Shows
The Responsible Finance PodcastKate Pender, Fair4All Finance: financial inclusion, innovation and big solutions to big challengesKate Pender is CEO of Fair4All Finance, an organisation launched to improve the financial services sector so it better serves people who are underserved and excluded. She was appointed chief executive in 2024 having worked with Fair4All since its inception in 2019: "I drank the Kool-Aid and got hooked on the work." Kate is also a member of the Government's financial inclusion committee. She describes Fair4All's evolving work and covers: • three highlights of its research in 2024 with fascinating implications about the potential to support social purpose lenders via sustained subsidy and about testing different ty...2025-01-1040 min
The Responsible Finance PodcastProving the impact of air quality interventions and low emission zones with data detective Kate BarnardLow emissions zones became a political battleground just after recording this interview with Kate Barnard, founder and CEO of Enjoy The Air. But what does the public think? Can we prove the impact of "hard or soft" interventions on air quality? And just how far are people prepared to go when it comes to action in response to poor air quality? "I was astounded" says Kate as she reveals the results of research showing just how many people will – if they have the means to – vote with their feet and move out of places with poor...2023-09-0331 min
Business Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursA Rant about (De)Regulation, New Funding and Events, and Air Quality Entrepreneur Kate BarnardAll this talk about "slashing red tape" and a sudden zeal for deregulation as a magic bullet for growth made me climb aboard my soapbox.This episode starts with a rant and a reminder: regulation per se is no barrier to inclusive growth, and careless deregulation risks encouraging a race to the bottom in business and life. Do we want crappy, rubbish businesses exploiting people and planet for ever-diminishing returns on investment? I don't. Glad I've got that off my chest (and let me know what you think).Then an interview with engineer-turned-air-quality entrepreneur, Kate...2022-10-0741 min
The Responsible Finance PodcastBetter Air Quality through Behaviour Change with Kate BarnardAir pollution contributes to around 40,000 deaths a year in the UK and more in many other parts of the world. Enjoy The Air helps cities achieve air quality standards through policy, infrastucture and behaviour change. CEO and founder Kate Barnard, an engineer, describes why she launched the business and how viewing cities as engineering systems means it can help local authorities and other organisations develop appropriate "clear air" strategies with measurable results. Enjoy The Air secured support from Responsible Finance provider, SWIG Finance, so it could create a robust and internationally recognised certification for cities...2022-09-2928 min
Business Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursSuper connections, stories, technology, music and saving Soho with Tim ArnoldSome folk talk about technology with an "emperor's new clothes" glee, as though it's a panacea for everything wrong with society. Others exhibit phobic terror, blaming technology – not how people use it – for human failings and foibles. Many see both a light and dark side, and there's increasing interest in the addictive nature of social media.For today's curious and playful guest Tim Arnold, technology, social media and our appendage-like mobile phones allow us to be "super connected" – enabling expression, conversation and connection. But with a potentially corrosive effect too.Tim is a singer songwriter and fi...2021-05-0754 min
Business Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursBuilding a Green Economy and 3 Books to Change the WorldHow do you turn thoughts of a better future into reality? How can we create high-quality jobs, make places work better for people, and truly enable an inclusive and green recovery?Paul Riley, director and network co-ordinator at Transition Liverpool CIC joined me for today's show, episode #320.He originally got in touch after I asked social entrepreneurs and purpose-driven business leaders to nominate the books which have had the biggest impact for them.In this episode, Paul covers three books (two of which I've read and know to be both brilliant and urgently a...2020-11-1351 minBusiness Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursBusiness acumen for artists PLUS responsible businessWhat does it take to succeed as an artist? Talent. Persistence. Consistency. And business acumen.My latest Business Live radio show, broadcast on Sheffield Live! FM radio on Friday and available as a podcast below, examined the commercial perspective of working as an artist.Tom Vickers of Stoneface Creative and businessman and mentor, Steve Eyre (who runs World of Superheroes) joined me in the studio to give their advice.Tom's father, Andrew Vickers, produces acclaimed work now being sought after by high profile entertainment and business figures.Steve's made his share...2018-07-2152 minBusiness Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursKate Welch: resilience, sustainability and social enterprise successKate Welch is founder and CEO of Social Enterprise Acumen, a community interest company (CIC) which supports social entrepreneurs to develop their concepts or grow their businesses.She joined me for an extensive radio interview on this morning's show – and the podcast is below. It's crammed with great advice for leaders of businesses and social enterprises.Kate covers:Acumen's work and the most common challenges Kate and her team help clients to solvebalancing the delivery of public sector contracts with the need for positive cashflowsocial investment: do impact investors understand social enterprises' needs?the vi...2018-06-2247 minBusiness Live: for curious entrepreneurs and social entrepreneursWomen in tech and Django Girls with Kate Loach; Business journalism with David WalshKate is senior recruiter at specialist tech recruitment consultancy, Affecto.Kate discussed why recruiter Affecto are sponsoring Django Girls' volunteer-led workshop in Sheffield this February. Django Girls is a non-profit organisation that empowers and helps women through free, one-day programming workshops providing the opportunity to gain the skills in creating an application and understanding tech. Kate also told me what skills are particularly in demand in the tech industry in 2016.David is the Business Editor of the Sheffield Star newspaper; his responsibilities also include The Business monthly magazine; Star Business Monthly; and he's involved in...2016-01-2943 min