Podcasts about Sustainable Development Goals

Global reproductive rights and investment in the agencies and organizations that support reproductive rights have often been used as a political football. The bodies of women, girls, and LGBTQI+ persons have been used to push and pull power for decades—and this anti-rights, anti-choice framework has become increasingly exported around the world. Beth Schlachter, Senior Director for U.S. and External Engagement for MSI Reproductive Choices, talks to us about how attacks to human rights frameworks and funding will further endanger global reproductive health and rights.Some apparatuses the U.S. have been using to redefine human rights, and therefore, redefine access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, include the Commission on Unalienable Rights, the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief, and the Geneva Consensus Declaration. These frameworks and tools then get internationally exported. MSI has a host of programs around the world that will be impacted by these tools, frameworks, and funding attacks. MSI's programs support maternal health and access to other reproductive health services. In addition, these attacks will likely and broadly impact child marriage programs, the PEPFAR program, the Sustainable Development Goals, and more.For more information check outThe Nocturnists: https://thenocturnists.org/Support the showFollow Us on Social: Twitter: @rePROsFightBack Instagram: @reprosfbFacebook: rePROs Fight Back Bluesky: @reprosfightback.bsky.social Email us: jennie@reprosfightback.comRate and Review on Apple PodcastThanks for listening & keep fighting back!

Investing in youth and education aligns directly with Sustainable Development Goal # 4 (Quality Education) and indirectly fuels several others like Decent Work and Economic Growth (goal # 8) and Reduced Inequalities (goal # 10). This perspective reinforces how crucial it is to view sustainability as not just environmental, but deeply tied to social and economic development. It takes a village is a common expression, used by so many to essentially mean…we all need to lift one another up to attain the most robust society for long-term sustainability Lifting up any society often begins with opportunities that offer economic sustainability - those opportunities can only be realized when individuals are schooled and trained. If we don't invest in our youth, we are essentially saying that the next generation isn't worth the investment…what does that say about sustainability? What does that say about building competition that creates a landscape of creativity and forward-thinking products and services? Domestic violence and Early pregnancies among young girls are rampant in communities and are caused by poverty and unemployment forcing families to lack basic needs.  Dependable Youth Initiative Uganda is a registered Community non-governmental organization committed to empowering youth and women through vocational skill building, agri-business, Gender rights and equality, environment conservation, and reproductive health education. Please check out their website: https://dyinitiative.org/  

Best-selling author of “One Nation Under Blackmail”, Whitney Webb, is back to discuss her latest article on the covert moves that are being made by one of the most polarizing figures in recent American history, Erik Prince. While his former company Blackwater underwent multiple rebrandings to attempt to remove the bloodstains from the carpet in the lobby, Prince was busy launching new ventures from his home base in the United Arab Emirates, such as Comframe and Dark Matter, which seek to help the Chinese acquire technology from Israel to assist with its Belt and Road Initiative. While China attempts to rebuild the fabled Silk Road to connect the world together, the United Nations is busy devising new ways in which to destroy it. Using the imagined threat of “climate change” as the new invisible enemy, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals are leading the world into a digital panopticon where the public is treated as fenced livestock and the Globalists are the only ones with the keys. The Octopus of Global Control Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3xu0rMm Hypocrazy Audiobook: https://amzn.to/4aogwms Website: www.Macroaggressions.io Activist Post: www.activistpost.com Sponsors: Chemical Free Body: https://www.chemicalfreebody.com Promo Code: MACRO C60 Purple Power: https://c60purplepower.com/ Promo Code: MACRO Wise Wolf Gold & Silver: www.Macroaggressions.gold LegalShield: www.DontGetPushedAround.com EMP Shield: www.EMPShield.com Promo Code: MACRO ECI Development: https://info.ecidevelopment.com/-get-to-know-us/macro-aggressions Christian Yordanov's Health Transformation Program: www.LiveLongerFormula.com Privacy Academy: https://privacyacademy.com/step/privacy-action-plan-checkout-2/?ref=5620 Brain Supreme: www.BrainSupreme.co Promo Code: MACRO Above Phone: abovephone.com/macro Promo Code: MACRO Van Man: https://vanman.shop/?ref=MACRO Promo Code: MACRO My Patriot Supply: www.PrepareWithMacroaggressions.com Activist Post: www.ActivistPost.com Natural Blaze: www.NaturalBlaze.com Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/macroaggressionspodcast Whitney Webb: Website: www.UnlimitedHangout.com Books: https://rb.gy/dyrdx

A bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former first lady of Iceland. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Eliza's first book, Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, was an instant bestseller in Canada and Iceland, a New York Times Book Review Editors' Pick, and translated into numerous languages. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death on the Island (Death of a Diplomat in Europe), is now available worldwide. From 2016 to 2024, Eliza served in the unofficial role of First Lady while her husband was President of Iceland, during which time she served as patron of numerous organizations and was named a United Nations Special Ambassador for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. Passionate about inclusion, belonging, and equality, she wielded her influence through poignant op-eds, a compelling TEDx talk, and dozens of keynote addresses to audiences of hundreds around the world, including presidents and royalty. Eliza has degrees from the University of Toronto (Trinity College) and Oxford University (St. Antony's College). She lives in the outskirts of Reykjavík with her husband and four children.

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Cameron: Ability to foster collaboration and build meaningful connections.Peter: Courage to speak truth, even when facing potential backlash.A major obstacle to global prosperity is the chronic underfunding of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in emerging markets. In this episode of Superpowers for Good, Cameron Neil, CEO of LendForGood, and Peter Rostovsky, CEO of Raiseway, discussed their new collaboration that aims to close that gap. Together, they're making it easier for impact-driven businesses to raise capital and for everyday people to lend across borders.LendForGood is already empowering impact enterprises in places like Asia, Africa, Latin America, and beyond to access much-needed debt financing from a global pool of lenders. Now, with Raiseway's support, these entrepreneurs will have access to tools that make running a crowdfunding campaign simpler, more efficient and more likely to succeed.Peter explained, "There are so many elements to a crowdfunding campaign...this is super challenging even for large organizations...we want to be that platform that supports the campaign throughout the process."The two companies align not just in function, but in values. Cameron emphasized that "the gap for small business capital access is significant...it's a real growing problem" that requires global infrastructure and collaboration to solve. The World Bank and UN have estimated that SMEs in emerging markets face an annual $5 trillion funding shortfall. The traditional financial system simply isn't built to serve them effectively. As banks consolidate, smaller loans become less profitable and more scarce.Raiseway and LendForGood aim to fill that void. Their shared belief in the potential of debt crowdfunding—versus equity financing, which isn't ideal for most small businesses—fuels their work. As Peter noted, "Your community is never going to foreclose you."Though not currently raising capital through a regulated investment crowdfunding campaign, both platforms are building the infrastructure and momentum for an ecosystem where everyday investors can meaningfully support small businesses doing good in the world.This collaboration underscores the power of mission-aligned tech partnerships to tackle some of the world's most stubborn problems. By streamlining access to impact capital, they're helping to rewrite the rules of small business finance—on a global scale.tl;dr:LendForGood and Raiseway collaborate to simplify cross-border impact crowdfunding and support small businesses globally.Cameron explains how LendForGood connects global lenders with impact enterprises needing debt financing.Peter shares Raiseway's role in streamlining campaigns and making crowdfunding more accessible and effective.Cameron and Peter discuss the massive global SME funding gap and why crowd lending is a vital solution.They reveal their superpowers—collaboration and courage—and offer tips on using them to drive meaningful impact.How to Develop Collaboration and Connectivity As a SuperpowerCameron Neil's superpower lies in his ability to foster collaboration and build meaningful connections. Reflecting on his approach, he shared, “I have found an ability to… build collaborative initiatives, to build posses… or a network to form.” Cameron's knack for bringing people together with shared goals and inspiring them to work collectively has been a cornerstone of his success. He credits this skill with driving impactful projects like LendForGood's partnership with Raiseway.Illustrative Anecdote:Cameron's collaboration with Peter Rostovsky is a testament to his superpower. By recognizing the synergy between LendForGood and Raiseway, Cameron initiated a partnership that equips impact enterprises with tools to succeed in crowdfunding. Reflecting on this collaboration, he explained, “Peter and I connected and we took it somewhere… bringing our organizations and others on this journey.”Tips for Developing the Superpower:Visualize Outcomes: Identify a future state or goal that requires collective effort to achieve.Seek Alignment: Find individuals or organizations that share your objectives and values.Inspire Participation: Use your vision to motivate others to join and contribute meaningfully.Build Trust: Focus on integrity and mutual respect to strengthen collaborative relationships.Embrace Diversity: Collaborate with people who bring complementary skills and perspectives.By following Cameron's example and advice, you can make collaboration and connectivity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.How to Develop Courage to Speak Truth As a SuperpowerPeter Rostovsky's superpower is his courage to speak truth, even when facing potential backlash. Reflecting on a life-changing moment, Peter shared, “Something drastic really changed… I started being far more open about my views.” This courage to express his convictions, even at the cost of venture investor interest, has strengthened his connection with supporters and colleagues. His openness has inspired others, creating a space for dialogue and solidarity.Illustrative Anecdote:Peter's courage was tested following October 7th, when he began publicly sharing his views on Israel's policy in Gaza. Despite knowing that his candidness would alienate venture investors, Peter chose integrity over business interests. This bold stance not only demonstrated his values but also attracted a supportive community that shares his vision for Raiseway.Tips for Developing the Superpower:Find Supportive Allies: Surround yourself with people who encourage and respect your honesty.Prioritize Integrity: Focus on values over short-term gains to build lasting trust.Practice Courage: Start by sharing your beliefs in safe spaces before expanding to larger platforms.Embrace Vulnerability: Accept the risks of being open as a necessary part of authentic communication.By following Peter's example and advice, you can make courage to speak truth a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileCameron Neil (he/him):Co-Founder and CEO, LendForGoodAbout LendForGood: LendForGood is a global impact loan syndication platform mobilising millions in impact finance for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Entrepreneur support organisations, accelerators, incubators, venture studios and early stage investors use LendForGood to run campaigns and raise impact debt from both our individual and organisational lender community and the supporters of their portfolio enterprises who are borrowing. Investors use LendForGood to efficiently discover and deploy capital to courageous impact enterprises helping to deliver the SDGs around the world. Website: lendforgood.ioBiographical Information: Cameron Neil is the co-founder, director and CEO of LendForGood, an impact loan syndication platform that is mobilising millions of dollars to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Has has three decades of experience in the impact sector, working across and between finance, business, technology, international development, corporate advisory and startups. Cameron played a pioneering role in the Fairtrade movement in the region, as well as the early days of B-Corp and Shared Value. His work now focuses on capital entrepreneurship and innovative finance to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As demonstrated through LendForGood, Cameron believes strongly in the power of people to come together in solidarity and through collaboration to create the communities and world that they want - 'all of us' is the largest untapped impact investment fund in the world!Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/lendforgoodGuest ProfilePeter Rostovsky (he/him):Co-Founder and CEO, RaisewayAbout Raiseway: Raiseway is developing an affordable SaaS platform to equip businesses with AI-enabled tools to execute effective crowdfunding campaigns on platforms like LendForGood.Website: raiseway.appCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/raisewayappBiographical Information: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Peter moved to New York at the age of 16. Peter studied political science and economics at CUNY Hunter College. Before joining the crowdfunding industry, he worked as a capital markets intelligence salesman. Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/peter.rostovsky.7Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/peter-rostovskyInstagram Handle: @pool_breadSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, KribSavUp, SuperCrowd25, and Crowdfunding Made Simple. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on May 20, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, May 21, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe, Champion of Social Good and CEO of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on "The Secret to Higher Investment Returns via Impact Crowdfunding." He'll share powerful strategies and real-world examples that show how aligning your investments with your values can lead to strong financial and social returns. If you're an investor looking to maximize impact or curious about the growing world of impact crowdfunding, this is a session you won't want to miss! Don't miss it!SuperCrowd25, August 21st and 22nd: This two-day virtual event is an annual tradition but with big upgrades for 2025! We'll be streaming live across the web and on TV via e360tv. Soon, we'll open a process for nominating speakers. Check back!Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.African Diaspora Investment Symposium 2025 (ADIS25), Wednesday–Friday, May 28–30, 2025, at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Call for community action:Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefiting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Why is Rosé the go-to wine for celebrity-owned brands rather than Chardonnay or Cabernet? Why are the younger generations of wine drinkers choosing Rosé over red? Is the Rosé boom just a trend, or is its popularity here to stay? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rasmus Emborg & Jens Honoré, who co-published the Rose Revolution. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights What are the main differences between wines from Domaine Tempier and Domaine Ott? What makes some Rosé wines better for aging than others? How did Gerard Bertrand's background influence his winemaking style? Which Provençal cuisine dishes pair best with the Rosé wines? Why do so many celebrities who come to the wine world choose to make Rosé? Which celebrity wines are worth buying? How has social media impacted the Rosé Revolution? What does the future look like for Rosé's popularity? Why have more men started drinking Rosé? Which wine regions should wine lovers visit to immerse themselves in the world of Rosé?   Key Takeaways Why is Rosé the go-to wine for celebrity-owned brands rather than Chardonnay or Cabernet? As Rasmus and Jens explain, Rosé is much easier to embrace for a broad audience. Rosé has a lot of lovers, but they don't have any enemies. So you can be a serious musician, a rocker, a pop star, and embrace Rosé. When you're just a celebrity and not a winemaker it's way more bankable and easier to market. We tried a lot of those wines and I'll tell you, some of them are pretty good, big bang for the buck. Brad Pitt, John Legend, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jon Bon Jovi, Cameron Diaz and Kylie Minogue Why are the younger generations of wine drinkers choosing Rosé over red? Rasmus and Jens observe that young people don't drink much red wine, but they drink a lot of white wine and Rosé because it's kind of like a celebratory wine. It's become a wine you kind of gather around. You don't disagree about it. You can't be talked down to if you don't know the terroir, the grapes etc. If it's endorsed by a rapper or rock music or whatever, it enhances that experience. Is the Rosé boom just a trend or is its popularity here to stay? Rasmus and Jens believe that Rosé has established itself as a third wine category. We'll still see the quality improve and higher price points. In France, 3 out of 10 bottles are Rosé, globally, it's about one out of 10. They are seeing a trend of Rosé taking market share from red wine whereas white wine is stable.   About Rasmus Emborg & Jens Honoré Rasmus Emborg is a journalist who has worked in the media industry for over 25 years. He is the author of Beer Brothers (2019), about twin beer brewers Mikkel Borg-Bjergsø and Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø. He and his wife own a small vineyard in Provence. The grapes are mainly used for rosé wine, and the production takes place at a local cooperative. Jens Honoré is a photographer who has worked in the advertising industry for 30 years. In 2018, he published A Place to Dream for SOS Children's Villages, and in partnership with Jens Vilstrup, he published the book, Farewell to a Black/White World about the UN's 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. He has also contributed to Building a Dream about LEGO owner Kjeld Kirks Kristiansen's realization of LEGO House. In 2021, he published The Right to Food about homeless people's relationship with food. Jens lives in New York and as a wine enthusiast, has followed the trend of increasing enthusiasm for rosé wine with great interest.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/337.

