As co-founder of Green Resi, a platform unlocking institutional capital to retrofit underperforming homes, Anna’s mission is startlingly precise: “To bring ten thousand vacant and underperforming homes back into use by 2030.”

But scratch the surface, and the deeper aim becomes clear.

“Inequality of opportunity is the thing I care most about,” she says.

“For me, that’s about homes—and who gets to lead in delivering them.”

Why Inclusion Doesn’t Start with Capability

The prevailing narrative in tech and construction is that AI can “level the playing field” for women. But Anna’s take is refreshingly sceptical: “The real barriers aren’t capability,” she explains. “They’re structural.”

In her view, three deficits hold women back: access to influential sponsors, control over capital, and traditional markers of confidence.

“We reward a very narrow idea of leadership—typically alpha, typically male. And then wonder why women drop out of the pipeline.”

This isn’t a diversity plea. It’s a business critique. “Only 2% of real estate funds are managed by women,” she says. “That’s not just unfair—it’s inefficient. There’s clear data showing that diverse teams make better, more risk-aware decisions.”

The Power of Sponsorship (and the Pain of Its Absence)

Anna draws a crucial distinction between mentorship and sponsorship. Mentorship offers advice. Sponsorship opens doors. And the latter, she argues, is still vanishingly rare for women in property and finance.

“The most important predictor of career success isn’t performance. It’s having someone who advocates for you when you’re not in the room,” she says.

“And that’s often where women are missing out.”

Embedding sponsorship as a core responsibility of leadership, she argues, would shift not just who leads, but how.

“We need to reward people not just for individual performance, but for cultivating the next generation.”

AI Isn’t a Silver Bullet—But It Might Be a Lever

Despite her caution around tech hype, Anna sees real potential for AI to reshape housing investment. Green Resi uses software to rapidly assess upgrade costs and filter investment opportunities—tasks that would overwhelm human analysts.

“It’s about reliability,” she says.

“Institutional investors won’t back a £300,000 retrofit unless they trust the process that got them there. But aggregate that to £50 million or more, and now they’re interested.”

Still, she warns against overestimating tech’s role in inclusion. “AI won’t fix capital gaps or culture. But it can remove excuses.”

What It Really Takes to Lead Responsibly

Anna’s leadership isn’t loud or linear. It’s iterative, reflective—and deeply commercial. “People change when there’s pain,” she says bluntly.

“When they see competitors outperforming them, they start to care about inclusion.”

She’s clear that responsible leadership must be commercially savvy. “You need the moral case. But you really need the business case,” she insists. “That’s when things start to move.”

In a sector fixated on the new, Anna is betting on the overlooked: vacant homes, underrepresented talent, underestimated leaders. And she’s building the systems to bring them all into the fold.

After more than two decades working in government, from the halls of Whitehall to the frontlines of international development, Louise made what some might call an unexpected leap. She co-founded Air Aware Labs, a start-up that’s making air pollution personal — literally.

“We’re trying to reduce the huge health burden of air pollution,” explains Louise.

“The World Health Organization estimates around eight million deaths every year are linked to it. Yet there’s so little out there that helps people actually do something to protect themselves.”

It’s not just about knowing there’s pollution — it’s about giving people the tools to avoid it. Air Aware’s technology offers real-time, hyperlocal insights into air quality, so you can change your running route, adjust your commute, or just understand what you’re being exposed to each day.

But Louise’s message isn’t only for individuals. It’s for businesses too — and she’s not afraid to say that many are missing a trick.

Why This Matters for Business

Air pollution isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s a people issue. And for businesses, that means it’s also a productivity, wellbeing, and reputation issue.

“Think about your employees,” says Louise.

“If they’re commuting through polluted areas, working in spaces with poor air quality — it affects their health, their performance, even their decision to stay with your company.”

Recent research backs her up. A striking 92% of professionals at a recent mobility conference said they don’t believe employers are doing enough on air pollution. That’s not just a criticism — it’s a huge opportunity for forward-thinking organisations to step up.

