S3 #6 'Fighting for Digital Sustainability since 1998', with Tim Frick from Mightybytes

No hierarchy? No Managers?? Employees who choose their own salary???

It may sound like a Venture Capitalist's worst-nightmare, and a business doomed to fail, but Anne-Cécile and the team at 'Jobs That Make Sense' are proving them all wrong!

Established over 10 years ago and boasting a team of 150, 'Jobs That Make Sense' is paving the way not only in how business can be run, but in connecting people with purposeful jobs. 

'Jobs That Make Sense' is a platform designed to connect people to meaningful work, and build an inclusive and sustainable society. 

In this episode, Ann-Cécile joined James to chat about:

❤️‍🩹 How volunteering and social work led to her career in Sustainability.
📈 How JTMS grew to over 7,000 organisations on their platform.
👣 Anne-Cécile's advice for finding your own purposeful job.
🏗️ Reinventing how organisations work; with flat governance, responsibility, and trust.
🔮 Anne-Cécile's prediction for a future fuelled by the younger generation's desire for meaningful work.
... and much more! ✨

Anne-Cécile and her team are flipping the script on how we should think about our relationships with our work, and how corporate organisations should function. It's a trailblazing example, and we'd love for you to check out and enjoy this episode as much as we did 💚

About Anne-Cécile Crabières:
Anne-Cécile Crabières is 30 years old and always looking for outdoor and dancing sessions! She has worked for makesense for 7 years now and is in charge of the recruiters on the jobs_that_makesense platform!

For 10 years, makesense has been creating tools and programs for collective mobilization to enable everyone to take action and build an inclusive and sustainable society.

Further Resources from the episode:
Jobs That Make Sense website: https://jobs.makesense.org/en
Anne-Cécile on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-c%C3%A9cile-crabi%C3%A8res/
CheerUp project: https://cheer-up.fr/
'Reinventing Organisations' by Frederic Laloux: https://www.reinventingorganizations.com/

Music credit: bensound.com

For our sixth episode of Season Four we were delighted to host a vital partner to our mission here at EcoSend - Treeapp, our tree-planting powerhouse!

Since June 2023 we have entrusted Treeapp and their projects across the world with planting our clients' trees to absorb the carbon emissions of their email campaigns, reforest devastated areas, and improve the quality of life of local residents. 

Treeapp operate across four continents, and already partner with brands such as The Economist, DPD, and L'Oréal. 

We chose Treeapp to be our partner because of their stand-out credentials, including:

✅ Minimum 15 year contracts between landowners and local government, to ensure the trees are protected and allowed to grow.
✅ Third party satellite monitoring of their planting sites, via Restor.eco, to view the sites' progress over time.
✅ Planting only endemic and non-invasive species, and never planting monocultures!

But who are the people behind Treeapp, and how did the company come about?

To tell us all, we were delighted to welcome Godefroy Harito, Co-Founder of Treeapp, onto the show. 

In this week's episode, Godefroy chatted with James about:

🔥 How a childhood witnessing forest-fires in Greece sowed the seeds for launching Treeapp.
👣 Godefroy's journey from Fintech to Climate.
🎓 Securing accreditation from BCorp, World Economic Forum, and UN Global Compact.
⚔️ Addressing the controversy around Carbon Offsetting.
🚸 Speaking to schools to encourage the next generation of change-makers.
👏The dual benefits of reforestation; rebuilding local flora & fauna and providing economic opportunity through salaried work to locals.
... and much more! ✨

We loved getting to know a bit more about the story of Treeapp, and the great work they are doing across over 15 countries.

We hope you'll enjoy the episode too! 💚

About Godefroy Harito:
Godefroy is the co-founder of Treeapp, a global tree planting organisation enabling individuals and organisations to plant trees globally. Having planted over 4mln trees globally, the organisation works with the likes of the Economist, Loreal and DPD delivery group to plant trees.

Further Resources from the episode:
Treeapp's website: https://www.thetreeapp.org
Treeapp on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thetreeapp/
Godefroy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/godefroyharito/

Music credit: bensound.com

Cornwall may be best-known on the Sustainability map for its expansive Eden Project site, but nestled just down the road from Eden Project sits another trailblazing site for a better future.

Caroline Stephenson's journey to building 'The Meadow Barns - An Education Centre for Climate Hope', started back in the 90s and her mother's mission to install two wind turbines. 