In 2010, the Association for Information Systems formed a special interest group () to nurture an international community of academics that study the role of digital technologies in fostering environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development. Fifteen years later, we sit down with , the current SIGGreen president, to reflect on the progress we have made. What do we know about how digital technologies help greening our planet? What efforts in empirical, theoretical, and design work is still needed? Is our role to understand the role of digital technologies or do we need to push and enact change ourselves? We conclude that environmental questions and problems are now firmly on the radar screen of our discipline but more work needs to be done for information systems academics to transform the way we think about and use digital technologies.  Episode reading list Corbett, J., & Mellouli, S. (2017). Winning the SDG Battle in Cities: How an Integrated Information Ecosystem can Contribute to the Achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Information Systems Journal, 27(4), 427-461. Seidel, S., Recker, J., & vom Brocke, J. (2013). Sensemaking and Sustainable Practicing: Functional Affordances of Information Systems in Green Transformations. MIS Quarterly, 37(4), 1275-1299. Hasan, H., Ghose, A., & Spedding, T. (2009). Editorial for the Special Issue on IT and Climate Change. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 16(2), 19-21. Watson, R. T., Corbett, J., Boudreau, M.-C., & Webster, J. (2011). An Information Strategy for Environmental Sustainability. Communications of the ACM, 55(7), 28-30. Jenkin, T. A., Webster, J., & McShane, L. (2011). An Agenda for 'Green' Information Technology and Systems Research. Information and Organization, 21(1), 17-40. Watson, R. T., Boudreau, M.-C., & Chen, A. J. (2010). Information Systems and Environmentally Sustainable Development:  Energy Informatics and New Directions for the IS Community. MIS Quarterly, 34(1), 23-38. Elliot, S. (2011). Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Environmental Sustainability: A Resource Base and Framework for IT-Enabled Business Transformation. MIS Quarterly, 35(1), 197-236. Kahlen, M., Ketter, W., & van Dalen, J. (2018). Electric Vehicle Virtual Power Plant Dilemma: Grid Balancing Versus Customer Mobility. Production and Operations Management, 27(11), 2054-2070. Gholami, R., Watson, R. T., Hasan, H., Molla, A., & Bjørn-Andersen, N. (2016). Information Systems Solutions for Environmental Sustainability: How Can We Do More? Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(8), 521-536. Corbett, J., & El Idrissi, S. C. (2022). Persuasion, Information Technology, and the Environmental Citizen: An Empirical Study of the Persuasion Effectiveness of City Applications. Government Information Quarterly, 39(4), 101757. Degirmenci, K., & Recker, J. (2023). Breaking Bad Habits: A Field Experiment About How Routinized Work Practices Can Be Made More Eco-efficient Through IS for Sensemaking. Information & Management, 60(4), 103778. Zeiss, R., Ixmeier, A., Recker, J., & Kranz, J. (2021). Mobilising Information Systems Scholarship For a Circular Economy: Review, Synthesis, and Directions For Future Research. Information Systems Journal, 31(1), 148-183. Haudenosaunee Confederacy. (2025). Values. . The Stakeholder Alignment Collaborative. (2025). The Consortia Century: Aligning for Impact. Oxford University Press. Hovorka, D. and Corbett, J. (2012) IS Sustainability Research: A trans-disciplinary framework for a ‘grand challenge”. 33rd International Conference on Information Systems, Orlando, Florida. Hovorka, D. S., & Peter, S. (2021). Speculatively Engaging Future(s): Four Theses. MIS Quarterly, 45(1), 461-466. Gümüsay, A. A., & Reinecke, J. (2024). Imagining Desirable Futures: A Call for Prospective Theorizing with Speculative Rigour. Organization Theory, 5(1), . Kotlarsky, J., Oshri, I., & Sekulic, N. (2023). Digital Sustainability in Information Systems Research: Conceptual Foundations and Future Directions. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 24(4), 936-952. Gray, P., Lyytinen, K., Saunders, C., Willcocks, L. P., Watson, R. T., & Zwass, V. (2006). How Shall We Manage Our Journals in the Future?  A Discussion of Richard T. Watson's Proposals at ICIS 2004. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 18(14), 2-41. Saldanha, T. J. V., Mithas, S., Khuntia, J., Whitaker, J., & Melville, N. P. (2022). How Green Information Technology Standards and Strategies Influence Performance: Role of Environment, Cost, and Dual Focus. MIS Quarterly, 46(4), 2367-2386. Leidner, D. E., Sutanto, J., & Goutas, L. (2022). Multifarious Roles and Conflicts on an Inter-Organizational Green IS. MIS Quarterly, 46(1), 591-608. Wunderlich, P., Veit, D. J., & Sarker, S. (2019). Adoption of Sustainable Technologies: A Mixed-Methods Study of German Households. MIS Quarterly, 43(2), 673-691. Melville, N. P. (2010). Information Systems Innovation for Environmental Sustainability. MIS Quarterly, 34(1), 1-21. Edwards, P. N. (2013). A Vast Machine. MIT Press. Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens, W. W. (1972). The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome's Project on the Predicament of Mankind. Universe Books. Over the Hedge. (2006). . McPhearson, T., Raymond, C. M., Gulsrud, N., Albert, C., Coles, N., Fagerholm, N., Nagatsu, M., Olafsson, A. S., Niko, S., & Vierikko, K. (2021). Radical Changes are Needed for Transformations to a Good Anthropocene. npj Urban Sustainability, 1(5), .   

Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week's guest is a dynamic activist that I had the pleasure of working with while distributing a documentary (see other topics of interest) featuring the work that has become his origin story in the world of Pan-African development. Hamzat “Hamzy!” Lawal is a global citizen, community organizer, an award-winning advocate and humanitarian who has successfully led grassroots campaigns in over 40 African countries. He specializes in practical issues associated with climate change, open data, advocacy and development policies affecting rural and deprived communities. He is the Founder of Follow The Money (http://followthemoneyng.org), a home-grown, Pan-African grassroots, data-driven initiative currently in 10 African countries. As the Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE) (http://connecteddevelopment.org/), an organization he also founded, CODE won the ONE Africa 2016 Award recognizing, rewards, and advances the exceptional work of African organizations; dedicated to helping the continent achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). When he is not social entrpreneuring, Hamzy sits on the Executive Board of the largest Youth Movement in Africa: African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) (http://ayicc.net/), and has joined his voice on different platforms and policy influencing coalitions across Africa such as the Not Too Young To Run (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Too_Young_To_Run) movement which drives youth political inclusion. And also serves as an Education Champion with the Malala Fund, organization working for a world where all girls can learn for 12 years and lead without fear. This is definitely a listening and learning opportunity with wonderful insights into the work of empowering the youth that are poised to lead the Continent. Where to find Hamzy? On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamzat-lawal-85409129/) On Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/hamzatblawal/?_rdc=1&_rdr#) On Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/hamzycode/) What's Hamzy reading? Love Does not Win Elections (https://www.narrativelandscape.com/product/love-does-not-win-elections/) by Glocal Citizen Ayisha Osori (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/guests/ayisha-osori) Other topics of interest: The documentary that started it all Perspective (https://vimeo.com/272930033) About Kogi State (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kogi_State), Nigeria and the Ebira (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebira_people) people About #SaveBagega (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagega) Another side of Bauchi State (https://youtu.be/a7KJxxKTVkA?si=VS0FSk157OAF3dSy) Special Guest: Hamzat Lawal.

Dr. Kelly Tzoumis, professor emeritus at DePaul University and lecturer at Johns Hopkins, discusses virtual exchange programs that make global learning accessible to students with disabilities. These innovative approaches embed intercultural experiences directly into curriculum, overcoming barriers of cost and physical accessibility while building crucial competencies.• Virtual exchange goes beyond video calls—students are prepared to interact across cultures before meeting peers• Less than 10% of students can afford traditional study abroad, making virtual exchange a more inclusive alternative • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide framework for global learning beyond just environmental topics• Students develop empathy when working across language barriers with international peers• Generational shifts in disability language reflect changing views of disability as identity• Research shows virtual exchanges improve student mental health through developing resilience• Students with disabilities demonstrate extraordinary capabilities when given appropriate accommodations• Disclosure remains a major challenge in higher education—less than half of disabled students formally identify• Creative accommodations should involve the learner as an active partner in finding solutions• As world polarization increases, virtual exchange becomes even more vital for intercultural understandingFind Dr. Tzoumis's book "Global Learning and the SDGs Through Virtual Exchange" through Springer Nature Press, with a follow-up focused on discipline-specific applications coming soon.Support the showFollow axschat on social media.Bluesky:Antonio https://bsky.app/profile/akwyz.com Debra https://bsky.app/profile/debraruh.bsky.social Neil https://bsky.app/profile/neilmilliken.bsky.social axschat https://bsky.app/profile/axschat.bsky.social LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyzhttps://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruh

