Exploring business sustainability with Diane Osgood

In this episode, guest Diane Osgood, discusses the topic of business sustainability and its importance. She defines business sustainability as the impact a company has on the environment and society through its modes of production and the impact of the products it makes. She also highlights the importance of managing the risks of climate and environmental impact on the company, its employees, and its customers. Diane emphasises the role of internal communication in helping employees understand the company's sustainability goals and progress, facilitating dialogue and action, and bridging generational perspectives. She recommends that internal communicators focus on educating employees about the company's sustainability challenges and progress.

 

Takeaways

• Business sustainability encompasses the impact of a company's production processes and the nature of its products on the environment and society.
• Internal communication plays a crucial role in helping employees understand the company's sustainability goals, progress, and the broader context of sustainability.
• Effective internal communication can facilitate dialogue and action, bridge generational perspectives, and empower employees to contribute to sustainability efforts.
• Educating employees about sustainability challenges and progress is essential for creating a shared understanding and fostering a sense of purpose and responsibility.

 

About Diane Osgood

 Diane Osgood, US/France, is a pioneer in corporate sustainability and human rights. She has over 30 years of helping companies innovate and grow with purpose.  She focuses on the power of consumers to influence brands and shape the economy. Diane served as a senior advisor to President Clinton for the Clinton Global Initiative and on the Vatican Arts and Technology Council. 

Diane has run her boutique consulting business since 2019. Prior to that, she was a Director of Sustainability and Innovation for Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and VP of Strategy at Business for Social Responsibility (BSR). Her consulting clients include Meta, Virgin Hotels, Addison/Sia-Partners, Avnet, Waters, Pega Systems, DuPont, Monsanto, P&G, Aventis Pharma, and social enterprises. She was a senior advisor to President Clinton for the Clinton Global Initiative and served on the Vatican Arts and Technology Council.

She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Economics and Development Studies at the London School of Economics. She’s a co-author and co-editor of the award-winning The Carbon Almanac (Penguin, 2022) and of the forthcoming Your Shopping Superpower. She contributes to Fast Company and GreenBiz.