Introducing The Transition Tapes
The Transition Tapes
The soundtrack of change
by Hugh Wheelan
We are at a critical juncture for ESG and sustainable finance, faced with a serious backlash and confusion about what it represents and how credible it is.
This is a time for deep reflection on what we are doing, what has worked and what has not, and importantly, why?
As a journalist, there seems to me no better way of doing this than getting into robust, enlightening discussion with some of the key players in finance and sustainability, and doing that in an open, challenging spirit.
Discussing the launch of a podcast with the International Sustainable Finance Centre (ISFC), we reflected on the fact that sustainable finance has been instigated and developed by committed professionals concerned about the major societal issues of our time and their relation to business and finance.
These are passionate people that have often worked for decades in their sectors.
So we also wanted to get to know them better and hear what makes them tick in their professional and personal lives: what books they read, what podcasts they listen to, what advice they have for others, and what music gets them going.
Hence, the launch of The Transition Tapes at the end of October on Spotify and Apple Podcasts (hyperlink), a new podcast for serious sustainable finance debate, solutions, music, books, advice and more!
The world already has a lot of podcasts.
What it does not have is a podcast that combines challenging interviews, Desert Island Discs and deep insights into the cultural, political and professional hurdles of sustainable finance and how they are overcome by experts. (AKA humans!).
As well as going deep on their professional fields of expertise and the current global sustainable finance context, we will really get to know our guests by asking:
● What books and movies do you love? And why?
● What music is the soundtrack to your life? What music do you work to, dance to, get romantic to, get inspired by?
● What is the advice that you wish somebody had given you at the start of your career in sustainable finance?
● What advice would you give to others in the ESG field?
● Guests will compile a Spotify/Apple Music playlist that will be linked to the pod: their transition compilation tape!
We’ve given ourselves a few aims for this podcast.
To strive for content that is fresh, useful, and interesting to a wide audience, via topical interviews with important people in the sustainable finance field, with clear aims:
Cut through the crap, and find out what’s really happening and what really matters
Challenge orthodoxy; clarity through research
Chat books, music and advice
We also want to make it fun.
The Transition Tapes is the funky podcast for people making finance sustainable and financing sustainability.
Hugh Wheelan is a multiple award-winning finance journalist with 25+ years experience and a media entrepreneur. He was the co-founder of Responsible Investor in 2006.
ISFC is a Think tank that helps financial institutions, investors, and policymakers to integrate sustainability into strategy and practice. It has built a strong community in Europe, and especially in the CEE region.