“Companies already talk a lot about carbon footprints,” Louise points out.

“But how many are looking at their own nitrogen dioxide emissions, or at the health impacts of where their offices and sites are located?”

A Personal Story Behind the Tech

Louise’s path to air quality innovation wasn’t a straight line. It started with a maths degree, a passion for social justice, and a curiosity that led her from Colombia’s grassroots women’s groups to senior government roles shaping international policy.

For years, she admits, she parked her love of data — it didn’t seem there was an obvious way to connect it to the causes she cared about. But with Air Aware Labs, that’s come full circle.

“It feels like it’s all finally come together,” she reflects.

“We’re using data and tech, but for something so fundamentally human — our health, our families, the cities we live in.”

Making the Invisible Visible

One of the biggest challenges with air pollution, Louise says, is that you often can’t see it. Unlike floods or heatwaves, its impact is quiet — but deadly.

Yet the statistics are hard to ignore. Air pollution is now considered the second biggest threat to health, just behind high blood pressure. And it’s not just outdoor air — indoor spaces can be just as problematic.

The good news? Tackling it often goes hand in hand with climate action and building more liveable, green urban spaces.

“I live in the city, I love it,” says Louise.

“But I want to be confident that my choice to live here isn’t compromising my health — or my kids’ health.”

A Wake-Up Call for Employers

For businesses, Louise believes this is about more than compliance. It’s a chance to show leadership — to genuinely improve employee wellbeing and to turn an overlooked health crisis into a catalyst for positive change.

“This is where sustainability meets human impact,” she says.

“It’s not just about emissions targets. It’s about asthma, heart health, quality of life.”

Her advice? Start small. Measure the problem. Look at commuting patterns. Explore how tools like Air Aware’s app can support staff. And most importantly, talk about it — make air quality part of the wellbeing conversation, not just a side note.

Because whether we notice it or not, the air we breathe is shaping our health, our cities, and our futures. It’s time more of us — especially in business — started paying attention.

“I invest in women building in climate,” Carmel told us on The Responsible Edge. “Not because it’s charity, but because it’s good business.”

Carmel’s journey is anything but linear. From journalist to fashion executive to founder of a hospitality tech platform, her entrepreneurial drive took many forms—until COVID forced a hard reset. Sitting at her kitchen table during lockdown, she had a moment of realisation: “Whatever I do now, it cannot be about making something for someone just to buy. It has to be about impact.”

That pivot led her to climate tech, angel investing, and ultimately, founding The Table—a non-commercial community of over 225 investors with more than £10 billion AUM, all focused on backing women-led climate ventures. Since launch, 32 deals have been shared, 10 closed, and new models of capital allocation are taking shape.

🛑 The Myth of the Pipeline Problem

Investors often claim there just aren’t enough women building VC-backable climate solutions. Carmel disagrees.

“That’s not true,” she says plainly. “Women are building incredible businesses. They just don’t have the resources—and they’re building differently because of it.”

Women are present in the early stages. Cohorts at venture builders like Zinc or Carbon Thirteen are often 40–60% female. But when it comes to pre-seed or seed funding, the numbers plummet. The result? A false feedback loop that implies lack of ambition rather than lack of access.

🔁 Same Bias, New Money

A recent Trellis article suggested that more corporate capital in climate tech might change the gender equation. But Carmel isn’t convinced.

“Corporates don’t treat women differently. The same biases are embedded—just with a new logo.”

Her frustration is rooted in data. Women-led startups deliver higher ROI, reach unicorn status faster, and maintain stronger fundamentals. Yet when pitching, men are asked about their vision. Women are asked about their risks.

🔧 Fixing the System, Not the Women

So what needs to change? For Carmel, it’s not about training women to pitch better. It’s about rebuilding the structures they’re pitching into.

Here’s what she recommends:

• More catalytic capital: Funds like The Table Foundation (launching soon) offer recoverable grants to match investments, reducing the perceived risk.

