SustainNOW Podcast - Learn from entrepreneurs & scientists about climate solutions

Please find more information on my blog: www.sustainnow.ch
Nicholas Hänny, co-founder and CEO of the Swiss clothing brand NIKIN. NIKIN plants one tree for every product sold and tries to make sustainable fashion more affordable. They've already planted over 1'000'000 trees and mostly grew threw eCommerce and Social Media Marketing. Nicholas Hänny is a scout and therefore has always had a connection to trees and nature, however the whole topic of sustainability in a business and fashion context has only come into his life with NIKIN.

Nick bootstraps NIKIN since 2017 and actually started with a different mindset and adapted over the time to the sustainability vision. Actually, their customer told them that they don't want to buy their products if everything comes out of China.

We also talk about how to reduce returns as a fashion brand and how to be sustainable but at the same time focusing on growth.

In this episode we talk about the actions NIKIN has taken to make his whole value chain more sustainable. We go through each step and he provides actionable tips.

Nick clarifies that they are not the most sustainable fashion company in Switzerland, but rather 90% better and they are trying to improve in all aspects. Currently, they are working with ECOS - a sustainability agency - to improve further their goals, values and actions.

We take a deep dive into packaging. Nikin uses recycled cardboard, no plastic bags for fashion and using sugar cane paper for the tree certificate.

Fun fact - for organic food they use the startup wormup, but too slow to watch them eat :)

We talk about greenwashing - especially towards planting trees as co2 offsetting. This article of BBC provides a good overview - when and how tree planting is really helping the global warming or can be contra productive by

• limiting biodiversity due to monocultures
• not letting it grow for 100 years to store carbon effectively (rather cutting it after 10 years to create more co2 certificates)
• by cutting it down and using little sustainable manufacturing processes

Nick explains that with the organization ONETREEPLANTED, they tried to plant tries for different purposes such as supporting local communities with food, re-structuring river lines, helping endangered species, etc.

Nick defines for himself that sustainability needs to be in balance with social, economical, environmental aspects. His top 3 necessary changes to get a more sustainable world:

• Research Development by private and public organizations - especially in the energy space
• More innovation in the sustainability space
• Consumer Behavior change - eat & travel more locally

In my Blog about Climate Change, I took a deep dive into the sources of greenhouse emissions and what we can do.

Nick emphasizes that as multi-brand retailer, you have one big choice to make:
"Choose your brands wisely and evaluate your products regarding sustainability. "

In the end, Nick shares his passion for social media. He talks about how he bootstraps with CHF 5.000 his company to over CHF 20m revenue company by selling primarily via social media.

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
Ideas for a podcast episode? Please contact us here: [email protected]

Very excited to present my first guest at my new podcast sustainNOW.

Shameek is co-founder and CEO of TrusTrace, a product traceability and supply chain transparency platform. He has been associated with B2B Software and IT industry for more than 2 decades.

The Mission Statement of TrusTrace is:

What is TrusTrace doing?
In a nuthsell: Understanding the true cost of manufacturing, selling, buying, disposing of material etc. is critical for various stakeholders to act and make the value chain more sustainable.

In this episode, we talk about his personal journey from India to Stockholm and how it impacted it in co-founding his company.

He will share 7 Key Points on how to make the value chain and the world more sustainable:

1. Be mindful when buying. Choose responsible products with small footprint

2. Buy less and go for 'Recycle, Reuse or Rent' options

3. Companies to set aggressive goals to achieve 100% sustainable products and achieve it

4. Regulators and government to reward genuine sustainable efforts and penalise greenwashing and false claims

5. The Rich world to set examples and appreciate the challenges of developing and underdeveloped regions when it comes to sustainability first solutions. 6. Support and reward innovation on Sustainability tech

7. Support Science Based Goals and assist fundamental research and development in sustainability topics

At the end of the podcast, he will share his challenges he experienced and provides a great tip for all founders in the sustainability space.
You can find the shownotes, background materials and contact details of our guests on our website www.sustainnow.ch.

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Do you have a comment or interesting solutions to take a deep dive? Please don't hesitate to go to our website sustainnow.ch and write us an email.

We will have English as well as German speaking guests coming up.

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
Ideas for a podcast episode? Please contact us here: [email protected]

This exciting episode features Dan Lehim, Co-founder and CEO of MakerSights, an inventory optimization tool with the aim to reduce overproduction by integrating consumer feedback in the design process. Their customers include New Balance, Champion, and Rothys.
Fashion is responsible for 8-10% of the global carbon emissions and almost up to 40% of clothes fail to sell in a season.
Is it possible to fix the fashion industry? This is one of the key questions which is addressed in this episode!
In this episode we are addressing the following questions:

• So can the fashion industry be fixed? If yes how? 3:17
• What do you see as necessary drivers for change in the fashion industry? 7:26
• Is it just a perception, or are consumers really buying more in the sustainability space? 12:51
• Coming now to MakerSights - Can you please explain in 2-3 sentences what markersights product is? Can you please explain the vision and how you want to achieve it? 16:54
• Are you already operating in Europe? 27:53
• Have you started off as a sustainable company or did it come along the way? 28:27
• What are you doing as a company itself to be more sustainable? 31:06
• You received 25m in funding last year in Series B- congratulations! What is the biggest challenge in the next year to scale your company? 35:06
• How do you continue to learn in order to stay on top of things within your role? 38:07
• Do you have a book recommendation? 39:53

Great quotes from the episode by Dan:

"84% of the CO2 emissions from the retail industry comes from the production of new goods, so if you are not tackling that as part of the problem, then you are kind of tackling a rounding error"

"At the end of the day, if you have a capsule collection that represents 0.1% of your total inventory that's being built of sustainable materials, it's not moving the needle. What's moving the needle is the other 99.9% of your inventory."

