, and previously she was at myFootprint, a carbon accounting start-up bringing climate action to SMEs. She holds a Master's in Sustainability Management and Innovation from Westminster Business School. In her past career life, she was a conference interpreter working mainly in finance and sustainability, where she attended COP22. She has now espoused the Zero Waste lifestyle for a few years, has lived in 6 countries, and speaks 4 languages. *SUBSCRIBE TO US!* ✅ @Modern Idealist on Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✅ Instagram: ModernIdealistPodcast *CONNECT WITH US!* Tell us what you enjoyed and what you want to hear more of! ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com ✨ Guest: Gala's Linkedin ✨ Meryn's Linkedin ✨ Valerie's Linkedin --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

A little ‘woohoo' for us! Perhaps it's a little preemptive to get excited about reaching our 9th episode, but we're doing it anyway! After almost a year of plugging away at our passion project, we're pretty proud of what we've achieved so far. We have listeners from 27 different countries and we're pumped to see how many like-minded people there are across the globe who care about this topic and want to create a positive impact and live responsibility whilst still existing in today's modern world. We're additionally proud of making it thus far because, fun fact, only a third of podcasts make it to 10 episodes -hence, the mini-celebration and the need to thank you, our listener, for being on this journey with us. In this episode of the Modern Idealist, we're going back to the core of why we started this, what it means to be an idealist living in the realities of modern day, and discuss some of the recurring conundrums we constantly reflect on. We share some of the great feedback we have received from our listeners so far and talk about some of the challenges and trade-offs when trying to live out our modern idealist values. *Subscribe and connect with us!* ✅ Follow Modern Idealist on: Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast ✨ Instagram: Modern__idealist ✨ Meryn's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merynwilletts/ ✨ Valerie's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-leung/ ✨ Email: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com *Links for relevant content* > Podcast: On Being with Krista Tippet with Jonathan Rowson - Integrating Souls, Systems, and Society > The School of Life Dating Cards: https://www.theschooloflife.com/shop/dating-cards/ > The Human Aspect: https://thehumanaspect.com/ > Be more confident! video: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thefemalelead_tova-leigh-dear-alyne-have-you-ever-heard-activity-6914285032152989696-8QVB?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Today marks the 109th International Women's Day. During this month, we want to celebrate and highlight women from all walks of life, we will be talking about equality, the progression so far, and the work ahead to do even better to reach full inclusivity and equity. Throughout the last 200 years, we've seen the progression of gender equality and a rise of feminism, but this progress is unfortunately still too far from full gender equality. Research shows the gender gap will take an estimated 135 years to close, and in addition, the road to our goal will not be just for all women. The progression we've seen so far favors some women over others. We need to hear more from people with truly diverse backgrounds and identities to #breakthebias of gender stereotyping and discriminating and our own bias in choosing who should benefit over others in this progression. We are delighted to bring on our friend, Jyoti Sohal-David, in this episode to share her incredible story. She is the founder & CEO of Skillhus, a recruitment and consultancy agency that specializes in increasing diversity and inclusion in Norwegian workplaces. We sit down for a timely conversation for International Women's Day on internationality, identity, and intersectionality. *Subscribe to us for more content!* ✨ Instagram: Modern__idealist ✅ Follow Modern Idealist on: Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

For many of us who've been on the chase of a purpose-driven job or jobs that create a positive impact on our communities and society, we are often met with the dilemmas of finding an interesting job and balancing other needs in our life such as our own financial security, self-growth, and other opportunities to better ourselves while creating impact. It is no news that we once lived in a generation where we were forced to pick sides such as working in for-profit vs non-profit sectors, but we now live in a time when we believe we can create all at the same time. Still, the problems to balance between these are no less big deliberations for many of us. In this episode of Modern Idealist, we dive into the concept of the career portfolio (and the squiggly career) and what it means to reject the concept of a linear career path in order to achieve our own definitions of purpose and success. Valerie discusses her career journey, growing up with high expectations from immigrant parents, and how this influenced her vocation and career trajectory. We then circle back to talk about jobs of the future and why we need to shake things up to create a more inspiring future workforce, now! Subscribe to us for more content! Instagram: Modern__idealist Follow Modern Idealist on: Spotify / Apple Podcast / Google Podcast How we can help Ukraine: https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help?t=1645782791891 Link to sources: Career Portfolio: Rinne, April. “Why You Should Build a ‘Career Portfolio' (Not a ‘Career Path').” Harvard Business Review, 13 Oct. 2021, https://hbr.org/2021/10/why-you-should-build-a-career-portfolio-not-a-career-path. The Squiggly Career: “The Best Career Path Isn't Always a Straight Line.” Performance by Sarah Ellis, and Helen Tupper, Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper: The Best Career Path Isn't Always a Straight Line | TED Talk, Feb. 2021, https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_ellis_and_helen_tupper_the_best_career_path_isn_t_always_a_straight_line?language=en. Accessed June 2021. “New Data Track Graduates of Six Popular Majors through Their First Three Jobs.” Philosophy Degrees and Sales Jobs: New Data Track Graduates of Six Popular Majors through Their First Three Jobs, Inside Higher Ed, 2 Aug. 2019, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/08/02/new-data-track-graduates-six-popular-majors-through-their-first-three-jobs. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