Learn how to take an apolitical, unbiased stance to support students as they pursue research, literature connections, maker activities, and civic engagement projects in their communities, nationally, and globally. In Youth Social Action in the Library: Cultivating Change Makers (Bloombury, 2025), Gina Seymour outlines school and public library programs, activities, and collaborative projects that will help students learn how to accomplish their goals in their communities. Highlighting the role of the librarian in fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the book explores controversial topics to qualify and expand best practices. By incorporating the programs in the book, librarians can help students learn how to have reasoned arguments inside and outside of the classroom and to become responsible members of society. UN Sustainable Development Goals are addressed, making this book not only based in community but global in scope. Numerous examples of youth activism from volunteering to protest marches are explained and are broad enough to be applied not only to current trends but also to future causes. Gina Seymour is Library Media Specialist at Islip High School, NY, USA. An author and national speaker, she was named to Library Journal's Movers & Shakers list (2017) as a “Change Agent.” She was an AASL Social Media Superstar Finalist in the category of Social Justice Defender, and she was awarded the Suffolk School Library Media Association's School Librarian of the Year in 2014. She is author of Makers with a Cause: Creative Service Projects for Library Youth and shares her work, musings, and reflections on her blog GinaSeymour.com and on X @ginaseymour. Dr. Michael LaMagna is the Information Literacy Program & Library Services Coordinator and Professor of Library Services at Delaware County Community College. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Learn how to take an apolitical, unbiased stance to support students as they pursue research, literature connections, maker activities, and civic engagement projects in their communities, nationally, and globally. In Youth Social Action in the Library: Cultivating Change Makers (Bloombury, 2025), Gina Seymour outlines school and public library programs, activities, and collaborative projects that will help students learn how to accomplish their goals in their communities. Highlighting the role of the librarian in fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the book explores controversial topics to qualify and expand best practices. By incorporating the programs in the book, librarians can help students learn how to have reasoned arguments inside and outside of the classroom and to become responsible members of society. UN Sustainable Development Goals are addressed, making this book not only based in community but global in scope. Numerous examples of youth activism from volunteering to protest marches are explained and are broad enough to be applied not only to current trends but also to future causes. Gina Seymour is Library Media Specialist at Islip High School, NY, USA. An author and national speaker, she was named to Library Journal's Movers & Shakers list (2017) as a “Change Agent.” She was an AASL Social Media Superstar Finalist in the category of Social Justice Defender, and she was awarded the Suffolk School Library Media Association's School Librarian of the Year in 2014. She is author of Makers with a Cause: Creative Service Projects for Library Youth and shares her work, musings, and reflections on her blog GinaSeymour.com and on X @ginaseymour. Dr. Michael LaMagna is the Information Literacy Program & Library Services Coordinator and Professor of Library Services at Delaware County Community College. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/education

Millions of people around the world have no access to sanitation. They defecate in the open, or in facilities where it's hard to avoid human contact, unavoidably spreading disease. One of the Sustainable Development Goals that you don't hear about so much is the call to end open defecation by 2030. What progress are we making, and what health improvements are we seeing so far? In the latest of our episodes based on J-PAL's policy insights, Karen Macours of the Paris School of Economics, also co-chair of J-PAL's Health Sector, tells Tim Phillips about how we can achieve this development goal, why it's not a quick fix, and the surprising results of research into the health benefits of improving sanitation. Read the full show notes on VoxDev: https://voxdev.org/topic/health/improving-sanitation-what-works-and-what-doesnt Read the Policy Insight on J-PAL: https://www.povertyactionlab.org/policy-insight/improving-sanitation-access-subsidies-loans-and-community-led-programs

How did Rosé get a bad reputation as not being a “real” wine? How did Marcel Ott revolutionize the world of Rosé wine? Why is Grenache a popular grape for making trendy pale Rosés? How do Rosé's beautiful bottles both help and hurt its reputation? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Rasmus Emborg and Jens Honoré, the author and photographer, respectively, who have published Rosé Revolution. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Highlights How did Jens and Rasmus develop a love for Rosé? What does Rasmus find most satisfying about owning a vineyard? Why did Jens and Rasmus want to produce their book independently? Why did Jens choose to photograph the winemakers in black and white, using an analog camera? What was the most challenging aspect of writing Rosé Revolution? Why was Marcel Ott's pioneering decision to treat Rosé as a wine in its own right so radical in 1912? Why did Rosé have such a bad reputation? What makes Grenache such a good grape to make Rosé? Are there benefits to the shape of the iconic Domain Ott bottles? What are some of the wildest bottle Rosé designs Jens found in researching Rosé Revolution? Why does Rasmus believe we'll see more Rosé being sold in brown bottles in the future? What role do ultra-premium Rosés play in the market? Beyond great quality, what factors have made Whispering Angel so successful?   Key Takeaways Rosé wine is made from red wine grapes, and it's the skin that gives color and tannin to the wine. If you let the wine ferment with the skin, you end up with a red wine. Rosé wine was produced as an afterthought, rather than with the intention to make it. This is part of why Rosé has had a bad reputation because it's been considered a byproduct. Marcel Ott was fascinated by Rosé wine because he thought that this was a wine that had the taste of the grapes most precisely. Marcel Ott was the first one to choose the variety of grapes that gave the best Rosé, to position the vineyards in the best possible way to make good Rosé and to choose the harvest time with the ambition to make the best possible Rosé. Grenache is a grape with thin skins and very little pigment so it brings little color to the wine. This is the kind of Rosé wine that is the most trendy these years. It's pale, dry, crisp wine, what we call the Provence style. But also, Grenache has this natural sweetness that applies well to the Rosé wine category as well. Rosé, with its beautiful colour in a transparent, creatively designed bottle, looks great on the shelves in the liquor store. It looks good on Instagram. And I think this is a part of the popularity of Rosé. At the same time, it's also a reason why the bad reputation of Rosé wine remains with some of the wine establishment. At the same time, it's much easier to recycle brown glass than clear glass.   About Rasmus Emborg & Jens Honoré Rasmus Emborg is a journalist who has worked in the media industry for over 25 years. He is the author of Beer Brothers (2019), about twin beer brewers Mikkel Borg-Bjergsø and Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø. He and his wife own a small vineyard in Provence. The grapes are mainly used for rosé wine, and the production takes place at a local cooperative. Jens Honoré is a photographer who has worked in the advertising industry for 30 years. In 2018, he published A Place to Dream for SOS Children's Villages, and in partnership with Jens Vilstrup, he published the book, Farewell to a Black/White World about the UN's 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. He has also contributed to Building a Dream about LEGO owner Kjeld Kirks Kristiansen's realization of LEGO House. In 2021, he published The Right to Food about homeless people's relationship with food. Jens lives in New York and as a wine enthusiast, has followed the trend of increasing enthusiasm for rosé wine with great interest.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/336.

Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into Business

Building a career without a plan? In this episode, we talk to Gail Gallie — co-founder of Project Everyone and former BBC executive — about career pivots, risk-taking, and the power of purpose.

Send us a textWhat if the key to addressing our climate crisis lies not just in technology and policy, but in our inner development? In this thought-provoking conversation, coach and writer Ryan Grist reveals a powerful framework that connects personal growth to planetary healing.Drawing from his article "Coaching to Support Outer Change," Grist explores how the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals have inspired a complementary framework called the Inner Development Goals. These inner goals—organized into five pillars: stable self, adaptive mind, connected heart, inclusive collaborator, and courageous changemaker—provide a roadmap for the internal skills we need to face our greatest environmental challenges."Where things often break down is in the human dimensions," Grist explains. "It's in relationships, stress, mindset, and overwhelm." While technological solutions receive substantial funding and attention, the "soft skills" that enable effective collaboration, perspective-taking, and compassionate action have been historically undervalued. Yet these skills may be exactly what we need to navigate the complexity of climate change.The conversation takes a particularly meaningful turn when Grist demonstrates how compassion functions as a trainable skill. Through practices like Tonglen (breathing in suffering, breathing out healing) and Metta meditation, he shows how we can expand our capacity for connection—even with those we find difficult. "Hurt people hurt people," he reminds us, suggesting that sending compassion instead of more hurt transforms not just relationships but our approach to shared problems.As we face political uncertainty and growing eco-anxiety, Grist offers "muscular hope" as an antidote—not wishful thinking, but a practiced conviction that positive change remains possible. The conversation concludes with a compelling invitation to identify which inner development dimension needs attention in your life, and to explore how strengthening these skills might ripple outward, creating change from the inside out.Watch the full interview by clicking here.Find the full article here.Learn more about Ryan here.Subscribe for free to Ryan's monthly publication on Substack! Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

Episode Summary  Host:  Melissa Chase, Senior Content Marketing Manager, Morningstar Sustainalytics  Lindsey Stewart, CFA, Director of Investment Stewardship Research, Morningstar Sustainalytics  Guests:  Ruthann Bartello, Senior Director, Global Lead, Stewardship  Kevin Ranney, Senior Director, Sustainable Fixed Income Research  Allocating Funds to Support a Sustainable Future In this episode of ESG in Conversation, Melissa and Lindsey chat about the continued volatility in the sustainable investing market, as well as luxury brands' focus on ESG and sustainable supply chains. To kick things off, Melissa interviews Kevin Ranney, Senior Director, Sustainable Fixed Income Research. He talks about the evolution of the sustainable fixed income market and shares insights on the latest enhancements to Morningstar Sustainalytics' second-party opinion assessment framework. Later, Lindsey sits down with Ruthann Bartello, Senior Director, Global Lead, Stewardship, where they discuss Sustainalytics' involvement in the Pact for the Future and the importance of bringing the investor voice to the conversation about funding the UN Sustainable Development Goals.   Share Your Feedback   Please take a moment to share your thoughts on ESG in Conversation. You can email us at podcast@sustainalytics.com.  Key Moments   00:00:24  Introduction  00:06:25  Interview with Kevin Ranney on the evolution of sustainable fixed income investing and Morningstar Sustainalytics second-party opinion framework.  00:24:44  Interview with Ruthann Bartello about efforts to allocate more funding to the Sustainable Development Goals.  00:36:24  Closing remarks    Links to Select Resources Sustainalytics Insight: Second Party Opinions a Primary Focus  Webinar | Enhanced Assessment Framework for Use of Proceeds Second-Party Opinions      Listen to more episodes here.

This interview is with George Bishay and Murray Ackman from the Regnan Credit Impact Trust team. In this discussion we demystify impact bonds, with some real life stories about the positive social and environmental impact that bonds can provide. George's investment management career spans over 30 years with Regnan's parent Pendal and its predecessor firms. He has also worked across numerous fixed income, credit and money market portfolios in fund management, credit analysis and dealing roles in that time. George holds Bachelor and Masters degrees in Business, and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment.Murray joined Pendal in 2020 to provide fundamental credit analysis and integrate ESG research across credit funds. Before joining the team, Murray worked as an independent consultant measuring ESG for family offices and Private Equity firms. Prior to this Murray was a Research Fellow at the Institute for Economics and Peace where he led research for the Institute on the Sustainable Development Goals, violent extremism and engagement with business. He has also worked as a management consultant and for a welfare organisation. Murray holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and International Relations, a First Class Honours degree and a Bachelor of Law from the University of New South Wales.We hope you enjoy this discussion with George Bishay and Murray Ackman of the Regnan Credit Impact Trust. You can check out Regnan and this fund at regnan-credit-impact-trust. See also:- the-social-bond-that-found-an-affordable-house-for-mum-to-be-kaitlyn - impact-investors-helped-stacey-and-luna-find-low-cost-housing- women-like-nasima-are-finding-a-career-path-with-help-from-regnan-investorsWe wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we recorded on, the Wardandi Noongar people. We pay our respects to them and their culture; and to elders past, present and emerging. For more information about James Baird, JustInvest Financial Planning and Ethical Investment Advisers see: justinvest and ethicalinvestment

  The first half of this decade has witnessed a significant acceleration in green capex – investment that advances UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, a combination of tariff-driven uncertainties, focus on corporate returns and interest rate headwinds is set to see a slower pace of growth in the back half of this decade.   As corporates re-evaluate the risk/returns on investments, Ehsan Khoman, Head of Research – Commodities, ESG and Emerging Markets (EMEA), believes that uncertainties in today's operating environment will deepen the differentiation of green capex verticals based on cost curve positioning, elasticity to higher prices/costs as well as consumer appetite. Listen into this week's podcast, where Ehsan discusses potential US tariff implications on the outlook for key green capex verticals.

What happens when the country that helped design the international human rights system starts to dismantle it?In this episode, we speak with the former president of the U.N. General Assembly, Ambassador Dennis Francis, about the growing threats to global cooperation and human rights—from authoritarian drift, to shrinking U.S. commitments, to rising fears inside the U.N. system itself. Is this the end of the liberal international order? And if so, what comes next?

