Apprenticeships, Embodied Carbon and Doing Sustainability Properly

This one’s a masterclass in real leadership from the ground up.I’m joined by Dave Mills from Lyons & Annoot, brickwork contractor, sustainability leader, and unapologetic voice for doing things the right way (even when it’s not the easy way).We talk apprenticeships that actually last, sustainability beyond the buzzwords, and what happens when you empower people instead of just ticking boxes.This isn’t fluff. It’s 100 percent real talk from a company that’s walking the walk—on carbon, on people, and on purpose.💥 Highlights✅ The truth about sustainability in brickwork (it’s not just about the planet)✅ Why "Mentor Me" is more than a name, it’s a mindset shift✅ How Lyons & Annoot embed new low-carbon products through apprentices✅ Rethinking diversity: it’s not about quotas, it’s about better outcomes✅ The real ROI of investing in people and why most companies get it wrong✅ The “similar to me” effect vs. what real inclusion actually looks like✅ Why scaring people into change doesn’t work and what to do instead💬 Dave Says:“If you’ve got 20 apprentices and only 2 are left after 3 months, you haven’t succeeded. That’s not investment. That’s failure.”“People hate change. The trick is to make big changes without anyone even noticing. That’s the real art of sustainability.”💡 Rebecca’s TakeThis conversation is the antidote to every hollow diversity strategy, every surface-level sustainability claim, and every company that shouts loud but invests little. Dave shows us that it’s possible to lead with integrity, retain great people, and push the industry forward without losing what makes it human.Ready to shake up your own leadership model?Drop us a DM. Subscribe. Share. And don’t forget to leave a review if this hit home.Catch the full episode and more at ⁠ www.rebecca-heald.co.uk