Is doing good good business?
About the episode
Is saving the planet good for business? Consumers are increasingly demanding that companies do more to tackle to world's most critical challenges, from environmental issues to modern-day slavery. In response, the business world is switching from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Total Social Impact (TSI) as a way of having a positive impact on people and the planet. But have they just swapped one acronym for another or are there substantial differences between the two?
Nordic Talks asked the experts if TSI really does make for better business and make businesses better or whether it is just an expensive form of green PR.
“Be thoughtful! You have tremendous impact with your purchasing power”
– Wendy Woods, Boston Consulting Group
This podcast episode features the following speakers
Svein Berg (Norway)
Svein Berg is Managing Director of Nordic Innovation, a Nordic Council institution working to make the Nordics a pioneering region for sustainable growth. He was Executive Vice President for 4 years with the overall responsibility for the organization’s activity in more than 30 countries. Svein Berg previously served as the Managing Director of The Norwegian Seafood Council, Director in Aker Seafoods and Executive Vice President in The Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund.
Petra Wadström (Sweden)
Petra Wadström is the founder and CEO of Solvatten, a social enterprise that produces a combined portable water treatment and solar water heater system that gives people in developing countries with access to safe and hot water in an affordable, environmentally friendly way. She is a research technician in biochemistry and molecular biology at Karolinska Institute in Sweden as well as a biochemical medical research technician at Biozentrum, the University of Basel in Switzerland. Petra has been the keynote speaker at the Nobel Talks, Water Matters, 2018; the World Forum for Responsible Economy, 2017 and the G7 Future for Girls Forum, 2017.
Wendy Woods (U.S.)
Wendy Woods is Vice Chairman, Social Impact and Managing Director & Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group. Her expertise spans global development, global health, education, climate and environment, humanitarian response, total societal impact and sustainability, and sustainable finance and investing. She helps clients rethink businesses' role in society, create sustainable strategies, and drive positive change. Wendy has given two TED talks: “The business benefits of doing good” and “Collective cooperation in the social sector.”