In this episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend Andrew Hoffman, professor at the University of Michigan and author of 19 books, to talk about his latest, Business School and the Noble Purpose of the Market. Andy's journey is remarkable, from his early days as a carpenter to becoming one of the most respected voices calling for a rethinking of social benefit enterprises and business education.We dug into why today's business schools must evolve beyond outdated shareholder-first models and start preparing leaders to take on the big challenges of our time—climate change, inequality, and rebuilding trust in institutions. Andy makes a compelling case for how markets, when properly guided, can serve a noble purpose. He also shares a vision for how universities, government, and business can better align to drive meaningful change.If you're part of a regional ecosystem, a university, or simply someone working to make your corner of the nation work better for more people, Andy's insights offer both a critique and a clear path forward. I hope this conversation sparks ideas—and more importantly, action—in your own work.AMCC's podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

This butterfly is excited to be speaking with Or KatzmanOr has an academic background in climate science, water management, and geopolitics and is the founder of Impact Oracle and Blockchain Bridge Consulting. He was also the director and co-founder of SDGIsrael. Most recently, he co-led the Ecological Benefits Framework (EBF), a program designed to transform global carbon and ecological benefits markets by increasing transparency, trust, quality, and equity, and co-founded the Transformative Impact Summit.With over a decade of experience in leadership training, facilitation, and impact work, Or has collaborated with organizations to map, measure, and communicate impact through the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He is certified by the EU in circular economics and green business planning, has consulted the UNDP on SDG Impact Standards, and is a Kernel Fellow.Or is what I'd call an integrator—someone who takes big ideas and makes them happen.  In this episode, you will hear about new economic models, Web 3, impact measurement, SDGs, and more.Some notes...More about 1treellion & Or Katzman.To support planting all over the world, please check out this link.The great music is credited to Pixabay.

In the latest episode of "The Brand Called You" podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of eco-conscious entrepreneurship with Yanni Ching, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Entomal Biotech. This blog post offers a glimpse into Yanni's journey and the revolutionary work her company is doing with Black Soldier Fly larvae to tackle food waste and contribute to sustainable food systems.00:00:08 - Yanni's Introduction and Early InspirationsYanni's journey into sustainability was sparked at 16 by Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth."Early eco-consciousness focused on energy and resource use.University involvement with ISAC and exposure to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Engineering background is driven by a desire to create meaningful change.

In this week's episode, we speak with Dr Abby Foster and Suzanne Mungall, speech pathologists, about Earth Day, coming up on 22 April. Suzanne and Abby share their experiences about speech pathology and climate change, and why they feel the urgent need for health professionals to address the impacts of climate change on health and service delivery. Claire Esterman, from the Speak Up Podcast Reference Group, opens the episode with a brief reflection highlighting the opportunities, personally and professionally, that Abby and Suzanne discuss. Resources:  Contact Suzanne: suzannemungall@outlook.com Contact Abby: drabbyfoster@gmail.com Earth Day: https://www.earthday.org/ United Nations climate change information: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange National Safety and Quality Health Standards voluntary environmental sustainability and climate resilience module: https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/environmental-sustainability-and-climate-resilience-healthcare-module Helping people with Aphasia prepare for an emergency: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2020-1118-aphasia-friendly-emergency/full/ UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals Climate for change: https://www.climateforchange.org.au/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw782_BhDjARIsABTv_JDCadnChAqwfxbWIGwXnflty21bBF9DSDaLpYc1-XVHIzHRFpPusXgaAjotEALw_wcB Free access to transcripts and for a full list of resources / references for this podcast is available via the SPA Learning Hub (https://learninghub.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/), you will need to sign in or create an account. For more information, please see our Bio or for further enquiries, email: speakuppodcast@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Speech Pathology Australia acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of lands, seas and waters throughout Australia, and pay respect to Elders past and present. We recognise that the health and social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are grounded in continued connection to culture, country, language and community and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded.  Disclaimer: © (2025) The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. All rights reserved. Important Notice, Please read: The views expressed in this presentation and reproduced in these materials are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited (“the Association”). The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content, currency or accuracy of any of the materials comprised in this recording. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of these materials and the information contained within them. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this recording including in any of the materials referred to or otherwise incorporated into this recording. Except as otherwise stated, copyright and all other intellectual property rights comprised in the presentation and these materials, remain the exclusive property of the Association. Except with the Association's prior written approval you must not, in whole or part, reproduce, modify, adapt, distribute, publish or electronically communicate (including by online means) this recording or any of these materials.

SummaryThe International Tunnelling Association (ITA) plays a critical role in global infrastructure, ensuring clean water, sewage systems, and transport for millions while contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But behind the technical achievements lies a deeper challenge—modernizing an industry traditionally dominated by European, American, and Australian professionals.In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, I sit down with Arnold Dix, President of ITA, to discuss his iconoclastic leadership approach in making tunneling a more diverse and inclusive profession. Arnold has actively pushed for greater representation of women, people of color, and young engineers, challenging traditional power structures and advocating for regional voices.As a leader in a global membership-based professional association, Arnold cannot mandate change—he must influence, persuade, and lead by example. What does it take to challenge entrenched norms, navigate resistance, and truly drive transformation? Listen in to find out.Arnold's BioPresident of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA), leading efforts to modernize and diversify the professionLawyer, engineer, and scientist, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective to underground infrastructure developmentChampion for diversity in engineering, working to increase representation of women, young engineers, and professionals from non-Western regionsGlobal infrastructure expert, contributing to sustainable underground solutions worldwideWe DiscussReforming a global professional association: How Arnold has worked to decentralize power and amplify regional voicesBreaking industry norms: Making tunneling less exclusive and more diverse, bringing in women, younger professionals, and engineers of colorLeading without authority: The challenge of influencing rather than mandating change in a global membership-based associationManaging resistance: How traditional power centers within the industry have responded to his leadership and reformsLessons in delegation: What Arnold would do differently if he could start againThe bigger picture: How underground infrastructure development supports global dignity and the UN SDGsQuotes“I am a change man.”ResourcesITA-AITESArnold's BookConnect with Arnold Dix on LinkedInFollow Arnold on Facbook 'International man of mystery' who saved men from Indian tunnel collapse | Australian Story

This week I was delighted to sit down with Ann Molin, CEO & Secretary General of Hack for Earth, for an in-depth conversation on how citizen-led innovation can tackle global challenges. Ann, a psychologist by training, first fell in love with hackathons while working on the Swedish Government's Hack for Sweden initiative, where she realized that bringing people together to solve open-data challenges could spark powerful, real-world solutions in record time. During our conversation, Ann explained how the Hack for Earth foundation evolved from this initial passion, scaling up to engage over 25,000 participants across 125 countries in building tools aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. She emphasized that these events aren't just about brainstorming; they're about bolstering projects after the hackathon ends. Ann's key insight was that sustainable innovation demands an ongoing acceleration program—complete with the leadership support and psychological safety needed for meaningful impact. We also discussed the Nordic countries' tremendous success in both innovation and sustainability. Ann pointed out how a strong social framework, combined with a flat organizational culture, empowers individuals to take risks without fear of failure. She described the critical role of storytelling in uniting groups around environmental goals, noting that the most memorable ideas emerge when empathy, narrative, and relationships intertwine. One of my favorite takeaways was Ann's passionate stance on action trumping endless research. While reading and learning have their place, she believes we can't just wait around if we want to drive change. If you're curious about the psychology behind hackathons, the importance of genuine follow-through, or how the Nordic approach to collaboration might help solve today's toughest challenges, you won't want to miss our conversation. Let me know what you think!  

The United Nations' annual World Water Day observance took place on March 22, with a focus on supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.  In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we dive into the water stewardship practices at Amazon, one of the world's largest companies with a market cap of more than $2 trillion dollars. Amazon Water Sustainability Lead Will Hewes outlines the company's approach to water in the communities it serves and across Amazon's business lines, which range from e-commerce to online entertainment streaming services to grocery stores and cloud computing.   Will explains that one of the company's goals is to be "water positive" in its datacenter operations at Amazon Web Services by 2030 — meaning AWS aims to return more water to communities than it uses in direct operations.  Amazon operates in several countries and regions facing water-related challenges that are being exacerbated by climate change, and Will says the company is working with communities to support their adaptation efforts.   "We can't solve that entire crisis on our own, obviously,” Will says. “But how can we help plug in and help support some of those adaptations that need to happen to make sure that communities and the environment still have water they need, when they need it?"   Read further research from S&P Global Sustainable1:  How climate change is exacerbating drought risks: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/how-climate-change-is-exacerbating-drought-risks?utm_source=allthingssustainable&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=allthingssustainablenotes  For the world's largest companies, climate physical risks have a $1.2 trillion annual price tag by the 2050s: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/special-editorial/ceraweek-physical-risk?utm_source=allthingssustainable&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=allthingssustainablenotes  Learn more about S&P Global Sustainable1's climate physical risk dataset, which include financial calculations on water stress and drought risks, here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/solutions/physical-climate-risk-solutions?utm_source=allthingssustainable&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=allthingssustainablenotes  Listen to our podcast episode featuring an interview with the CEO of Water.org: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/why-water-org-ceo-says-the-world-s-water-challenges-are-inherently-solvable-    This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.          Copyright ©2025 by S&P Global          DISCLAIMER    By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.    S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.     

This week, I'm joined by two powerhouse leaders doing the heavy lifting to strengthen our country's innovation economy—Shalin Jyotishi from New America and Deb Volzer from SME. These folks aren't just talking about change—they're out there building the systems to make it happen. Shalin walks us through how New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy initiative is working to ensure that technological advancement strengthens—not sidelines—the American middle class. He discusses the launch of a new national Accelerator for Community Colleges, designed to build capacity across institutions and regions engaged in tech-based economic development.Deb, meanwhile, shares how SME's 90-year legacy is evolving with their new Manufacturing Imperative Workforce Pipeline Challenge; a bold initiative engaging 25 community colleges across 17 states. Her team is addressing workforce gaps through scalable, employer-driven models that align local needs with national priorities in manufacturing and advanced technologies.Their work offers a roadmap for how public, private, and educational sectors can come together to meet the moment.If you care about making workforce development more effective—or just want to hear from people who are rolling up their sleeves and doing the work—this is a conversation you won't want to miss.AMCC's podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

About Aye Kari Soe Aye Kari Soe is a consultant, human rights advocate, and European-accredited lobbyist. Born in the Tham Hin refugee camp in Thailand to parents who fled a dictatorship, she settled in the Netherlands at the age of 7. Recognized by the United Nations and leading global corporations, Aye Kari Soe is a dynamic public speaker dedicated to advancing gender equity, financial empowerment, and sustainable development. She co-founded Fembitious, an initiative empowering woman to invest and achieve financial independence. She also established the Worldwide Burmese Students Academy, which provides Burmese students with critical educational resources while contributing to the broader fight for freedom and justice in Burma. As the founder of Soe Consultancy, Aye Kari Soe leads efforts in ESG compliance and human rights advocacy. Through her consultancy and auditing work, she collaborates with industries to align their practices with international human rights standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, striving to humanize the private sector while promoting sustainable business practices.   Episode Notes Lesson 1: The Power of Childhood and Core Beliefs Lesson 2: The Power of Environment Lesson 3: Everything is Connected Lesson 4: Modern Slavery and the Fight Against Injustice Lesson 5: Purpose and Fulfillment in Career and Life Lesson 6: The Complexities of Humanity Lesson 7: The Role of Pain in Growth Lesson 8: Resilience is Built Over Time Lesson 9: The Importance of Spiritual and Emotional Well-being Lesson 10: Small Actions Lead to Big Changes

Leading Sustainability & Business for Good Laurent Mas is a Sustainability Consultant, Business Strategist, and Impact Entrepreneur, dedicated to transforming businesses into forces for good. As Co-Founder & Director of 3i Sustainability, he leads a global movement helping businesses, investors, and changemakers integrate sustainability and social responsibility into their core strategy. A Sustainability Advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for nearly 10 years, Laurent has actively worked to align businesses with Profit, People, and Planet. In Melbourne, Australia, he founded his first sustainability-focused business, helping SMEs integrate the SDGs into their strategy—proving that sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. For over seven years, Laurent has been a proud B1G1 member, embedding giving and impact into business ecosystems to drive meaningful change. A proud Australian, Laurent relocated to Geneva, Switzerland, at the end of COVID, continuing his mission to support businesses and leaders in their sustainability transformation and regenerative practices.  Sustainability & Business for Good:3i Sustainability Community (3isustainability.com) – A dynamic platform that connects businesses and leaders committed to sustainability, impact-driven growth, and regeneration.Entrepreneur for Good Program – Empowering entrepreneurs to launch and scale businesses with purpose, integrating sustainability from day one.Successful Business Solutions – A boutique advisory firm helping businesses align profitability with sustainability, making impact-driven strategies both financially viable and scalable.  Mental Health & Conscious Leadership:Beyond sustainability, Laurent is passionate about mental well-being. He integrates mindfulness and leadership development into his work, supporting entrepreneurs and executives in achieving balance and resilience. His initiatives include:Meditate with Laurent – A platform for guided meditation and breathwork.Activate Your Wealth Vibrations (activateyourwealthvibrations.com) – A transformative program combining meditation, sound healing, and mindset shifts to unlock abundance and prosperity.The Space – A mental well-being hub offering personalized wellness solutions.Council for Human Development – A global initiative unlocking human potential through neuroscience, psychology, and leadership coaching. Through 3i Sustainability and his various impact-driven ventures, Laurent helps businesses redefine success—blending sustainability, profitability, and well-being to create a Better You, Better Business, Better World. Connect with Laurent on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laurentmas1 