Caroline witnessed firsthand the fierce opposition her mother faced because of her activism. Drawing on this, since leaving her career in Music teaching, Caroline has dedicated herself to building 'The Meadow Barns' and using it as a site and resource to teach young people about Sustainable living. 

Her home is also her headquarters for her ‘Climate Hope’ movement, which Caroline defines as:

• underpinned by deep research
• brought to life by creative people
• grounded in local community and
• culminates in events and/or publications of colour, vibrancy and an infectious sense of fun!

In her chat with James, we learned about:

🌎 The importance of Community in launching a Sustainability movement, rather than going alone.
🙅‍♂️ The discrimination her mother faced because of her activism.
👣 How she has navigated facing her opposition to her own activism.
🏡 The challenges and benefits of using green building practises for her own 'EcoHome'.
🧒 Cultivating the next generation of change-makers through narrative and story-telling.
... and much more! ✨

Caroline is a living-breathing embodiment of her values and mission. From her home to her education courses, everything is dedicated to enabling future generations and to building a better future.

With her infectious enthusiasm for change, we're sure you'll enjoy this episode as much as we did 💚

About Caroline Stephenson:
Caroline Stephenson is Director of the Meadow Barns Education Centre, where people learn about local history and we share a wide range of stories that offer climate hope for the future

Further Resources from the episode:
The Meadow Barns website: https://themeadowbarns.co.uk/category/green-friday-blog-2023/
The Meadow Barns on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vxS01UuvQfpZljw7QTzMw

Music credit: bensound.com

We're very privileged on The EcoSend Podcast to be inspired by so many change-makers leading innovation and solving problems.

And Carina Jandt is high up on that list!

Carina is a fantastic example of a change-maker who saw a problem in her industry, a problem which her industry chose to ignore, and took it upon herself to do something about it! 

A veteran of the Events Industry, Carina saw first-hand the depressing amount of wastage left over at the end of each Event. Furniture, hardware, the list goes on...

At the same time, while volunteering in the third sector, she saw the intense need for products, particularly digital.

Putting two and two together, Carina stepped up to solve the problem by co-founding Event Cycle!

Event Cycle is dedicated to helping event professionals implement practical solutions to sustainability challenges, and redistributing leftover items across the Third Sector.

In her chat with James, we learned all about:

💡How a leftover set of IKEA furniture sparked the idea for Event Cycle.
🤝The importance for business to learn to work within communities, not seeing themselves as islands.
📄How ESG needs to change in the immediate future.
🔮Her predictions for upcoming trends and changes in the Events industry.
🏁Why we need to focus on incremental change and starting NOW!
... and much more! ✨

Carina is a great example of a 'get sh*t done' mentality, and how to align your work with your purpose through a bit of creative thinking!

We loved meeting Carina, and we hope you enjoy the episode too.

About Carina Jandt:
Carina is a seasoned technical production manager with a decade of experience at high-profile event agencies recognized a growing sustainability trend among clients and desire to reduce waste.

While volunteering, she quickly noticed the increasing demand for donations with charities and felt that there was a need to combine the two. Her venture Event Cycle does just that - helping event businesses implement practical and sustainable solutions with a lasting social legacy. Carina aspires to guide the industry towards a circular economy while aiding the vulnerable, fostering a lasting legacy.

Further Resources from the episode:
Event Cycle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eventcycle
Event Cycle on X: https://twitter.com/eventcycleuk
Event Cycle's website: https://www.eventcycle.org/ 

Music credit: bensound.com

It's all very well to hold values 'on paper', but when those values are tested by business decisions, many change-makers find themselves sadly making compromises. 

That can involve agreeing to work for clients who you know don't match with your mission. But the financial incentives can be hard to say no to, especially for freelancers in the Sustainability and Regenerative Business sector.

Magali Seyvet however, is not one for compromises!

Magali is on a mission to harness the power of film-making and narrative to create positive-change. But not only does she prioritise working with clients who share her values, she categorically refuses to work with those who don't!

In this episode we loved getting to know Magali and her take on:

🚜 Her journey to today, from studying Engineering & Agronomy, to independent film-making.
😍 Turning a hobby into a full-time job.
🎞️ The power of film-making to communicate stories.
💪 Overcoming the challenges of being a one-person film producer.
😱 Why she rejected work for LVMH.
... and much more! ✨

Magali is an incredible example of a no bullsh*t approach to aligning purpose with business; unafraid to have tough conversations and to say 'non' to misaligned work, so that can focus on well-aligned work.