• Visible, shared deal flow: The Table invites all investors—angels, syndicates, funds—to co-invest and share live rounds.

• Data transparency: Asking every member to report the gender and diversity make-up of their portfolio and team is one small but powerful act of accountability.

“We’re not subsidising climate tech. We’re subsidising men. It’s time to change the ROI conversation.”

🎯 Why This Matters for Climate Tech

Carmel’s call-to-arms isn’t just about equity—it’s about effectiveness. Climate tech doesn’t have the luxury of letting good ideas die on the sidelines because of bias.

“We need all the innovation we can get,” she says. “We can’t afford to run the same VC playbook and just hope for the best.”

When you fund a narrow slice of society, you get narrow solutions. Mixed teams, diverse founders, and new ideas aren’t just morally right—they’re our best chance at solving the climate crisis.

✊ Final Word

When asked what one thing she’d change about the commercial world with a magic wand, Carmel didn’t hesitate:

“The bias against women.”

She’s not waiting for a wand, though. She’s building new structures. Sharing better data. Opening locked doors. And with every climate-positive, woman-led company that gets funded, she’s proving that impact and returns aren’t trade-offs—they’re allies.

Born and raised in Durban, South Africa, David grew up catching snakes in the garden and birdwatching in the tropics. His love for nature was sparked early, but his career took him deep into the world of plastics, business growth, and complex trade-offs. It’s this blend of personal connection with the environment and real-world commercial experience that makes his perspective on the current ESG landscape so sharply grounded.

The ESG Paradox: Rich Countries Set the Agenda, Poorer Ones Pay the Price

David doesn’t mince words when talking about how the global north engages with Africa on sustainability:

“It’s very difficult for people who haven’t lived and experienced Africa to prescribe the answer for Africa.”

There’s a growing push for Africa to leapfrog development stages – to mine cobalt, refine lithium, and build the green transition for Europe – all while skipping the dirty work. But as David puts it: you can’t run a smelter on load-shedding.

💡 Why Energy Comes Before Everything Else

At the heart of the problem is a lack of consistent, affordable electricity. In many African countries, rolling blackouts (known as “load shedding”) are a daily fact of life. David explains:

“If the lights went out for just one day in any European country, there’d be absolute pandemonium and a change of government.”

But in countries like South Africa or Nigeria, entire industries are regularly left scrambling when the grid goes down. And while Europe talks about decarbonisation, Africa is still battling just to switch the lights on.

Without energy:

• Schools can’t function

• Factories can’t operate

• Hospitals can’t run equipment

• Waste can’t be properly managed

• Investment in green alternatives becomes near-impossible

And so the cycle continues.

🛠️ Fit-for-Purpose, Not Copy-Paste

David warns against applying European solutions – like deposit return schemes or carbon border taxes – without adapting them to local realities:

“In Kenya, informal collectors pick up bottles and sell them for a penny a bottle. If you replace that with a European-style system that costs four times that just to run – it’s madness.”

In other words, sustainability must be localised. Not just for impact, but for fairness.

🌍 Big Business, Bigger Responsibility

David’s not afraid to talk about the role of corporations, either. During his time at Coca-Cola, he saw both the power – and limits – of corporate sustainability commitments:

“It’s easy to criticise big business, but people underestimate the conscience and the capability these organisations have – especially in emerging markets.”

For David, the real test is whether sustainability teams are there to actually solve problems, or just to “put lipstick on a pig.”

🧠 A Call for Pragmatism (and Better Payment Terms)

One of the most refreshing takeaways? David’s unapologetically pragmatic stance on sustainability:

• It must be realistic.

• It must acknowledge trade-offs.

• It must work in the messy real world.

And if he had a magic wand? He’d change something simple, powerful, and unexpected:

“Payment terms. If big companies stopped pushing out payment terms to 90 or 120 days, small businesses across Africa – and the world – could grow, invest, and actually participate in the sustainability transition.”

