#13 Podcast – TLD Talks… Sustainability with Andrew Magowan

Episode introduction: In this episode of TLD Talks Ed Simpson, CEO of The Legal Director talks with Client Legal Director Andrew Magowan about developing an ‘ownable’ sustainability strategy.

Today’s guest:

Andrew Magowan is a highly experienced General Counsel with a passion for sustainability, who has supported diverse businesses in a range of sectors. (While working at online fashion retailer ASOS.com he helped the business strive to become a fast fashion brand with integrity.) He has also set up his own responsible hiking business The Inside Trek, is a Non-Executive Director of the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, and is Chair of the Barons Court Project, a small charity operating a homeless and mental health day centre in Hammersmith, London.

They answer the following questions:

1. What we mean when we talk about sustainability in a business context and why it matters for SMEs. (2’04)
2. Why sustainability matters now. (04’54)
3. Andrew’s experience as ASOS.com; how employees can be passionate about sustainability and how it can help with recruitment. (05’47)
4. Where to start with sustainability and make progress, especially if it seems like a huge challenge to you? (07’27)
5. Not being worried if you don’t have the perfect solution. (08’39)
6. Making sure you’ve thought about how to do it properly, finding the biggest impacts your particular business has so you can focus on those. (09’26)
7. How to feel better about not focusing on some things because you’re prioritising areas where you can make the biggest impact. (11’18)
8. How can you make progress and demonstrate it? How to set goals for yourself in this area. (12’56)
9. As a business, the importance of rooting sustainability in who you are and what you do. (14’50)
10. How you should approach reporting. What needs to be measured and reported on? Why honesty is key. (16’47)
11. Knowing what to report and in how much detail. (18’49)
12. Why sustainability is an area your General Counsel should be helping you with and why lawyers are especially good at helping you identify your biggest impacts. (20’33)
13. Why General Counsel will help you with top-level buy in and how to communicate with the Board and key stakeholders. (22’16)
14. How General Counsel have relationships with every part of the organisation and influence internally. (24’13)
15. How to find out more about sustainability issues for SMEs; what Andrew would recommend you look at. (24’43)
16. How any business can use the B Corp Impact Assessment and why it can be so helpful. (25’36)
17. Andrew’s three key messages for SMEs about the impacts your business has from an environmental and social perspective. (28’42)