Guest Bio: Laura Ryan BA (Hons), MSc, DipM MCIM Laura has a First-Class Honours in Marketing and a Masters in Management and has also achieved Chartered Marketer status via the Chartered Institute of Marketing. Laura joined the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in 2007 after successfully launching premium beef & lamb brands within a large butchery business in the North East of England. Working her way through the ranks she was appointed as Sector Strategy Director for Beef & Lamb Board in 2015. She led the strategic review and development for the Beef & Lamb sector in England by identifying key challenges and opportunities which deliver long-term growth. Last year, Laura successfully launched Lavenpark, her own consultancy business, which is working with levy boards and government and commercial companies to achieve greater success through improved industry insight, connectivity, business development, marketing, and communications. Laura is the founder and global Chair of Meat Business Women, launched in 2015. The United Nations have recently recognized it with Laura presenting on the contribution Meat Business Women makes to the global Sustainable Development Goals. LinkMeat Business Women Episode QuotesOn Strategy -- “Don't let folks tell you that it's more complicated than that. Understand, do the research, understand where you are now, what's the ambition, what's the macro-environmental impact, what are your competitors doing, get the research, get the data, and then map out a road map.” - Laura Ryan “Strategic networking is essentially about generosity and reciprocity, but we have to invest time in it. And [we're] debunking the myth that your networking is turning up to conferences or after-work functions with mediocre wine and dreadful canapes... It's genuine care, but also having that strategic intent. And being able to say – this is where I want to be able have an impact in my industry, my sector, wherever it may be.” -Michelle Redfern "I think the networking piece is really important... investing in your network, in your personal board.” - Laura Ryan “Be brave and push yourself outside your comfort zone.” - Laura Ryan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Felix Dodds has been a leading thinker in the area of global governance and sustainable development for thirty years. He is now an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina.  Felix chaired the UN conference in 2011 that put forward the first set of indicative Sustainable Development Goals. He set up the Water and Climate Coalition at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). He attended the COP29 held in Baku Azerbaijan in November of 2024.   The COP-29 presidency announced the “Baku Financial Goal,” a new commitment to allocate $1.3 trillion annually from climate financing for developing countries. Additional achievements include: Establish a Global Carbon Market Mechanism; Full Operation Guarantee for the Loss and Damage Fund; Launch of the Water for Climate Action Program; and, Emphasis on Public-Private Partnerships:  A major criticism is that the fossil-fuel interests have played too large of a role in the COPs.

Send us a textHow do you keep your culture alive, when you've had to flee and create a whole new life in a country you never chose yourself? Sarah Baharaki was born in Badakhshan Province and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan. But rather suddenly, the year she graduated from high school, the situation in her country took a radical turn. In just a few days after the fall of the capital city of Kabul, Sarah, just a teenager at the time, had to flee her home country with her family and has never been able to return home since.In this conversation, Sarah walks us through being uprooted from her home country, landing in the UK, the culture shock she had to overcome, and how she balances her new culture with her home culture. When we speak of the differences in languages we also go into the topic of humor and ‘how to be funny in a foreign language'.From a world away, she watched as her friends and classmates back home became stripped of basic human rights. Driven by a deep conviction, Sarah is a huge advocate for The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 which advocates for Quality Education, and SDG 5 which advocates for Gender Equality. Today Sarah takes charge of the topics dear to her heart. She has carved a path out for herself and is currently a Global Youth Ambassador for Their World, and a UK Youth Delegate to the UN Women in the UK. With a focus on Afghan women, she was also the Opening Keynote speaker at ECOSOC2024 at the UN Head Quarters in New York. Episode mentions: Afghanistan is not what traditional media portrays. Yes, security risks exist, but there is more to the country than just the Taliban's unsettling presence. Learn more about Afghanistan and one of the most famous poets who comes from there in the following links:Omar Haidari — Human Rights Advocate and Blogger from AfghanistanThe Afghan — learn more about Afghanistan through the eyes of an AfghanYes Theory — 96 Hours Inside of Afghanistan in 2020About Rumi — Molana Jalal al-Din Mohammad-e BalkhiRumi's Poetry translated into EnglishIn a wonderful twist of fate, this quote by Rumi (translated into English) feels incredibly fitting for this episode:“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”—✳ Leave a Review or Rate the show on Apple or Spotify. It means a lot!✳ Sign-up to The QUEST. Newsletter to explore the crossroads of multiple belongings.—Original music is composed and produced by Malik Elmessiry.The inbetweenish pod is created and hosted by Beatriz Nour.—Curious to learn more about the in-betweenish?Visit our website: www.inbetweenish.netBehind-the-scenes is on our Instagram: @inbetweenish.podHave an idea? Contact Us or send an email to inbetweenish.pod@gmail.com

Frena l interscambio tra Italia e Germania nel 2024 e rallenta l'export italiano. Il valore dei rapporti commerciali tra i due Paesi è sceso del 4%, mentre le vendite delle imprese italiane sul principale mercato di sbocco per il Paese sono scese da 74,7 a 71 miliardi, in base al rapporto appena pubblicato dalla Camera di commercio Italo-Germanica, Ahk Italien.Nonostante la flessione, causata dalla frenata tedesca e dal complesso contesto internazionale, l'interscambio nel 2024 si è attestato a 156 miliardi di euro ed è stato «il terzo più alto di sempre, a riprova della solidità dei rapporti tra le due economie», spiega Jörg Buck, consigliere delegato della Camera di commercio Ahk Italien. Italia e Germania sono due Paesi votati all export e lo scenario globale «non favorisce il nostro modello di business», sottolinea Buck. Di fronte alle nuove sfide e alla minaccia dei dazi Usa, «è allora importante che collaboriamo e che definiamo insieme una politica industriale. Il tema dei prossimi anni sarà appunto quello di rafforzare l industria europea». Serve quindi più Europa, seguendo le linee guida indicate dal rapporto Letta e da quello Draghi, con più integrazione, con investimenti in innovazione e ricerca, con il recupero dei livelli di competitività e rafforzando le infrastrutture. E con una «strategia comune per tornare a prezzi dell energia più favorevoli per le aziende, perché questo è cruciale per le nostre industrie», afferma ancora Buck.Il commento di Joerg Buck Consigliere Delegato Camera di commercio Italo-Germanica AHK Italien. Venier, scenario incerto, Snam rafforza infrastruttura nazionaleSnam, ha rivelato oggi, ha chiuso il 2024 con ricavi totali pari a 3.568 milioni di euro, in riduzione di 373 milioni di euro (-9,5%) rispetto all'esercizio 2023. Con riferimento al business delle infrastrutture gas, si registra una crescita significativa dei ricavi (+422 milioni di euro, +14,9%). In riduzione i ricavi dei business della transizione energetica (-795 milioni euro, -71,9%) per il minor contributo dell'efficienza energetica a fronte del termine degli incentivi del Superbonus. Per quanto riguarda gli investimenti totali hanno raggiunto il livello record di 2.875 milioni di euro (+31,0% rispetto al 2023), trainati dall'avanzamento dei lavori per il terminale GNL di Ravenna, dall'avvio dei lavori della Linea Adriatica e dagli investimenti nello stoccaggio. Il 65% degli investimenti complessivi è allineato ai Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) e il 31% alla Tassonomia Europea."In uno scenario energetico che rimane incerto, stiamo rafforzando l'infrastruttura nazionale". Lo afferma l'amministratore delegato di Snam Stefano Venier che oggi ha fatto il punto sui risultati del 2024 e sull'avanzamento del Piano Strategico al 2029. Venier ricorda l'acquisizione di Adriatic Lng ed Edison Stoccaggio e il piano di investimenti di 12,4 miliardi di euro al 2029, "il più significativo - sottolinea - della nostra storia". "Chiudiamo il 2024 con risultati molto positivi - aggiunge - superiori alla guidance, che dimostrano una crescita significativa e riflettono il nostro impegno a rafforzare la sicurezza degli approvvigionamenti del paese e ad accelerare la sua transizione sostenibile verso il Net Zero, con investimenti record pari a circa 3 miliardi di euro". "L'ambizione di diventare un operatore infrastrutturale pan-europeo multi-molecola - conclude il manager - va di pari passo con l'innovazione e la sostenibilità, aree in cui nel 2024 abbiamo fatto progressi, anticipando gli ambiziosi obiettivi fissati dal nostro Transition Plan".L'intervento di Stefano Venier, amministratore delegato di SNAM ai microfoni di Sebastiano Barisoni.Elkann alla Camera: «Per noi l Italia ricopre un ruolo centrale»Inizia puntuale l'audizione del presidente di Stellantis John Elkann alla Camera dei Deputati incarico che ha ricevuto dal Consiglio di Amministrazione lo scorso 2 dicembre 2024, a seguito delle dimissioni di Carlos Tavares .«Ci siamo preparati all'audizione di oggi con grande attenzione; perché per noi l'Italia ricopre un ruolo centrale» ha premesso Elkann ai membri della X Commissione (Attività produttive, commercio e turismo) della Camera dei deputati e della 9a Commissione (Industria, commercio, turismo, agricoltura e produzione agroalimentare) del Senato della Repubblica.Nel suo discorso Elkann ricostruisce il ruolo della Fiat in Italia negli ultimi venti anni, conferma il piano industriale presentato al tavolo del Mimit lo scorso 17 dicembre e infine punta a condividere con i membri del Parlamento la prospettiva del settore automotive, non solo in Italia ma anche in Europa e nel Mondo. «Il 2025 evidenzia Elkann - sarà un altro anno difficile: il mercato Italia nei primi due mesi è in contrazione del 7% rispetto allo stesso periodo dello scorso anno; dal 2026 si prevede un aumento della produzione grazie al lancio di 10 nuovi aggiornamenti di prodotto nelle fabbriche italiane i cui livelli produttivi dipenderanno dal mercato e da fattori esterni come i dazi».Sull'azione dell'Europa,Elkann parla di azioni «di corto respiro» e fa appello ad un maggiore impegno sul fronte delle infrastrutture di ricarica. «In Italia - dice - ci sono un terzo delle colonnine che ci sono in Olanda». I produttori automobilistici europei «stanno affrontando uno svantaggio strutturale rispetto ai loro concorrenti cinesi, pari al 40% del costo manifatturiero complessivo. In particolare, i prezzi dell'energia di paesi produttori di auto europei risultano cinque volte più alti di quelli cinesi».L'aumento della produzione in Europa e in Italia nel prossimo ventennio dipenderà dalla crescita del mercato, che sarà sempre più elettrico", ha detto John Elkann ricordando che "il mercato mondiale degli autoveicoli conta circa 80 milioni di unità vendute nel 2024. La Cina occupa il primo posto con 30 milioni, seguita dagli Stati Uniti (16 milioni) e dall'Unione Europea (15 milioni). Rispetto a 20 anni fa, le vendite in Cina sono esplose (+400%), negli Usa sono leggermente diminuite del 5%, mentre in Europa sono calate del 12% e in Italia sono calate del 30%". Filomena Greco, Il Sole 24 Ore a Focus Economia.Dazi, in 22 province export pari a oltre la metà del PilAlla crisi dell'automotive legata a transizione energetica e alla fine della globalizzazione, vanno ora a sommarsi i dazi imposti dagli Stati Uniti di Donald Trump al settore. Anche nel caso in cui i dazi Usa non dovessero essere imposti all Europa, ma solo nei confronti di Messico e Canada, le case automobilistiche di tutto il mondo (Stati Uniti compresi) subirebbero un duro impatto in termini di mancati profitti e perdite economiche.Al di fuori del Nord America, Giappone, Corea del Sud e Germania sono in cima alla lista dei Paesi che registrano un surplus commerciale con gli Stati Uniti. Ma a fine 2024 gli scambi internazionali di merci sono risaliti anche per l economia italiana. Nel 2024 oltre il 48% del valore dell export italiano è stato indirizzato al di fuori dell Ue, una quota superiore a quelle tedesca, francese e spagnola. Tra i principali partner commerciali, gli Stati Uniti hanno assorbito circa il 10% delle vendite all estero dell Italia e più di un quinto di quelle di prodotti italiani destinati ai mercati extra europei. L analisi svolta dall Istat in un focus suggerisce che l applicazione dei dazi preannunciati dall amministrazione statunitense nei confronti dell Ue potrebbe avere effetti rilevanti sull Italia.In Italia negli ultimi cinque anni le vendite all estero hanno trainato i conti di molti settori produttivi con importanti ricadute sui territori. Tanto che molte aree del Paese oggi si trovano particolarmente esposte a un eventuale inasprimento delle politiche commerciali sui mercati internazionali: le province italiane in cui l export genera un valore superiore al 50% del prodotto interno lordo sono 22 su 107. Ciò significa che in una guerra commerciale globale come quella che si sta profilando, sarebbe ad alto rischio l economia di una provincia su cinque.Il commento di Aldo Bonomi, direttore Consorzio Aaster.