We took a ton of inspiration from our chat with Magali, and we hope you will too!

About Magali Seyvet:
Magali Seyvet is deeply convinced that the power of filmmaking, if used better, can make this world a better place. In that way, she makes branded documentaries for purpose companies and organizations.

Further Resources from the episode:
Magali on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allheroes/
All Heroes website: https://allheroes.fr

Music credit: bensound.com

With his passion for technology, and fond memories of a childhood growing up in rural Denmark, Michael Andersen seemed destined for a career in Digital Sustainability. 

Since building his first website at the age of 12(!), Michael has been fascinated with problem-solving and using technology for a better world. 

This led Michael to found 'Sustainable WWW' - a non-profit focused on spreading knowledge about sustainable web design and development, as well as authoring the book 'Sustainable Web Design In 20 Lessons', published in March 2023. All alongside his day-job as a senior Frontend developer!

We were delighted to welcome Michael for the second episode of Season Four, to talk us through:

🧐 Michael's top-tips for optimising the Sustainability credentials of your website.
🇸🇪 Why Sweden is leading the way in 'Green Hosting'.
❤️ His main sources of inspiration in the Digital Sustainability space.
🏁 The importance of just getting started, rather than waiting for certainty.
... and much more! ✨

Michael is a fantastic example of living a life combining talent with purpose. We hope you can take lessons and inspiration from his 'Tech for Nature' approach 🙌

About Michael Andersen:
Michael is the founder of Sustainable WWW and author of the book 'Sustainable Web Design In 20 Lessons'. He also works full time as a senior Frontend developer in a small company based in Gothenburg; creating custom internet solutions based on their customers requirements. 

Further Resources from the episode:
Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-orregaard-andersen/
Sustainable WWW: https://sustainablewww.org

Music credit: bensound.com

What kind of materials come to mind when you think of climate-conscious clothing? 🤔

We'll bet Seaweed wasn't the first on your list, but as our friend Dirk Eschenbacher explains, Seaweed kelp is the ultimate "Climate Tech Material" and the perfect antidote to today's culture of 'Fast Fashion' and clothing waste.

Dirk is a fascinating character, with a long journey into Sustainability and multiple ventures spanning across Advertising at Ogilvy, running the number one luxury and boutique travel agency for Chinese clients, all the way to his latest venture - creating Seaweed T-shirts with Karma Beach Club!

James sat down with Dirk to inaugurate Episode One of our fourth series of The EcoSend Podcast, as we learned all about:

👕The wonderful qualities that make seaweed the number one Sustainability choice for clothing.
🇨🇳 How China is leading the way across many aspects of Sustainable manufacturing.
💪 How Dirk navigates the various challenges of Sustainable Entrepreneurship.
✈️ The differences working in China vs. Europe
🗺️ ... and perhaps best of all, some travel inspo from Dirk's adventures 'Overlanding' across South America with his family!

This was a fascinating episode to kick-start our new season and open your mind to the possibilities of creative entrepreneurship. Dirk's episode really brought to light the great impact we can have when we put Nature first in our work.

About Dirk Eschenbacher:
Dirk is a creative director, designer and entrepreneur living in Asia, creating and making things around the world. Dirk started out with a career in advertising, then created a luxury travel startup in China and now is making yarns, fabrics and clothes with seaweed.

Further Resources from the episode:
Dirk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkeschenbacher/
Dirk's website: iamdirk.com

Karma Beach Club website: www.karmabeachclub.com

Music credit: bensound.com

We can't believe we've reached the end of Season Three of The EcoSend Podcast already, but we're delighted you've joined us for this past season, and we're incredibly grateful for all the wonderful guests we've recently invited on the show.

As a recap, this past season we welcomed to the podcast:

• François Burra from Product for NetZero 
• Rebecca Heaps from Tentshare 
• Russ Avery from Avery & Brown
• Tim Frick from MightyBytes
• Richard Dickson from PlayItGreen
• Tom Hardy from Manifesto Studios
• Anje & Robert from Dazzle
• Tom & Marketa from Wholegrain Digital
• Raoul Böstrum from Tyve

In this episode, James recaps the key lessons learned from our latest group of guests, as well as lessons from another six months leading the helm at EcoSend.