"More people care about the sustainability commitments of brands they are purchasing from than ever before"

"We want to allow brands and retail to be much more demand and consumer led than they are supply led so they can be commercially successful while minimizing their footprint"

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
Ideas for a podcast episode? Please contact us here: [email protected]

Dr. Gavin George is a co-founder and CEO of Puregene AG. The Swiss company has developed a technology stack that harnesses the power of genomics for trait discovery and predictive plant breeding, using massive datasets and machine learning to assemble tailored elite varieties, fit for industry. He was awarded a PhD in 2010 from Stellenbosch University before his 7 years at the ETH Zurich as a Postdoctoral researcher. He has authored 12 peer reviewed publications and contributed to 6 books.

"We are a 4-year-old company, with 15 PhDs, who have created the largest trait discovery program in cannabis that has mapped over 350 traits to genomes containing 50'000'000 identified polymorphisms, using over 40'000 unique plants, 120'000 images, all fed into a genomics prediction platform aimed at disrupting cannabis and incumbent agricultural crop production."

We will talk about the different usages of the Cannabis plants, why Cannabis could feed the world, the difference to soy and how sustainable Cannabis really is. We also talk about why the Jurassic Park book and movie inspired him to explore genome editing but also thinking about security at the same time.

In this episode we are addressing the following questions:

1. We know hemp (German: Hanf); Cannabis, THC, CBD, Marihuana, Haschich → can you please explain the differences between these names? 04:34
2. You told me that cannabis will feed the world in the future. What do you mean by that? 06:09
3. Under which conditions Cannabis can be planted? Does it need a lot of water? Heat? 10:19
4. Where do you see the potential in sustainability? And why? 12:00
5. What is the “innovation” of breeding 3.0? What is the difference to CRISPR? Can you explain that non-experts? 13:08
6. Cannabis has also other incredible features such as a high absorption rate of CO2 - So shall we plant Cannabis instead of forests? 22:20
7. Would it be possible to grow cannabis through vertical farming? 27:47
8. How will the revenue in the company change and what will change in the industry in the next 5 years? 29:05
9. Are you expecting Switzerland will open its laws like California and Canada? 31:30
10. What are the challenges in your company in the next 5 years? 33:32

Get more great stories around Climate Solutions at www.sustainnow.ch

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
Ideas for a podcast episode? Please contact us here: [email protected]

Today, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers. This company is on a mission to revolutionize agriculture by building the necessary infrastructure to scale up regenerative practices. How? By developing an ecosystem measurement system that serves as a baseline for financing the transformation to regenerative farms.

Before Philippe ventured into the realm of regeneration, he spent five years dedicated to business and community development for various impact startups. But here's a fascinating tidbit about him – Philippe also holds the record in fire breathing. Curious? Well, you'll hear more about it in this episode.

Let's dive into the numbers: In 2020, EU farms utilized a staggering 157 million hectares of land for agricultural production, accounting for 38% of the total land area. It's noteworthy that the majority, a whopping 94.8%, of these farms are family-owned. However, agriculture also contributes to 26% of our yearly worldwide emissions.

Climate Farmers is aiming to transform every farm into a profitable and regenerative one. This episode is a must-listen if you're eager to grasp the essence of regenerative agriculture, understand why our food has lost significant nutritional benefits, and explore the necessary changes in policies, financing structures, why carbon financing is not enough, and overall perception towards farmers.

Get ready for a deep dive into the world of sustainable farming and discover how Climate Farmers is paving the way for positive change. Happy listening!

The following description was generated by AI :)

Ever wondered if the soil beneath our feet could be a hero in the climate crisis? Philipp Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers, joins me to reveal how regenerative agriculture offers not just hope for the planet, but also a financially sustainable future for farmers—especially the youth seeking to sow seeds of change. Together, we unravel the complexities farmers face, from economic barriers to policy labyrinths, while also celebrating Philipp's record-breaking prowess in fire-breathing, a testament to his multifaceted journey as an eco-warrior.
Strap in for an eye-opening tour of farming's future, where we scrutinize our current yield-focused model that sidelines the well-being of our environment. Philipp and I dissect the transformative potential of regenerative agriculture—a method that cherishes rhythm with nature, enriching our soils, preserving precious water, and fostering a biodiversity haven. Delving into the Climate Farmers Academy, we spotlight how education and financial incentives are vital in encouraging farmers to cultivate change, emphasizing that proper agricultural policies and support are key to valuing environmental stewardship.
We wrap up this enlightening conversation with a deep dive into the innovative concept of carbon credits, dissecting the evolution from a carbon-centric approach towards a holistic ecosystem regeneration system. Philipp walks us through the intricacies of compensating farmers for carbon capture in soil and looks beyond, to a future where food production nourishes both our bodies and the planet. Join us to gain a fresh perspective on how every choice we make at the dinner table or the ballot box can be a step towards a regenerative and resilient agricultural landscape.

Please check out show notes and background information: www.sustainnow.ch
Ideas for a podcast episode? Please contact us here: [email protected]