Pallavi has been practicing Bhakti Yoga for the past two years and is currently serving at Govardhan Ecovillage as a Sustainability Educator in the Sustainability Department. She is a certified Yoga teacher and comes with 11+ years of experience working as an IT professional at Infosys. Alongside her corporate career, Pallavi has been actively involved in various social and environmental projects, contributing to positive change in society. She is the founder of ‘Cause for Celebration', a nonprofit initiative focused on serving, empowering, and uplifting underprivileged and low-income communities. Pallavi is also a Youth for SDG and runs a digital platform called ‘Eco-Friendly World', which works towards climate action, environmental awareness, and encouraging sustainable living, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She has also hosted a podcast series where she interviewed climate activists from around the world. Pallavi is recognized as a MAX Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador and has been part of the UNLEASH Innovation Lab as a talent. Connect with Pallavi Priya: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/pallavipriya_/ GEV WEBSITE: https://www.ecovillage.org.in/ GEV INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/govardhan_ecovillage/ HJY India Retreat at GEV: https://www.happyjackyoga.com/india This event is hosted by ✨ Happy Jack Yoga University ✨ www.happyjackyoga.com ➡️ Facebook: /happyjackyoga ➡️ Instagram: @happyjackyoga Bhakti Yoga Conference at Harvard Divinity School Experience a one-of-a-kind online opportunity with 40+ renowned scholars, monks, yogis, and thought leaders! REGISTER FOR FREE: www.happyjackyoga.com/bhakti-... This conference is your opportunity to immerse yourself in the wisdom of sincere practitioners as they address the questions and challenges faced by us all. Expect thought-provoking discussions, actionable insights, and a deeper understanding of cultivating Grace in an Age of Distraction and incorporating Bhakti Yoga into your daily life.

Welcome back to Manufacturing an American Century! Today, I had the pleasure of talking with Laura Teicher, the president and executive director of FORGE, a nonprofit that's laser-focused on helping hard tech entrepreneurs turn their prototypes into real-world solutions. FORGE is filling a crucial gap in the manufacturing ecosystem, making sure that companies working on physical products—whether it's next-gen solar panels or AI-driven industrial systems—get the connections and support they need to scale and succeed.Laura walked us through FORGE's unique approach, which isn't your typical incubator or accelerator. Instead, FORGE acts as a matchmaker between innovators and the manufacturers who can help bring their ideas to life. And they do it all with a deep commitment to local manufacturing, helping strengthen regional economies while reducing global supply chain risks and emissions. We also got into Laura's personal passion for climate-focused innovation and sustainable economic development, which drives her work at FORGE. She sees firsthand how manufacturing and hard tech solutions can tackle some of the world's biggest challenges, from climate change to supply chain resilience. If you're an entrepreneur, a manufacturer, or someone looking to help build America's hard tech future, FORGE is a resource you need to know about. That's it for today's episode—keep innovating, keep making, and let's manufacture a stronger future together!AMCC's podcast is made possible in part by the expertise of Mike McAllen, founder of Podcasting4Associations. Are you part of an association also looking to produce a podcast? Let us get you in touch with Mike.Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.

I'm not a financial advisor; Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!Devin: What is your superpower?Brigit: I would say authenticity.The power of social entrepreneurship to drive meaningful change in the world is undeniable. At the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, the mission is clear: leverage market forces to end poverty. Executive Director Brigit Helms leads the charge, helping entrepreneurs apply business principles to solve social and environmental challenges."The purpose of a business is purpose," Brigit explained. "The primary reason for having your business is to solve a social or environmental problem that you see around you in your community."Miller Center's impact speaks for itself. Since its founding, it has accelerated over 1,500 social enterprises across 100 countries. With a strong emphasis on women's economic power and climate resilience, the center has catalyzed transformative change in communities worldwide. Brigit highlighted the success of Someone Somewhere, a company based in Mexico that sources artisan work from some of the country's poorest regions. By securing a major contract with Delta Airlines, the company provided thousands of artisans with the opportunity to triple their income.The center's success is measured in tangible results. In 2020, Miller Center set a goal to double the number of lives improved through its entrepreneur network from 75 million to 150 million by 2025. They surpassed that goal ahead of schedule, reaching over 180 million lives impacted. Additionally, entrepreneurs in their programs have seen remarkable growth in fundraising, with capital raised per entrepreneur rising from an average of $500,000 to $2.1 million.Beyond these achievements, Brigit envisions a future where social entrepreneurship is no longer a niche concept but an integral part of all business endeavors. "One of my personal dreams is that all entrepreneurship can be considered social entrepreneurship," she said. "That we don't even have to use that qualifier."As Miller Center looks toward 2030, it aims to foster a stronger global community among its network of entrepreneurs. The shift from transactional support to an interconnected platform of changemakers aligns with the growing demand for community-driven solutions.For those looking to engage, opportunities abound. Miller Center's mentor program allows seasoned professionals to guide emerging social entrepreneurs, while its venture philanthropy fund provides catalytic capital to scalable ventures. As Brigit pointed out, investing in social entrepreneurship creates lasting impact, making it an appealing option for those seeking meaningful ways to contribute to a better world.Miller Center's work proves that entrepreneurship is more than just a pathway to financial success—it is a powerful tool for tackling society's most pressing issues.tl;dr:Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship accelerates social enterprises to end poverty by leveraging business principles.The center has impacted over 180 million lives and helped entrepreneurs raise significant capital.Women's economic power and climate resilience are key focus areas for the center's programs.Brigit's superpower is authenticity, which she uses to foster trust and drive meaningful leadership.Miller Center is shifting toward building a global community of entrepreneurs to drive systemic change.How to Develop Authenticity As a SuperpowerBrigit Helms believes her superpower is authenticity. "What you see is pretty much what you get with me," she explained. She has built a career by fostering environments where people feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to the table. Brigit embraces cognitive diversity and encourages open discussions where differing opinions are valued. "Even if you're the only one in the room with a different opinion, you should feel comfortable voicing it," she said. This dedication to authenticity has helped her build strong teams and drive impactful change.An Example of Authentic LeadershipWhen Brigit arrived at Miller Center in 2020, the pandemic made traditional strategic planning impossible. Instead of gathering people in a room for brainstorming, she adapted. Breaking the process into smaller, virtual conversations, she ensured that over 100 voices worldwide contributed to Miller Center's strategic direction. "We ended up with a better product because we included perspectives that might have been overlooked in a typical process," she reflected. Her ability to pivot while staying true to her leadership style reinforced her commitment to authenticity.Tips for Developing AuthenticityBuild Trust Through Vulnerability: Be open about mistakes and ask for help when needed.Encourage Diverse Perspectives: Welcome differing opinions and create space for honest discussions.Foster Psychological Safety: Ensure that team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear.Practice Self-Reflection: Regularly evaluate whether your actions align with your core values.Embrace Change While Staying True to Yourself: Adapt to new challenges without compromising integrity.By following Brigit's example and advice, you can make authenticity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileBrigit Helms (she/her):Executive Director, Miller Center for Social EntrepreneurshipAbout Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship: For over 25 years, Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship has been a leader in the global social enterprise movement. With an emphasis on climate resilience and women's economic power, it accelerates entrepreneurship to end poverty and protect the planet, guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Located at Santa Clara University, the center fuses the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley with the university's heritage of social justice, community engagement, and global impact. Miller Center has served 1,500 social enterprises based in over 100 countries that are impacting hundreds of millions of lives.Website: millersocent.orgCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/millersocentOther URL: mysantaclara.scu.edu/givenow?designation=Miller%20Center%20for%20Social%20Entrepreneurship (fundraising page)Biographical Information:Brigit Helms is the Executive Director of Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, where she holds the Howard & Alida Charney Professorship for Science, Technology, and Society. For over 30 years, Helms has created and delivered solutions to social and environmental challenges in 55 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She has held leadership roles at DAI, the Multilateral Investment Fund (now IDB Lab), McKinsey & Company, and the World Bank Group, where she was a founding executive at CGAP, a center of excellence for financial inclusion. Helms is the author of Access for All: Building Inclusive Economic Systems and serves on the boards of the AlphaMundi Foundation and BRAC USA. She earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in development and agricultural economics from Stanford University, an M.A. in Latin American studies from Johns Hopkins, and a B.S. in political science from Santa Clara University.Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/millercenter, linkedin.com/in/bhelmsInstagram Handle: @miller.socentSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, AMIBA, SuperCrowdLA and Crowdfunding Made Simple. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on March 18, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, March 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe will be leading a session on "How to Build a VC-Style Impact Crowdfunding Portfolio." He'll share expert insights on diversifying investments, identifying high-potential impact ventures, and leveraging crowdfunding for both financial and social returns. Whether you're an experienced investor or just getting started, this is a must-attend! Don't miss it!SuperCrowdLA: we're going to be live in Santa Monica, California, May 1-3. Plan to join us for a major, in-person event focused on scaling impact. Sponsored by Digital Niche Agency, ProActive Real Estate and others. This will be a can't-miss event. Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!  SuperCrowd25, August 21st and 22nd: This two-day virtual event is an annual tradition but with big upgrades for 2025! We'll be streaming live across the web and on TV via e360tv. Soon, we'll open a process for nominating speakers. Check back!Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.Igniting Community Capital to Build Outdoor Recreation Communities, Crowdfund Better, Thursdays, March 20 & 27, April 3 & 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.Asheville Neighborhood Economics, April 1-2, 2-25.Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Call for community action:Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefiting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Welcome to the latest episode of the WAB Podcast! In this episode, we explored the world of Global Citizenship and the stories, ideas, and initiatives behind this program that make our student learning and community unique. Joining us were Angelia Crouch, WAB's Global Citizenship Coordinator; LeeAnne Lavender, an Educational Consultant specializing in storytelling and service learning; and two High School students, Ernest and Michelle, who are leading impactful community projects. Together, they discussed how WAB's Global Citizenship Program is empowering students to become change-makers and better learners. Angelia introduced WAB has a long-standing mission to make a difference, which has evolved into our Global Citizenship Program focused on empowering students to address global issues, particularly those related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She added that the program also emphasizes building reciprocal relationships with community partners to provide students with real-world experiences through their close collaboration.   The program also emphasizes student agency, allowing learners to take the driver's seat in their projects. Ernest , from Grade 10, is the new leader of High School student club ProFarmer. He shared how his club conducts egg sales to support local organic farmers and educate students from lower grades about sustainable agriculture through farm visits and hands-on experience in the Middle School Garden.   Michelle, a Grade 11 student, shared her involvement in a partnership with the Happy School, a specialized school for students recovering from leukemia. As part of her IB CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) Project, Michelle and her peers conducted English lessons for the students every week, sharing not only language skills but also cultural insights, building connections, and providing support to the students in need.   LeeAnne underscored the importance of global citizenship education. She highlighted how the experiences of Ernest and Michelle are amazing examples of how being involved in these types of projects empowers students to become active global and digital citizens. She emphasized that by providing learning experiences both inside and outside of the classroom, students can learn how to take their knowledge and skills and apply them in local and global situations. This helps students to see the relevance of what they're learning and “make learning real”.  "When a school has those things in place, the curricular program, the co-curricular program, and rich, robust partnerships, it's like the most beautiful recipe for student empowerment and engagement ever," Leanne said. Global citizenship initiatives, she explained, answer the "why" behind learning,  sparking engagement and leading to action.  If you want to hear about how WAB's Global Citizenship Program empowers students to become change-makers and better learners, nurturing compassionate, globally-minded individuals. Don't miss out on this episode! 

