In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen and David Prieto of ClimeCo are joined by Jonah Wagner, Chief Strategist at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO). Jonah's expertise lies in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) implementation and scaling clean energy technologies, having previously worked at McKinsey & Company and the New Zealand Treasury. He also played key roles in organizations like Delterra and Piramal Water LLC, focusing on...

In this brief episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Steven Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors. Steven has over 25 years of experience across government, public affairs, and communication.  Steven has lived and worked in Asia since 2003, serving as the Senior Advisor in ASEAN for EMPEA, formerly the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association, and is a member of their global ESG and impact working groups. He also created and led public affairs for KKR Asia Pacific from 2011-2017, including...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen converses with Kurt Kipka, Chief Impact Officer of Apparel Impact Institute (Aii). Kurt manages the growth and longevity of global programs, including Clean by Design – a proven platform for improving the resource efficiency of textile mills in collaboration with multinational brands.  Before joining Aii, he spent three years at the environmental non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council, focusing on developing programs and tools to measure and improve the...

In this episode, Erika Schiller sits down with Ken Chlapik, Global Market Manager for Johnson Matthey (JM), a global leader in sustainable technologies. Ken is an expert in developing solutions that utilize JM's innovative low-carbon CLEANPACETM and ADVANCED REFORMINGTM technologies. Throughout his career, Ken has played a vital role in the growth of steam methane reforming (SMR) hydrogen utilization for clean fuel in the oil refining industry. During his tenure, the capacity of SMR-based...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen engages in an exciting conversation with Raffi Schieir, Founder of Bantam Materials UK Ltd. Raffi is a well-respected leader in the plastics space, having established a market-leading Prevented Ocean Plastic program that is shaping the future of ocean-bound plastics.  Originally from Canada, Raffi moved to the UK in 2011 to establish the UK division of Bantam Materials Inc. In his remarkable journey, Raffi has chaired Europe's prominent plastic recycling...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Cate Lamb, Global Director of Water Security at CDP, the world's largest coalition of non-state actors committed to delivering a water secure future. Cate is responsible for ensuring that CDP’s Water Security program maintains its status as the gold standard for disclosure of corporate and city water-related information globally, while also driving swift changes in corporate and city behavior towards water. She is leading CDP’s work to accelerate the...

In this episode, Yvonne Harris engages in an interesting conversation with John Shegerian, the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of ERI, the largest electronic waste recycler in the United States. John is a serial social entrepreneur who co-founded Homeboy Industries, FinancialAid.com, Engage, and many other impactful organizations. As a leader in his field, John has played a pivotal role in paving the way for the electronic recycling, data protection, and ITAD industries as a whole. Under his...

Calling all soccer enthusiasts! In this episode, Amanda Hsieh immerses in an enlightening discussion with Jordan Enke, Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations at Austin FC in Austin, Texas. Jordan plays a pivotal role in the organization with a comprehensive scope that includes overseeing general operations, safety and security, event and guest services, parking and mobility, and sustainability initiatives. Having been a part of Austin FC since its early days in 2019, he was instrumental...

In this episode, join host Amanda Hsieh as she sits down with the dynamic Jonathan Hall, the Director of Belonging for Neiman Marcus Group. Get ready to be inspired as Jonathan takes us on a journey through the organization's rich history, deeply rooted in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) since its inception, and infused with an unwavering pioneering spirit. Belonging, as Jonathan eloquently explains, centers around Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, resonating with our innate...

Get ready for a riveting episode as Kaitlyn Allen sits down with Peter Majeranowski, President and Co-Founder of Circ—a trailblazing company reshaping the fashion industry's environmental impact through innovative recycling technology for mixed fabric textiles. Before Circ, Peter made waves in finance, spearheading early-stage projects in Eastern Europe and serving in the C-Suite of various portfolio companies. A true hero, he also dedicated 6 years as a US Naval Officer with deployments to...

In this episode, Amanda Hsieh engages in an enlightening conversation with Michele Demers, the brilliant mind behind Boundless Impact Research & Analytics. Boundless is a cutting-edge environmental research and analytics firm, transforming the way investors, companies, and funds approach cleantech and the ongoing energy transition. Michele's impressive 25+ years of business expertise have led to the creation of innovative solutions that bring about genuine, positive impact and measurable...

In this episode, Amanda Hsieh is joined by Dr. Garry Cooper, the Co-founder and CEO of Rheaply. This Chicago-based tech company helps Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and universities better visualize, quantify, and utilize their physical resources. Dr. Garry Cooper is a renowned entrepreneur and neuroscientist with a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Northwestern University and two Bachelors from Indiana University. He has a diverse background with experience at Northwestern University...