✳️ Final Word

Sustainability without infrastructure is just theory. And theory doesn’t keep the lights on.

David’s message is a reminder that real change starts with honest engagement, contextual understanding, and a willingness to trade ideology for impact.

“Everything’s about choices. And unless we start talking about trade-offs, we’re just not being grown-up about the future we say we want.”

🚨 The Boardroom Problem: Sustainability as an Afterthought

Many businesses claim sustainability is a priority, but their governance structures tell a different story. Sustainability officers are often buried three or four levels down the hierarchy, while boards focus on short-term financial performance rather than long-term resilience.

🔹 The Result? Sustainability becomes a marketing exercise rather than a business driver.

Veronica pointed out that:

“Sustainability should not be an item on the board’s agenda—it should shape the agenda.”

If sustainability isn’t integrated into risk assessment, investment decisions, and executive incentives, it simply won’t drive real change.

📌 The Three Governance Gaps Undermining Sustainability

Veronica outlined three critical gaps that prevent sustainability from being taken seriously at the board level:

1️⃣ The Knowledge Gap – Boards Lack ESG Expertise

Most board members don’t have deep sustainability knowledge, making it difficult for them to assess climate risks, supply chain vulnerabilities, or ESG regulations.

✅ Fix: Companies must appoint board members with proven ESG expertise or provide targeted training to existing leadership.

2️⃣ The Incentive Gap – Executive Pay Rewards Short-Term Thinking

“What gets measured gets done. If ESG isn’t linked to executive compensation, it’s never going to be a priority.”

Boards often tie executive rewards to financial targets rather than sustainability metrics. As a result, ESG goals get deprioritised when profitability is at risk.

✅ Fix: Companies must link CEO and executive bonuses to tangible sustainability outcomes—carbon reductions, ethical sourcing, and long-term ESG performance.

3️⃣ The Accountability Gap – Sustainability Isn’t a Board Responsibility

Many companies have a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), but their influence is limited if they’re not directly reporting to the board.

🔴 Red Flag: If the CSO is presenting to the board once a year, sustainability is not a business priority.

✅ Fix: ESG should be a standing board agenda item, and CSOs must be empowered to challenge leadership decisions.

💡 How Boards Can Make Sustainability a Strategic Priority

Veronica outlined three actions for companies that want to move from rhetoric to results:

🔹 Embed ESG into Core Governance Structures – Every major decision should be evaluated through a sustainability lens.
🔹 Prioritise Long-Term Value Creation – Shift from short-term shareholder returns to stakeholder capitalism.
🔹 Enhance Board-Level ESG Oversight – Appoint sustainability committees to ensure accountability at the highest level.

“The companies that will thrive are the ones treating sustainability as a fundamental business driver—not an add-on.”

📢 The Business Case for Strong ESG Governance

For any leaders still sceptical, Veronica was clear: sustainability is now a business imperative, not just a moral choice.

🚀 The Competitive Advantage of Strong ESG Leadership:

✅ Investor Confidence: ESG-focused companies attract long-term investors.
✅ Regulatory Compliance: Avoid greenwashing lawsuits and heavy fines.
✅ Talent Retention: Employees increasingly seek purpose-driven organisations.
✅ Risk Mitigation: Climate and social risks are business risks.

“Boards that fail to take ESG seriously today will be scrambling to catch up tomorrow.”

🎤 Final Thought: Governance Is the Make-or-Break Factor

Veronica left listeners with a strong message:

“If boards don’t prioritise sustainability, it will never be embedded into the DNA of the business.”

This isn’t about doing less harm—it’s about future-proofing organisations for the decades ahead.

📢 Final Challenge for Business Leaders:

• Is sustainability actively shaping your board’s strategy?
• Are executives financially incentivised to deliver ESG results?
• Does your Chief Sustainability Officer have real influence?

If the answer is “no”—it’s time for a governance reset.

Without Community Buy-In, There Is No Mine

A mining project isn’t just shaped by geology, technology, and financing. If local communities don’t support it, opposition can lead to delays, legal challenges, or outright project failure.