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, and Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, today announced €2.2 million funding for research projects that seek to address the global issues of hunger and food insecurity. The Sustainable Development Goals Challenge is run in partnership with Irish Aid, and the six research projects receiving funding are focused on SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The research teams will develop a wide range of solutions that can contribute to ending hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture. €2.2 million research funding for Zero Hunger The projects include: Empowering women farmers in Malawi to overcome the unique barriers they face and breakdown gender inequities in agriculture. Leveraging and strengthening digital health systems in Uganda to tackle hunger, food access and malnutrition in vulnerable populations. Ensuring that women from marginalized communities in Sub-Saharan Africa can access nutrient-rich meals, improving maternal-child health outcomes through Mobile health (mHealth) interventions. Integrating indigenous knowledge with climate-smart agricultural technologies to build resilience in smallholder farming practices in Malawi. Using AI to help farmers in Vietnam achieve high rice yields while preserving soil and saving water in the context of environmental and climate pressures. Developing solar-powered crop processing machines for climate-resilient grain crops to decrease postharvest loss and increase productivity for smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe. Minister James Lawless said: "Today's funding announcement reinforces Ireland's commitment to implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With over 700 million people continuing to face food insecurity and malnutrition globally, the research of these six teams can make a real and positive impact at an international level. As these projects progress through collaboration with researchers in Irish Aid partner countries, they will work directly with those most impacted by the challenges they are addressing, delivering tangible solutions to significant societal challenges. I wish the teams every success over the coming months." Minister Neale Richmond said: "Ireland is committed to creating a more equal and sustainable world. Investment in transforming global food systems is crucial to delivering on this commitment. Irish Aid's ongoing partnership with Research Ireland is an important driver of innovative and transformational change. With this Challenge focused on the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger, the projects funded today will help us combat chronic hunger, under-nutrition and gender inequality for food systems transformation." Celine Fitzgerald, Interim CEO, Research Ireland, said: "The SDG Challenge programme is an inspiring example of the power of international collaboration and strategic research funding. Challenge-based research funding encourages researchers to work directly with those most affected by the problems they seek to address and Research Ireland's collaboration with Irish Aid has enabled truly international research partnerships. Ireland has a whole-of-government approach to the implementation of the SDGs and the projects funded today are a leading example of this integrated commitment. I look forward to following the progress these teams make as they develop their research projects." The six projects represent international collaborations between research institutes in Ireland and in Irish Aid partner countries - in this case, South Africa, Malawi, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The research teams funded today will have the opportunity to compete for an overall prize fund of €1 million for the most competitive team as part of this challenge-based funding programme. The SDG Challenge Programme is a partnership between Research Ireland and Irish Aid (Department of Foreign Affairs), whose purpos...

Welcome to the Terra Carta Series of the All Things Sustainable podcast, a collaboration with the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI). Throughout 2025, we'll be interviewing SMI member CEOs from around the world and across industries about how they're approaching sustainability challenges and opportunities.   The SMI is a network of over 250 global CEOs across finance and industry. It facilitates private sector diplomacy with the ambition of making sustainability the driving force of global markets and value creation. S&P Global is a proud SMI member.  We're calling this the Terra Carta Series based on the SMI's Terra Carta mandate. This is the guiding mandate for the SMI and sets out ambitious and practical actions to help the private sector accelerate progress toward a sustainable future. The name Terra Carta is a play on the historic Magna Carta.  In this first episode, we're talking to SMI CEO Jennifer Jordan-Saifi ahead of the organization's five-year anniversary event in London March 10th and 11th.   Jennifer explains how His Majesty King Charles III launched the SMI in 2020 when he was the Prince of Wales. She talks about how member companies are navigating a challenging sustainability landscape and staying focused on long-term solutions. And she explains how the SMI works to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors.   “Having a group of global CEOs with such enormous reach across the global economy, there's just this real opportunity to have systems-level change,” Jennifer says. "As we connect the private sector into governments and align private sector objectives with public sector objectives, then we really start to see transformational change happening in a way that's really positive for economic growth, for trade, for jobs — and that's really what the SMI is about.”  This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1, a part of S&P Global.   Copyright ©2025 by S&P Global   DISCLAIMER   By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.   S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST. 

March is Women's History Month and in this episode of Talking Taiwan I'll be speaking with the Angela Feng, the organizer of the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action panel, a UN CSW69 Parallel Event that's going to be held here in New York City on Friday, March 14th from 4:30pm-6:00pm. CSW69 stands for the 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Also with me in this interview are the other two panelists Cindy Wu who's been a previous guest on Talking Taiwan and Dr. Remi Duyile.   There are quite a few acronyms tossed around in this conversation so I thought I'd mention them upfront here like SDG goals, which stands for Sustainable Development Goals which were adopted by United Nations Member States. There are 17 SDGs because ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.   The other acronym you'll hear is BPW which stands for Business and Professional Women.   The theme of the panel is how education and community initiatives equal empowerment. The session will dive into how education and grassroots programs can transform lives.   Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi not only talked about the panel, and work of their respective organizations, but I ask each of the women who were their earliest role models who helped to shape who they are today, and to share about challenges that they've had to overcome in their careers thus far.   If you'd like to know how you can attend the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action panel visit TalkingTaiwan.com where we'll share a link to register for it on Eventbrite.   Here's a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode: ·  Angela Feng, Cindy Wu, and Dr. Remi Duyile are the organizers and panelists for the Empowering Women Through Education and Community Action Panel. ·  The panel's theme is "How Education and Community Initiatives Equal Empowerment." ·  The session will explore how education and grassroots programs can significantly transform lives, particularly for women and girls. ·  Angela Feng is the president of Soroptimist Taipei International, Girls Power, a female non-profit organization recognized by the UN and Taiwan. ·  Cindy Wu is a trilingual financial management professional, singer-songwriter, and motivational speaker, involved with the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW). ·  Dr. Remi Duyile is a Nigerian-American, a UN ambassador of peace, and the founder of Legacy Premier Foundation, a global developmental non-profit. ·  The discussion will delve into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how these goals relate to women's empowerment ·  Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi the work that they have done with each of their respective organizations ·  Angela, Cindy and Dr. Remi talked about their early role models and the challenges they have overcome in their careers. ·  The panel aims to provide practical insights and inspire action, moving beyond abstract concepts of women's empowerment. ·  The women want to provide action steps, and resources to the audience ·  Soroptimist International of Taipei Girls Power focuses on education for young women, from elementary school through college. ·  The Legacy Premier Foundation focuses on financial literacy, and providing access to resources to underserved communities, and teaches skills that are needed in the market place. ·  The International Federation of Business and Professional Women works to create opportunities for women through promoting employment, and protecting rights.   Related Links:  

In this episode of WISE On Air, host of this episode and Director of Research at WISE, Selma Talha-Jebril talks to Manos Antoninis, Director of the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, to discuss the recently launched 2024/5 GEM Report and the UNESCO-World Bank Education Finance Watch 2024. Manos brings decades of expertise in global education policy and leadership, offering critical insights into the most pressing issues, including severe funding disparities, political influence on education systems, and the growing need for empowered educational leaders. He sheds light on how we can overcome these challenges and push toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 for inclusive, equitable education worldwide. Read the UNESCO GEM Report: https://bit.ly/4bfK2Lo Read the Education Finance Watch 2024 Report: https://bit.ly/4kjtdDB --- If you enjoyed this episode, would you consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It really helps out the show and we would greatly appreciate it. Website: wise-qatar.org Twitter: twitter.com/WISE_Tweets Instagram: @wiseqatar Facebook: facebook.com/wiseqatar/ Linkedin: bit.ly/2JKThYf 00:00 Introduction: The State of Global Education 00:27 Welcome to Wise On Air 00:43 Leadership and Education Investment 01:58 Interview with Manos Antoninis 02:34 Stagnation in Global Education Progress 08:01 The Role of School Leaders 15:54 Autonomy in School Leadership 21:32 Education Finance Disparities 24:15 Global Financial Systems and Education 32:24 The Role of International Organizations 38:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

We're in the countdown to the 2025 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference, in Indianapolis, Indiana, April 6-8, when more than 700 leading analytics professionals and industry experts will come together to discover new solutions to business problems, connect and network, and celebrate excellence in the field.   Joining me to help build the excitement for this year's conference is Dick den Hertog, professor of Operations Research at the University of Amsterdam, who will be sharing a sneak peek of his keynote presentation titled, “Analytics for a Better World,” which will showcase the transformative potential of analytics in enabling non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to make a greater impact on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Trump administration's fight against DEI has come for the United Nations. In this episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and Mark Leon Goldberg discuss what we are seeing unfold at the UN in terms of Trump's push against inclusion and gender equity. These moves are already disrupting the regular order of business at the UN, and we explore what this portends for the organization moving forward, including potential impacts on a wide range of UN agencies, programs, and policies—from peacekeeping to the Sustainable Development Goals. Make no mistake: Trump's crusade against DEI is coming for the UN. We explain what that means and how this anti-DEI agenda may manifest itself at the UN. Meanwhile, Trump's pick for UN Ambassador, Elise Stefanik, is languishing in the Senate. For now, her confirmation appears to be on ice — and she may not get confirmed at all, despite having some support from Democrats! Get a subscription for 40% off by following this link: https://www.globaldispatches.org/124f4694

