Happy Earth Day! Today we're tackling a subject that is often a little taboo in the sustainability space. And even in the last few weeks has caused major turmoil for our friends over at the Science-Based Targets Initiative. There’s a word in the sustainability space that, when spoken, often feels like one should look to the left and right to make sure no one hears them say……offsets. Veerless recently became Carbon Neutral Certified and Aclymate Leader Climate Certified. In this process, as a company with a small footprint, we went through the process to choose offsets twice. And we learned a l ..read more

Veerless recently released our first ever Impact Report. Aligned to the five areas of focus in the B Impact Assessment, our first annual report details the steps we have taken to achieve excellence in each of these areas in 2023. It also lays out our goals for 2024 in terms of certification and sustainability alignment in our business. But it wasn't enough for us to release an Impact Report for our small business. We want to inspire other companies like us to do the same. Today's podcast shares our 5 Reasons Why Small Businesses Can and Should Produce an Impact Report ..read more

Alright, it's March...and our "Happy New Year" episode should have been recorded weeks ago. But hey, action speaks louder than words? Right? Join our host, Marcy Twete, for a quick solocast about 2024 so far and takeaways from a few months of snowbird/nomad lifestyle. Welcome to 2024 ..read more

Joined by Beth Santos, the CEO of women's travel platform, Wanderful, we are tackling the topic of responsible, sustainable travel. Safety for women, environmental sustainability, social impact, and many other key ESG topics in travel play directly into success for leaders in the travel industry. As all of us expand our horizons and travel the world, we have a duty to ensure our travel leaves the world better and not worse. And as we consider going "back" to travel following a global pandemic, how do we evaluate the values and practices of a company we may patronize in our travel ..read more

Today's episode is a special "crossover" between Table Stakes Podcast and Office Baggage Podcast. In the environment of COVID-19, the issues surrounding employment and change management are affecting everyone whether through layoffs, furloughs, working from home, or training and safety for essential employees. All of us are dealing with both macro and micro economic issues as we consider a return to work and continued change and transformation in our work. CEO of the Prinz Law Firm, Kristen Prinz, and The Parker Avery Group's Kathi Toll join us with expert commentary ..read more

In May, I was delighted to host a Coffee & Connections Event with the Executives Club of Chicago on responsibility and ethics in COVID-19. Today's solocast is a replica of that presentation, highlighting two major trends in ethics and responsibility affecting business during COVID-19 and the dos and don'ts of operating and communicating during a time of uncertainty and crisis ..read more

When Barie Carmichael and her co-author the late James Rubin wrote "Reset" just two years ago, corporate trust was at an all time low. Consumers' access to information about the companies they buy from and work for was at an all time high, the expectations of stakeholders growing rapidly. That trend has only been exacerbated with the onset of the #MeToo movement, COVID-19, and the recent protests surrounding racial injustices. How can companies respond to a public who doesn't trust them and how do you "get it right" socially in today's ever-changing environment ..read more

The buzz on AI and specifically Generative AI has reached an all time high in today's technology zeitgeist. Sustainability and ESG leaders are experiencing the AI wave first hand as they see more investors, ratings agencies and even consumer and employee readers using AI to evaluate their reports and progress. In today's episode, Veerless CEO and technology expert Charlie Beck joins us to talk nuts and bolts of AI, how AI is already at use in sustainability and ESG ratings and regulations, and what considerations we should all make in tailoring our reports to an ever-changing AI landscape.&nbs ..read more

One of the more shocking trends in ESG and sustainability is when a stand-out leader in one area of ESG (environment, for example) lags behind significantly or experiences concerning controversy in another area. Today on Table Stakes, we're examining three examples of companies (Kaiser Permanente labor strikes last week, Patagonia controversy in fair pay of textile workers, and Ben & Jerry's role in a migrant child worker crisis) whose fair treatment and fair pay initiatives just don't hold up against their impeccable environmental programs. What can we do to influence the fair labor work ..read more

It's been over a year since Table Stakes brought you the news of corporate responsibility, sustainability and ESG on this platform, and we are back! Today's episode is a quick message from your host, Marcy Twete, updating our listeners on what's been going on this past year. Learn about the exciting new developments in Veerless, our newly rebranded company, and what's to come for the future of Table Stakes.  ..read more