Lucy’s experience working in early-stage mineral exploration across Africa highlighted this first-hand. “In Morocco, Ethiopia, and Madagascar, I saw how little local communities were told about what was happening on their land,” she explained.

“We’d turn up with GPS devices and rock hammers, and people would assume mining was about to start immediately. But in reality, exploration can take decades before anything materialises.”

This lack of communication breeds fear and resistance. The same dynamic plays out closer to home, even in the UK, where Cornish Lithium is developing a domestic lithium supply chain. “When people hear ‘mining,’ they picture vast open pits, pollution, and destruction,” Lucy noted. “But today’s mining methods—like extracting lithium from geothermal waters—are far less intrusive. The challenge is helping people understand that.”

However, facts alone won’t change public perception.

“You can’t just tell communities, ‘Trust us, it’ll be fine.’ You have to show, consistently, that you’re engaging with them in good faith and that they will see tangible benefits.”

Going Beyond Compliance: Building Real Relationships

Regulations require public consultations, but ticking the legal boxes isn’t enough. “Regulation ensures a baseline, but it doesn’t create trust,” Lucy pointed out. “For that, you need ongoing, meaningful engagement.”

Cornish Lithium has taken an unusually proactive approach, opening up its work to the public long before commercial production begins. “We’re not mining yet, but we’ve already published three years of sustainability reports,” Lucy said.

“We host community open days, exhibitions, and site visits so people can see the process for themselves.”

Another key factor is local presence. Many large-scale mining operations are run by executives based thousands of miles away. In contrast, Cornish Lithium’s team lives and works in Cornwall. “We have to get this right because we’ll be the ones facing our neighbours in the pub,” Lucy said. “It’s not just a project—it’s our community too.”

The Consequences of Ignoring Community Trust

Mining projects that fail to secure community support often face financial and reputational risks. Across the world, projects worth billions have been delayed or cancelled due to public opposition.

“Even if a government issues a mining license, that doesn’t mean a project will move forward smoothly,” Lucy warned.

“Without local buy-in, you’ll run into roadblocks at every stage.”

The challenge is particularly acute in regions like the UK and Europe, where people are wary of new mining developments, even as governments push for greater domestic production of critical minerals. “Right now, most lithium comes from overseas, often with little transparency over environmental and social standards,” Lucy said.

“If we want a responsible, homegrown supply, we need to make sure communities see the benefits of having these projects on their doorstep.”

Rethinking the Benefits Model for Local Communities

Historically, mining towns experienced boom-and-bust cycles—thriving while extraction lasted, then declining when operations ceased. Lucy believes this model needs to change. She said;

“Mining shouldn’t be a short-term gain for a few—it should provide long-term benefits for local communities.”

This could mean:

• Investing in education and skills training so that workers can transition into new jobs when mining operations end.
• Developing local infrastructure that benefits businesses and residents beyond the mining sector.
• Ensuring revenues support regional development, rather than just corporate profits.

For Cornish Lithium, this means thinking beyond raw material extraction. “If we can establish a full battery supply chain in the UK, we’re not just taking lithium out of the ground—we’re creating lasting economic value,” Lucy explained.

A New Approach to Responsible Mining

Mining companies that want to survive in the modern era must prioritise trust and transparency as much as technical expertise. Lucy’s insights offer a clear roadmap for how responsible mining can be done right:

✔ Start engagement early – Don’t wait for resistance to emerge; build trust from day one.
✔ Go beyond regulatory requirements – A social license isn’t about compliance; it’s about relationships.
✔ Ensure long-term community benefits – Profits should translate into lasting local improvements.
✔ Be locally accountable – Companies should have a presence in the communities they impact.

“If we want a truly sustainable future, we need to think about where materials come from, not just the finished products we use,” Lucy concluded.

“Mining doesn’t have to be destructive—it can be done in a way that creates long-term value for both the environment and society.”