Kate Chilton, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief of Staff at BamCore, has experienced both the corporate and startup sides of sustainability. After starting her career at Accenture and working her way into the core of climate startups, she now finds herself in the thick of it—caught between investor expectations, startup survival, and the uncompromising realities of planetary boundaries.

In this episode of The Responsible Edge, Kate takes us on a journey through the messiness of real-world sustainability: the idealism, the disillusionment, and the flickers of optimism that still make the fight worth it.

What Happens When Net Zero Becomes “Too Expensive”?

The catalyst for the conversation is Bloomberg’s recent report on the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), a group of major banks committed to aligning their lending with the Paris Agreement. One by one—U.S. banks, Canadian banks, and then Japanese banks—have stepped away from the group.

Why? According to Kate, the answer is chillingly simple:

“By exiting NZBA, these banks have sought greater autonomy to set and adjust their environmental strategies without being bound by a commitment to stay aligned to the Paris Agreement—which they now view as a fictitious world.”

Put bluntly: NZBA is aligned with a future that’s becoming increasingly unlikely. And the market will punish banks for focusing on decarbonisation if they are perceived to be giving up earnings potential.

“Sustainability Only Works If It Makes Business Sense”

Having worked at a corporate giant like Accenture and now at a bio-based building materials startup, Kate sees the problem from both ends of the spectrum.

“The sustainable decision needs to be the right business decision. We can’t just expect businesses to do the altruistic thing when they are fundamentally mission-driven to turn a profit.”

Startups may be mission-first, but they’re not immune either. Even companies like BamCore, which manufactures climate-positive building products, must navigate a system where clean energy and low-carbon materials still struggle to compete—on cost, supply, and capital access.

Built-In, Not Bolted-On

Kate wears two hats—Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief of Staff—which gives her a unique view across the entire organisation.

“Sustainability shouldn’t be an afterthought. It needs to be built in, not bolted on.”

This dual role allows her to connect sustainability to every department—from marketing and product development to sourcing and manufacturing. It’s a model that makes sense for startups—but it’s rare in larger organisations, where ESG still too often sits in a silo.

The Capital Gap No One Wants to Talk About

One of the sharpest insights comes when Kate breaks down the climate finance landscape for startups:

• 🥇 Seed-stage: Government grants, angel investors, climate-focused VCs.

• 🏗️ Growth-stage: A funding valley between VC and private equity.

• 🏦 Mature-stage: Shift from equity to debt—often inaccessible for physical solutions that need massive CapEx.

“We’re not playing in electrons—we’re playing in atoms. In order to combat climate change, this is a physical problem. We need physical solutions.”

When capital dries up—particularly for manufacturing-heavy solutions like BamCore—the transition stalls, no matter how compelling the climate case is.

Realism vs. Idealism: Can We Still Be Optimistic?

Kate doesn’t sugar-coat it:

“There’s always a little flame of eco-anxiety driving me. But I’ve moved from being an optimist to an optimistic pessimist.”

And yet, there’s still hope:

• The next generation—Gen Z—is taking climate seriously.

• Clean energy is reaching cost parity with fossil fuels in more regions.

• The appetite for systemic change—from carbon pricing to Doughnut Economics—is growing.

“Our financial system is intertwined with emissions… We need to unwind them such that we can make decisions that are still good for our economies but that also drive down emissions.”

💬 Kate’s Magic Wand Moment

If given a magic wand, what would Kate change?

“Make it easier for companies that want to be sustainable to succeed.”

It’s a simple ask—but behind it lies a radical truth. We know what to do. We just haven’t made doing the right thing easy—or profitable—enough.

Brogan’s journey—from a creative young vegetarian to a senior engineer and environmentalist—reflects a bigger shift taking place across the built environment sector: one that demands we stop settling for “less bad” and start designing systems that actively restore.

From Carbon Focus to Climate Justice

Brogan’s role at Ramboll has expanded far beyond traditional carbon accounting. Today, she leads initiatives around:

• Embodied carbon reduction

• Circular economy and material reuse

• Biodiversity impact management

• Equity and climate justice in design

“We’re still operating in a degenerative paradigm—taking more than we give back. Regenerative design asks: how do we leave places healthier than we found them?”

Her point is clear: net-zero isn’t enough. Construction must actively repair, rewild, and rethink its entire relationship with natural and human systems.

Breaking the “Creative vs Scientific” Myth 🎨🔬

Brogan’s path challenges the old idea that you’re either a creative or a scientist. Initially pigeonholed into the arts at school, it was a single teacher who opened her eyes to the possibilities of blending both worlds.

“Engineering isn’t the opposite of creativity. It is creative—problem-solving with ingenuity.”

This blending of artistry and technical rigour defines her philosophy today, whether redesigning steel systems or reimagining corporate leadership models.

Leading with Softness 💬

Another powerful insight Brogan shared is the shift in how she leads.

“For years, I tried to blend in—to be one of the guys. Now, I lean into softness. Authenticity, empathy, and care are leadership strengths, not weaknesses.”

In a male-dominated engineering world, this shift has helped her build trust and influence far more effectively than traditional command-and-control styles.

Steel, Scrap, and the “Uncomfortable Truth” of Decarbonisation 🔥

Discussing the recent Scunthorpe Steel crisis, Brogan illuminated a critical, often misunderstood issue:

• Scrap steel can only meet a third of global demand.

• Demand for steel is set to rise 50% by 2050.

• Even “low-carbon” solutions like electric arc furnaces aren’t silver bullets unless paired with drastic consumption reduction.

“Specifying recycled steel might look good on a project report. But it doesn’t cut global emissions. We need material reuse, systemic reduction, and real honesty about our limits.”

She also issued a stark warning: without better scrap recovery, smarter material reuse, and demand reduction, the green steel revolution risks being a mirage.

Radical Solutions: Reuse, Bio-Based Materials, and Mindset Shifts 🌱🏗️

Despite the serious challenges, Brogan remains hopeful:

• Steel reuse: Salvaging and recertifying steel from demolition sites could slash emissions dramatically.

• Bio-based materials: Timber, hempcrete, mycelium composites, and more could transform mid-rise construction.

• Innovative concrete technologies: New blends like calcined clay concrete could revolutionise infrastructure if clients embrace innovation and risk.

But the biggest barrier? Mindset.

“Construction moves slowly. It took twenty years to fix basic safety. We can’t afford that pace for the climate transition.”

Graduates and younger professionals, she believes, are key to unlocking faster cultural change.

Brogan’s Magic Wand Moment 🪄

If given a magic wand, Brogan would replace GDP as the dominant measure of success with Doughnut Economics—balancing human needs within planetary boundaries.

“GDP doesn’t equal happiness. We need an economic model that values health, equity, and environmental regeneration.”

Final Takeaway 🚀

Brogan MacDonald’s vision challenges the construction industry—and society more broadly—to stop patching problems and start building net-positive futures. Through material reuse, radical honesty, systemic redesign, and authentic leadership, a regenerative built environment isn’t just possible—it’s urgently necessary.