We also discussed:
🏆 What needs to be done to make purpose-driven work the norm, not the outlier?
🤔The importance of actively taking time to think on your purpose.
🏦 How business-for-good leads to competitive advantage?
👣 What needs to be done to drive awareness of the carbon footprint of digital emissions?
... and much more! ✨

Find out more from our final episode of season three, and we look forward to catching you for season four... coming soon! 🌳

About James Gill:
James is CEO and co-founder at GoSquared, an award-winning software to understand and engage with your customers. GoSquared recently launched their latest product, EcoSend; a climate-conscious email marketing platform. EcoSend powers beautiful, effective email campaigns, without a cost to the planet.

About Chris
Chris is the Customer Success Lead at EcoSend; passionate about helping climate-conscious businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and send best-in-class email campaigns. 

Further Resources:
James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesjgill/
Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-w-9001b19b/
James on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jamesgill
EcoSend: https://ecosend.io/

"Product Managers hold both vertical and horizontal influence to instil positive change within organisations and businesses" 🚀

We're down to our last guest of Season Three of the EcoSend Podcast, and it's a cracker with François Burra - who is leading the way in educating Product Managers to drive positive change.

François has over 12 years experience as Product Lead and UX Consultant for startups and agencies, before taking a year out to study the Climate Challenge in earnest, and pivot his career more directly into Sustainability.

Since then, François has been helping digital companies and product teams take advantage of the net zero opportunity and cut down their digital emissions.

In this episode, we learned about:
✈️ How global Digital emissions now count for double the emissions of the airline industry!
🤑The importance of moving away from the culture of 'Always Buy Brand New'
💪François' mission to train Product Managers to leverage their unique position within companies, and drive positive change
👩‍⚖️ How new regulation is needed to help change businesses' attitudes towards the climate
🗺️ The different attitudes between Europe and the US towards the Climate challenge
... and much more! ✨

This was a fascinating episode to round off our guests for the season, with a ton of practical advice you can start implementing immediately.

About François Burra:
François is a Product Lead and UX consultant, mentor, and speaker with 12 years of experience working with startups and agencies in Canada and the US (based in Montreal). After taking almost a full year off and following climate courses, François pivoted his career to fight the climate crisis and now help digital companies and product teams take advantage of the net zero opportunity and reduce their digital emissions.

Further Resources from the episode:
François on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francoisburra/

Climate Product Manager playbook: https://climateproductleaders.org/

Music credit: bensound.com

"Consumerist society has all of it, but Nature, Nature has no Marketing budget." 🌳

We were thrilled to welcome Rebecca Heaps for the penultimate episode of the EcoSend Podcast with our host, James Gill.

Rebecca is a fantastic advocate for the Regenerative Business movement, and is pioneering the sharing economy with her platform Tentshare - also known as the 'Airbnb for Tents' 🏕️

In this episode, Rebecca taught us a ton about:
📚 The Concept of 'Use Intensity', and how this defines whether a purchase is wasteful, sustainable, or regenerative.
🍃The importance of facilitating equal-access to Nature.
👐 Creating a business focused on the Triple Bottom Line; Planet, People, Profit.
⚖️ How she worked with CampLight to save 85 tons(!) of carbon during the recent festival season.
... and much more! ✨

This was an incredibly uplifting episode, you really get a sense of Rebecca's energy and her passion for Tentshare's mission 💚

So sit back and soak up this heart-warming episode, as Rebecca takes us on a journey through the sharing economy, and how we can move towards a future of Regenerative Businesses. 

About Rebecca Heaps:
Rebecca Heaps is a passionate advocate for regenerative economies. As the driving force behind Tentshare, a pioneering sharing economy platform, Rebecca encourages affordable camping by facilitating the sharing of camping equipment within local communities across the UK. Additionally, she serves as the Director of Camplight Cooperative, successfully reducing tent waste and increasing efficiency at 13 festivals this year.

Further Resources from the episode:
Tentshare Website:  https://www.tentshare.co.uk/

Tentshare on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tent_share/

Tentshare on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tentshare.co.uk

Tentshare on X: https://twitter.com/Tentshare1

Music credit: bensound.com