This episode is part II of the last episode, episode 5. We continue our discussion about the millennials and gen z workforce asking for accountability and making a collective call for action. For many of us, COVID has either exacerbated or created mental health issues and stress levels that we hadn't had or noticed before. There is a stigma around mental health problems especially in the relationship between employees and employers given it is often a place of work performance. This calls for more development of emotional intelligence and psychological flexibility amongst leaders and the work culture in organizations. But numbers show that people are still stressed and anxious due to the pandemic and that a significant amount of the younger workforce believe that their companies have done a poor job in supporting them. In addition to the stress and mental health problems, we're battling, we're still faced with other societal inequalities that too often show up in our personal lives leaving many to rethink our values on wealth distribution and discrimination because of our backgrounds. As people call for accountability and change, we don't often know what we want to change into. Are we asking for more salaries, competitive employment benefits, regulations, labor laws, etc? Meryn and I have been fortunate enough to experience different societal structures and organization cultures across the US, Australia, UK, and Norway. We've enjoyed the laws to protect the benefits of employees in Norway, but we also see the fast-changing landscape of market-driven organizational changes in the US and in Australia. Join us in on our discussion! /////////Endnotes////////// Google's Manipulated Ad Auctions, Microsoft Buys Activision Blizzard, and the Danger of Billionaires, Pivot Podcast, 2022 Deloitte Millennial Survey, A call for accountability and action, 2021 Credit Suisse Research Institute, Global Wealth Report, 2021 The World Inequality Lab, World Inequality Report, 2021 Bregman, Rutger Utopia for Realists. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2017 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Over the past weeks and months, we've been traveling around to meet old friends around the world. Valerie has been in the US, UK, Canada, and Norway while Meryn has been in Norway and Australia. We reflect on our encounters and conversations we have with our friends of different perspectives and share the contrasting movements across countries and continents. From those encounters, we are reminded of how difficult it can be for many of our peers, who are busy building a life (as one does in their late 20's, 30's, and 40's), to deal with all the emerging social and climate challenges of today. It can be easy to underestimate ourselves to tackle big systemic problems that seem impossible like climate change and social injustices, but we've also witnessed collective action in many ways that have progressed us further every day. One of them is cancel culture, a powerful yet dangerous modern form of boycotting and ostracism, for better or worse. While cancel culture has its pros and cons, the call for accountability is spreading towards the corporate world where millennials and gen z are taking these values to the workplace for the better. Of these values, we discuss the key topics of concern such as climate, business in society, mental health, systemic racism, health in the workplace, and stress (exacerbated during COVID). /////////Endnotes////////// Deloitte Millennial Survey, A call for accountability and action, 2021 Credit Suisse Research Institute, Global Wealth Report, 2021 The World Inequality Lab, World Inequality Report, 2021 Bregman, Rutger. Utopia for Realists. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2017 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Many of us dream of the perfect job. For many modern idealists, it is often a job that brings a positive impact and progression to society, it requires our talent and skills, and it rewards us with competitive pay and career growth potential. Is it too good to be true? We explore Ikigai, a Japanese concept known as the synergy between doing what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at, and what can you be paid for. This way of life encompasses "your reason of being" and the collective small sums of joy that bring happiness in your everyday life. Listen in on our discussion about our Ikigai - its beauty and its obstacles, and how we help each other on the journey to realizing our own Ikigai.. and making a career of it. Share your thoughts with us: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com --- Sources: Loehr, Jim, and Tony Schwartz. “The Making of a Corporate Athlete.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Publishing, Jan. 2001, https://theplumonline.com/life/what-ikigai-key-work-life-balance#:~:text=%22Ikigai%20is%20the%20synergy%20between,%E2%80%9CEveryone%20has%20an%20ikigai. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Valerie and Meryn have been separated by the Atlantic and travels to London, but it's not just for leisure. Pandemic lockdowns and social restrictions have limited many people's exposure to different ways of life and cultures from themselves. Meryn and Valerie are reminded of the contracting lives they live in during COVID-19. The trip makes us reflect on our surroundings that influence our social bubble and profession. We talk about our desire to stay connected with the evolving betterment of values and discuss our visions to continue expanding our surroundings and input that make up our views and mindset. From contracting social circles to expanding societal mindsets, we continue to reevaluate and evolve our sense of responsibility. In the meantime, employees across America and Europe are leaving their jobs at record numbers - creating the Great Resignation Era. How might the sense of responsibility and desire to express their social and climate values show up in this period? Share your thoughts with us: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com *** Sources: Cook, Ian. “Who Is Driving the Great Resignation?” Harvard Business Review, 15 Sept. 2021, https://hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignation. Accessed 6 Nov. 2021. Microsoft, 2021, 2021 Work Trend Index: Annual Report, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/hybrid-work. Accessed 6 Nov. 2021. Schwartz, Jeff, et al. Deloitte University Press, 2016, Global Human Capital Trends 2016 The New Organization: Different by Design, https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends/2016.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2021. Urquhart, Jasmine. “Employee Burnout Has Doubled since Lockdown Ended, Research Finds.” People Management, 20 Oct. 2021, https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/news/articles/employee-burnout-has-doubled-since-lockdown-ended. Accessed 6 Nov. 2021. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Meryn and Valerie are both co-founders of two different social impact startups. We first connected over our passion for social innovation startups. Triple bottom-line concepts (aka businesses for people, planet, and profit) have been on the rise in recent years. They give innovative ideas beyond technology alone challenging the way we measure success in a business. This both gave us energy and sometimes despair when challenged with the additional measures of success and additional challenges to the already arduous startup journey. We talk about the energy it gave us, how we keep faith in this space in times of despair, and why we still believe in impact x business. Share your thoughts with us: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

Welcome to the first episode of the Modern Idealist, a podcast for career-driven professionals who are looking to make an impact. We're kicking off the podcast with an introduction of ourselves, our interpretation of a modern idealist, and a taste of our topics. Co-hosted with Meryn Willetts. Share your thoughts with us: ModernIdealistPodcast@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/modernidealist/message

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