As an innovative think-tank, we craft relevant content on social performance, leading practice, new thinking and tools, global sustainability challenges, and the future of ESG.
EPISODES
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Alan Young, a global circular economy expert with a contagious passion for accelerating our transformation to a zero-waste, low-carbon future. Alan has held leadership positions with organizations such as the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Circular Economy Leadership Coalition, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) and the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on Circular Economy. We discuss what it takes to close the loop on mineral and metal supply chains, the innovative business models to get us there and the importance of collectively differentiating between competitive and pre-competitive factors.
Ep 10: Tech Entrants - Miners of the Future? (Kurt House, PhD)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Kurt House, co-founder and CEO of Kobold Metals and a professor at Stanford University. A serial entrepreneur, he’s leading theis company armed with experiences ranging from his Harvard PhD, MIT post-doc and Big 3 management consulting. Kurt challenges the boundaries between the natural resources and technology sectors, offering a refreshing take on the future of the industry. In this episode, we chat about harnessing digitalization to access the metals and minerals necessary to drive the green revolution, mitigate global warming and take serious climate action.
Ep9: Shifting from Closure to Transition (Peter Whitbread-Abrutat, PhD)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Peter Whitbread-Abrutat, an environmental and mine closure specialist with over 25 years of diverse experience in natural resources management and sustainable development. As CEO of Future Terrains, a UK-based social enterprise, Pete chats with us about the much needed mindset shift in mining, from mine “closure” to “transition”. Pete’s call to action is to make this common practice, and include a far broader range of stakeholders in the transition process, in order to craft sustainble post-mining future terrains the world over!
Ep8: Low-Carbon Mining for a Low-Carbon Future (Chih-Ting Lo)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Chih-Ting Lo, an experienced adviser, entrepreneur, and technical expert in energy, resource, and carbon management. As the Principal of EELO Solutions, her work includes developing and delivering high-impact technical and strategic solutions to reduce resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the mining industry and beyond. In our discussion, Chih-Ting explains the ins-and-outs of energy throughout the mining process, the role mining companies have in the commercialization of innovative technologies and how miners can achieve therir net-zero commitments.
Ep7: Alternative Capital & Financing Innovation (Peter Bryant)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Peter Bryant, an industry leader in digital transformation and sustainability with a focus on the intersection of venture capital and natural resource innovation. Peter is an advisory board member at venture capital firms, Chrysalix and Foundamental, managing partner of Clareo, in addition to being co-founder and board chair of the Development Partner Institute. We discuss the current status of mining finance, existing models of innovation, and how changes in mining finance and venture capital can stimulate much-needed entrepreneurship and innovation in the industry.
Ep6: The Rise of Impact Investing (Andrew Cheatle)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Andrew Cheatle, a 30+ year industry veteran and advisor. He currently serves as COO and Director of Tanzanian Gold Corporation, Non-Executive Director of Condor Gold, and Director at Troilus Gold. In our chat, we focus on the growth of impact investing, how it differs from ESG, and the industry’s role in advancing global sustainable development. We discuss the importance of storytelling, the state of distrust between impact investing and mining, as well as the journey towards a common understanding of impact.
Ep5: Inclusive Mining (Jamile Cruz)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Jamile Cruz, founder of I&D 101, a consulting firm specialized in diversity and inclusion strategies with a focus on mining. With over 20 years of industry experience, her work now focuses on developing and implementing strategies to foster the inclusion of underrepresented groups in the sector. In our chat, we discuss where the mining industry is at on its journey to inclusion, diversity, equity, access and belonging, whats hard, what needs to be done to improve, and the role of leadership in integrating EDI objectives as strategic business priorities.
Ep4: Community-Driven Mining (Andy Reynolds)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Andy Reynolds, former naval engineer and Director General of Energy, Mining, and Environment of the National Research Council Canada. He is currently the President of Inspire Resources, a venture aimed at leveraging natural resource development and exponential technologies to support community development and accelerate broad progress on the UN’s SDGs. We discuss how mining can generate social value and accelerate progress for all, as well as unconventional business model approaches that might get us there.
Ep3: Indigenizing Mining (Allen Edzerza)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Allen Edzerza, an elder from the Tahltan Nation (in British Columbia, Canada) with over fifty years of mineral exploration and development experience. As the founder of the Indigenous mineral exploration company, Cheona Metals, Allen explains why Indigenous knowledge is an asset to mining companies and describes how to integrate Indigenous Peoples in mineral resource development. We discuss Indigenous participation as a key competitive advantage in mining, and how essential it is to supporting reconciliation and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.
Ep2: Collaborative Development in the Digital Age (Tracey Cooper)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Tracey Cooper, founding member and CEO of Mining Dialogues 360° and previous outreach experience with organizations such as UNDP, UNEP, Gates Foundation, IRENA, and others. Tracey speaks with us about the power of knowledge sharing to foster collaboration in the industry and overcoming power imbalances. We also chat about the role of technology, such as the Socio-Economic Technology Initiative, in fostering community participation in decision-making processes, and inclusion in sustainable development.
Ep1: What is “Responsible” Mining? (John Thompson, PhD)
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. John Thompson, whose impressive 35-year mining track record includes names such as Cornell University, Teck Resources, the World Economic Forum, MineSense Technologies & the Canada Mining Innovation Council. Dr. Thompson walks us through the various aspects of ‘responsibility’ in the mining industry context, and explores the subjective nature of the term, calling for a common definition. We also unpack the emerging opportunities for the industry to become more responsible through things like technical innovation, collaboration, leadership vision and attracting the next generation to propel mining in a more sustainable direction.