I'm not a financial advisor; Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!Devin: What is your superpower?Darren: I think I think it's a recipe. There are different parts to the recipe because I think it's one part fearlessness—I don't know if it's fearlessness or stupidity—and one part persistence and sprinklings of resilience and sensitivity and compassion.We live in an era of unprecedented digital connection, yet loneliness and isolation continue to rise. Darren Mark, Founder and CEO of hūmNET, has set out to change that. His innovative platform is designed to foster real, meaningful connections through shared moments of focus and empathy. Rather than scrolling endlessly through divisive social media feeds, hūmNET users can create and participate in "hums"—synchronized moments of contemplation, prayer, or reflection—with others across the globe.Darren describes hūmNET as "the worldwide web of empathy," an alternative to traditional social media platforms that often prioritize engagement over well-being. "We've all got these devices in our pockets that promise connection," Darren said. "And yet, with the loneliness epidemic and isolation, we feel less connected than ever. hūmNET is really looking to solve the problem of how we help people feel connected more deeply."At the heart of hūmNET is a simple but powerful experience. Users can create a hum—a designated time when they and others focus their thoughts on a common theme. Participants see glowing beacons on a map, visualizing who is joining them in that moment. A gentle vibration increases as more people join, reinforcing the sense of collective presence."Imagine my daughter, standing outside in the cold during a climate protest, wondering if anyone else cares. Now, she can open hūmNET and see that 87,000 others are thinking about climate change with her," Darren explained. "That's super empowering."hūmNET is raising capital through regulation crowdfunding on Funding Hope, a platform aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This strategic choice reflects the company's mission-driven approach, allowing its users to participate not just in the platform but in its growth and success. "There's something so organically intrinsic about what hūmNET is and raising money from the crowd," Darren noted. "It aligns perfectly with our mission."In a world craving genuine connection, hūmNET offers a hopeful vision for the future—one where technology enhances empathy rather than eroding it. Darren's passion for building a more connected, compassionate world is evident, and with the support of a like-minded community, hūmNET has the potential to transform the way we engage with one another online.tl;dr:* hūmNET, founded by Darren Mark, is an innovative platform designed to foster real, meaningful connections through shared moments of focus and empathy.* Darren shared how his past experiences in tech, marketing, and empathy-building shaped hūmNET's unique approach to digital connection.* The company is raising capital via regulation crowdfunding on Funding Hope to align with its mission-driven approach.* Darren discussed his superpower of fearless initiative, highlighting bold actions that have led to pivotal opportunities.* The episode concluded with practical advice on cultivating courage, persistence, and human connection to drive positive change.How to Develop Audacity to Act As a SuperpowerDarren describes his superpower as a combination of fearlessness, persistence, resilience, sensitivity, and compassion. At its core, however, his defining strength is courage—the audacity to take bold actions others might hesitate to attempt."I don't know if it's fearlessness or stupidity, but I've always just rolled up my sleeves and figured things out," Darren shared. His approach to challenges involves diving in headfirst, fueled by a belief in his mission and an unshakable determination to make an impact.One story exemplifies this superpower: While running a Kickstarter campaign for a previous startup, Darren realized he wasn't gaining enough traction. Determined to change that, he took a leap of faith—literally. Spotting billionaire investor Mark Cuban on the streets of Brooklyn Heights, Darren seized the moment. He grabbed his product, ran up to Cuban, and attempted to engage him. While Cuban didn't personally respond, Darren's effort wasn't wasted. His flyer landed in the hands of Cuban's limo driver, which eventually led to an invitation to pitch on Shark Tank.Darren's experience provides key lessons for developing fearlessness as a personal strength:* Act Quickly on Opportunities – When an opportunity presents itself, hesitation can mean missing out. Darren's success often stems from his willingness to seize the moment.* Embrace Rejection as a Stepping Stone – Facing rejection is part of the process. Darren has learned that persistence often turns initial failures into eventual victories.* Believe in Your Mission – Conviction in one's purpose fuels the courage to take risks, even when the outcome is uncertain.* Be Willing to Learn and Adapt – Every experience, whether successful or not, provides valuable insights that can be applied in the future.* Leverage Human Connection – People appreciate sincerity and determination. Approaching others with respect and authenticity makes bold actions more likely to succeed.By following Darren's example and advice, you can make fearlessness a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileDarren Mark (he/him):Founder & CEO, hūmNETAbout hūmNET: Loneliness is a staggering issue affecting millions. Amid our rapid technological advancements, individuals are more isolated than ever. Enter hūmNET—a beacon of human connection. This platform isn't just an app, it's a movement to convert emotional isolation into collective power.THE PROBLEM:In the US alone, the cost of loneliness is a staggering $106 Billion annually. Yet pervasive loneliness remains unaddressed. How is it that in one of the wealthiest nations on Earth, we still find ourselves disconnected and yearning for genuine connection? It's time to confront this empathy deficit head-on.THE SOLUTION:hūmNET offers hope by transforming solitude into solidarity. Our easy-to-use platform bridges gaps through real-time, purpose-driven gatherings—humns—that become glowing beacons of connection. Whether you're seeking support or offering your presence, hūmNET empowers users to weave a worldwide web of empathy.Website: humnet.live/funding-hopeX/Twitter Handle: @humnet9Company Facebook Page: fb.com/humnet.liveInstagram Handle:@humnet.live/Other URL: invest.fundinghope.com/offering/humnetBiographical Information: Darren is a purpose-driven entrepreneur with a proven track record of leadership, having successfully guided conscious brands to success. Passionate about the intersection of technology, empathy, and creative innovation, Darren is dedicated to revolutionizing human connection and mental well-being through hūmNET. His vision for the platform is to create shared micro-gatherings where people can come together in meaningful ways, from grief to gratitude, while fostering global impact and raising awareness for critical social issues.Before founding hūmNET, Darren served as VP & Creative Director for Tree-Free Greetings, where he built the best-selling sustainable greeting card line in Whole Foods, as well as creating an "empathy database"—a collection of thousands of personal stories about how people wish to be acknowledged. This work inspired the creation of hūmNET, a platform designed to address the challenges of human connection.X/Twitter Handle: @darrenwmarkPersonal Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/darren.mark.338/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenmark/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/h%C5%ABmnet/Support Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, Health Care Originals, Arcade Therapeutics and Ecotone Renewables. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.* Special Live Episode of Superpowers for Good Show on e360tv with Jonathan Cohen, CEO of 20/20 GeneSystems, at 6:30 PM Eastern Time (3:30 PM Pacific). Watch live. Ask the CEO questions and see them answered on TV. Tune in here.* Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on February 18, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.* SuperCrowdHour, February 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe will be leading a session on "Calculating Your Funding Needs," providing essential guidance for entrepreneurs and impact-driven businesses to determine the right amount to raise for sustainable growth. Whether you're preparing for your first crowdfunding campaign or planning to scale, this is a must-attend! Don't miss it!* Superpowers for Good Live Pitch for Q1-25, March 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET. The application window for the 1st quarter live pitch event is now open. Apply here.* SuperCrowdLA: we're going to be live in Santa Monica, California, May 1-3. Plan to join us for a major, in-person event focused on scaling impact. Sponsored by Digital Niche Agency, ProActive Real Estate and others. This will be a can't-miss event. Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!Community Event Calendar* Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events* Kingscrowd Meet Up in Portsmouth, NH - February 11 at 4:00 PM ET* Kingscrowd Meet Up in Denver, CO - February 12th at 4:30 PM MT* Kingscrowd Meet Up in Seattle, WA - February 13th at 5:00 PM PT* Kingscrowd Meet Up in Salt Lake City, UT - February 17th at 4:30 PM MT* Kingscrowd Meet Up in Los Angeles, CA - February 19th at 5:00 PM PT* Kingscrowd Meet Up in West Hartford, CT - February 24th at 5:30 PM ET* Capital Raise Strategies for Purpose Driven Enterprises, hosted by PathLight Law, February 25 at 1:00 PM ET.* Kingscrowd Meet UP in San Francisco, CA - February 27th at 5:30 PM PT* Igniting Community Capital to Build Outdoor Recreation Communities, Crowdfund Better, Thursdays, March 20 & 27, April 3 & 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.* NC3 Changing the Paradigm: Mobilizing Community Investment Funds, March 7, 2025* Asheville Neighborhood Economics, April 1-2, 2-25.* Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Call for community action:* Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefitting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

The United Nations 2030 Agenda “Sustainable Development Goals” and the broader “sustainability” agenda to undermine freedom have been injected into every federal agency amid a mass indoctrination program of the federal workforce under the previous administration, warned The New American magazine’s Alex Newman on this episode of Behind The Deep State with special guest Truth ... The post UN Plan Injected into ALL Federal Agencies—and Your CHILDREN! appeared first on The New American.

  Matthew Edgerton is using personal life experiences and work background to help an aging population find their tribe and grow older with gusto. In this conversation with Gail Zugerman, he shares how he interviewed all types of people, from the aging in independent living to their caregivers and family members, to create his business model called Cogensus. Matthew sheds light on the lack of stimulation among older people and how he strives to determine the best way to get them engaged in life. He also explains how Cogensus uses AI in creating family memoirs that will give people a purpose and something to add to their legacy. --- Watch the episode here   Listen to the podcast here   Finding Your Tribe In The Digital Age With Matthew Edgerton Our guest is an enterprising man from California who has been shaped by life experiences to leave the world a better place by helping people as they grow older. His name is Matthew Edgerton, and he's launching a company in 2025 called Cogensus, which he has created through his background of being a thought leader in the areas of artificial intelligence, innovation strategy, and product development. Prior to his latest endeavor, Cogensus, Matthew led the global strategy and GTM for the communication and media division of Accenture, Microsoft's cloud-first practice. Matthew has so much to tell us about how he got to where he is, so I'd like to welcome him to the show. Welcome, Matthew. Gail, thanks for having me. How Matthew's Experiences Shaped Cogensus You told me you're shaped by your personal experiences. Let's start there. Can you tell our readers how this played into you starting your own company called Cogensus? Great name, by the way. Thank you. The personal experience I referenced was the particular passing of my grandfather. When I was a little guy, I spent a lot of time with my granddad. He watched me a lot from the ages of 1 to 11, when he passed away. My grandpa, I learned later in life, was a pretty exemplary guy. He went through a lot of interesting life experiences. Growing up with him in the context of being his grandchild, I was not exposed to any of that because there are a lot of adult topics you just can't talk to a child about.     I understand totally. When I was in my late twenties, I one day stumbled upon his online obituary, and it referenced a couple of things that I didn't know. I went on a research journey of my own to learn more about my grandpa. I learned that he joined World War II at seventeen. He fought and served and got a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. He came back and tried to commit suicide and then survived. A lot of intense life experiences. It's a shame that we don't have more clarity and depth on what happened there. That colored my experience. In the age of AI, I thought that a lot of people are going to be getting older. It'll be a real shame if their combined histories pass away without being saved in some form or fashion. That was one of the personal experiences that caused me to move in this direction. This is somewhat professional, but in 2022, I helped the United Nations. I wrote some climate standards for them. You can find it under the ITU group. Effectively, they have these things called SDGs, which are Sustainable Development Goals. There's a big focus on both preserving the histories of the world. That could be all kinds of different communities, including indigenous folks, all the way up to helping the world as it ages. That was where I first got exposed to this broader problem about, I'll call it the aging world that we live in. We are going to be entering a time where we have a lot more people over the age of 60 than under it. That causes a whole bunch of both societal as well as localized changes that need to occur. By taking that into account and trying to be a positive person and leave a positive impact, and then my own personal experiences. That is what shaped Cogensus effectively.

Ghislaine Maxwell founded the TerraMar Project in 2012, presenting it as a nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation. The organization gained prominence through Maxwell's speeches at venues like the United Nations and TEDx, and it showcased its commitment to advancing Sustainable Development Goals at the Clinton Global Initiative. However, despite its high-profile endorsements, TerraMar's financial records reveal minimal charitable activity; between 2012 and 2017, the organization distributed no grant money and incurred unusually high accounting and legal fees for its size. These discrepancies have led to scrutiny over the organization's true purpose and its connections to influential figures, including the Clintons.The revelation that Ghislaine Maxwell's nephew, Alexander Djerassi, secured a job in Hillary Clinton's State Department reeks of the very elitist nepotism and corruption that has allowed figures like Maxwell and Epstein to thrive unchecked for decades. That someone so closely tied to an international sex-trafficking ring was quietly placed in a sensitive government position dealing with Middle East policy is not just a coincidence—it's a glaring indictment of the political class's willingness to reward the well-connected, regardless of their associations. How does a family so deeply entangled in one of the most egregious abuse scandals of modern history produce a government insider under a top U.S. official without raising alarms? The Clintons have long been suspected of running in the same circles as Epstein and Maxwell, and this revelation only fuels further doubt about their claims of distance from the scandal.The fact that Djerassi was given a role of influence in foreign policy—where intelligence connections, backdoor dealings, and covert operations are routine—should be more than enough reason for serious scrutiny. Yet, predictably, there has been no mainstream media uproar, no demands for an investigation, and no accountability. If the roles were reversed, and this was a Trump administration official linked to such a disgraceful network, the media would be in full meltdown mode. Instead, those in power simply act as if these connections are meaningless, hoping the public either forgets or never notices. But people are noticing, and the question remains—how many other well-connected figures with ties to Epstein and Maxwell have quietly infiltrated key institutions, protected by their elite status and their ability to keep secrets?to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

FreshEd is on holidays. We'll be back with new episodes in February. In the meantime, we are replaying some of our favourite episodes from our archive, which now totals over 380 episodes. The best way for you to explore our archive is on our website, freshedpodcast.com. You'll find hand-picked playlists, transcripts, and even accompanying educational resources. And while you're there, please consider becoming a member of FreshEd for as little as $10/month. Members receive exclusive benefits. -- Is there a worldwide learning crisis today? My guest, Keith Lewin, argues that the real issue in much of international education development has to do with financing. In our conversation, we discuss aid to education and the ways in which the Sustainable Development Goals don't take the idea of sustainability seriously. Keith Lewin is an Emeritus Professor of International Education and Development at the University of Sussex. www.freshedpodcast.com/keithlewin twitter: @freshedpodcast email: info@freshedpodcast.com

Send Crystal a text letting her know what you thought about the show!This is another episode of the Forces for Nature, EarthX Conference series!As the president of the United Nations Association – Orange County Chapter - Dave Rice is committed to localizing the UN's global Sustainable Development Goals. To effectively achieve this, Dave founded the nonprofit Sustainable Impact Alliance (SIA), and its for-profit counterpart, Sustainable Impact Alliance Solutions International (SIASI). Through his mantra of "Think Globally, Act Locally," Dave demonstrates how harnessing data and fostering collaboration can make sustainable development attainable for all communities.HighlightsThe mission of SIA and how it mobilizes local communities to achieve global goals.How SIASI bridges the gap between nonprofit initiatives and innovative for-profit solutions.The development of a Climate Dashboard in Orange County, California, to track energy usage, emissions, and green solutions for 34 cities and 3.5 million residents. What YOU Can Do Join the United Nations Association. Find a local citizen coalition or climate group you can get involved in.Promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  ResourcesSustainable Impact Alliance Solutions Check out Local2030Follow Dave Rice on LinkedInWant a free guide to help you become a force for nature? Get it HERE!If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, rate, and review it! This helps to boost its visibility. Hit me up on Instagram and Facebook and let me know what actions you have been taking. Adopting just one habit can be a game-changer because imagine if a billion people also adopted that! What difference for the world are you going to make today?