While sustainability is an increasingly critical element of corporate strategy, it’s still a concept and approach that many struggle with. Sustainability literacy is going to be a fundamental requirement for work, business operations and investment – soon enough, failing to understand sustainability is going to be akin to not being able to use a computer.

Building such literacy is an important part of our mission at Shaken Not Burned, and one of the ways that it can be done is through the use of case studies. In sustainability conversations, the ability to point to a compelling case study can shift discussions from "why" to "how," building positive engagement and collaboration.

They play an important role in addressing scepticism, especially at a time when the concepts of ESG and sustainability are being weaponised in political culture wars. They can be effective by demonstrating the practical application, impact, and feasibility of sustainable practices.

They’re important not just because they highlight innovative approaches and solutions, leading to the exchange of ideas across industries, sectors, or regions; they transform theoretical principles into practical implementation and create narratives that enable people to see how seemingly complex ideas relate to their own work and approaches.

Perhaps most importantly, case studies can serve as templates or blueprints for others to replicate successful strategies. By sharing them we can help to disseminate best practices, accelerating progress toward broader sustainability goals. That being the case, this week we’re highlighting some episodes of the last season of Shaken Not Burned, where we talk to individuals who are actually implementing sustainability approaches. 

In Balancing plastic waste with Seven Clean Seas, we talk to Tom Peacock-Nazil, founder of Seven Clean Seas, an organisation with a dual approach: cleaning up plastic waste from the ocean while helping companies measure and reduce their plastic impact.

In Refills in supermarkets and the circular economy with GoUnpackaged, we talk to Helen Clements, director, innovation & behaviour change lead at GoUnpackaged, a UK-based consultancy that helps retailers switch to refill systems, about the potential for transforming the packaging market.

In The paradox of building a solar industry in sunny Italy with Terrawatt, we talk to Patrick Donati, co-founder and managing director of solar power producer Terrawatt about the EU’s renewable energy markets. That means both targets and the particular challenges of building a solar industry in sunny Italy, which should be a no-brainer but is being hindered by complicated bureaucracy and unsupportive policies. 

Last but not least in Investing in better air quality with Growth Studio we talk to Paul Finch, co-founder at London-based accelerator Growth Studio. It helps early-stage startups focus on solutions to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and we discuss the overlooked issue of low air quality, the need for systematic change, and the challenges of raising investment for early-stage companies in the climate and sustainability space

As always, we hope you enjoy the conversations. Don’t forget to share the newsletter and subscribe.

Season 3 has ended and we are gearing up for Season 4, to launch in the new year. We are changing direction to focus on helping you and your business get ready for the sustainable transition. If you're ready to join us, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.