In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Jonathan Colbert, Vice President of Marketing for Voltera, a turnkey charging infrastructure provider focused on electric vehicle fleets. Jonathan is an executive passionate about leveraging technology to build powerful relationships between people and brands. Previously he spent time at Rivian as the Director of the Waypoints Network and was responsible for the go-to-market strategy and planned deployment of over 10,000 charging stations supporting...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Ling-Ling Nie and Hilary Donnell of Aura, a leading provider of proactive all-in-one digital safety. Ling-Ling is Deputy General Counsel, Chief Compliance & ESG Officer, and Head of Government Affairs. Hilary is Aura's Head of Corporate Social Responsibility & Public Affairs and established the company's efforts to diversify the technology industry and help protect communities especially vulnerable to digital threats. Listen as Kaitlyn,...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Leela Ramnath, Senior VP and Head of ESG at Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm. Leela leads global ESG strategy, collaborates with investment teams and portfolio companies to drive and optimize implementation, and manages vital partnerships for the firm. She has 20 years of experience working across capital markets, emerging markets, and ESG. Before joining Warburg Pincus, she led innovation and sustainability at an impact-focused...

What a fantastic journey! We are thrilled to be celebrating 100 episodes of ESG Decoded! We want to thank everyone who made this podcast an impactful resource in the ESG community: our loyal listeners, expert guests, ClimeCo, and 21 Media.  To honor this milestone, founding hosts, Kaitlyn Allen and Amanda Hsieh share some very exciting news… Erika Schiller is joining the podcast as Co-host! Erika is Senior VP, Project Development at ClimeCo. She specializes in energy transformation...

In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Peter Majeranowski is the President and Co-Founder of Circ, a company revolutionizing the fashion industry's environmental impact with recycling technology for mixed fabric textiles. Before creating Circ, Peter worked in finance for an investment group focused on early-stage projects and companies across various sectors in Eastern Europe. On behalf of the group, he served in the C-suite of several portfolio companies. Peter also served 6 years as a US...

This episode of our podcast honors Pride Month, celebrating the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community and recognizing the call for unity, greater visibility, and equity. ClimeCo, which powers this podcast, believes that supporting Pride Month aligns with its core values, particularly that of Stewardship. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is integral to our culture and we encourage all employees to use their unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to help advance business outcomes and...

This episode is a part of the ESG Paradigm Shift Series, where we examine different angles of the ESG phenomenon and its broader implications for finance and prosperity.  In this episode,  Kaitlyn Allen talks with Dr. Shiva Rajgopal, the Kester and Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing at Columbia Business School. He is the Departmental Editor of the Accounting Track of Management Science and an Associate Editor at the Journal of Accounting and Economics. Professor Rajgopal has also...

This podcast honors Juneteenth, which recognizes emancipation from slavery and celebrates the spirit of freedom. ClimeCo, which powers this podcast, believes that supporting Juneteenth aligns with its core values, particularly that of Stewardship. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) is integral to our culture. Encouraging all employees to use their unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas to help advance business outcomes and foster a culture where everyone feels their viewpoint is...

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.  In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with  Denise Vaughn, Vice President of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) for Ferguson, a $28.6B value-added distributor in North America providing expertise, solutions, and products from infrastructure, plumbing and appliances to HVAC, fire, fabrication and more. As a member of Ferguson’s Executive...

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.  In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Robin Ferracone, Founder and CEO of Farient Advisors LLC, a leading independent executive compensation, performance, and corporate governance consultancy. Farient Advisors assists clients in designing and delivering executive compensation solutions that support business strategy, talent development, and...

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.  In this episode, Amanda Hsieh talks with Dean Slocum, Founder & President of Acorn International, Acorn delivers the expertise that global businesses need to thrive in high-risk environments amidst community opposition, environmental liabilities, and shareholder activism. Dean is a leading consultant to international extractive industries for...

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.  In this episode, Kaitlyn Allen talks with Wil Srubar, Ph.D., Founder & CTO of Minus Materials, Inc., a seed-stage start-up commercializing a carbon-negative cement derived from microalgae. Dr. Srubar holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and BS and MS degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively....

ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.  In this episode,  Amanda Hsieh talks with Luke Oliver, Head of Climate Investments for KraneShares, a asset manager building innovative investment products that provide access to unique markets. In addition to curating the firm's climate, carbon, and impact strategies, Luke educates clients on asset class and client implementation strategies. He...