Panic. Learn…then do stuff.

Increasingly uncomfortable with being asked to market small initiatives as sustainable (like banning plastic straws), Sarah Duncan fell down the rabbit hole of sustainability nearly a decade ago after her daughter became a 'fully blown eco warrior'. Since then, Sarah has written several books (including The Sustainable Business Book) and works with a wide range of businesses to move from good intentions into practical change in how they operate. David and Sarah talk about what sustainable hospitality looks like in practice, how businesses can better understand ESG, and how meaningful change can be embedded across an organisation. Sarah shares how her work has evolved, the challenges businesses face when trying to make meaningful change, and the frameworks that can help turn sustainability ambitions into action. Sarah Duncan Sustainable Business Book Expert Advice Online Resources mentioned: Green Key Green Tourism How Bad Are Bananas? by Mike Berners-Lee The New Climate War by Michael Mann Green Swans by John Elkington Chapters (00:00) Discover how hospitality leaders can achieve excellence through sustainability (00:57) Explore what sustainable hospitality really means — and how we can make it happen (01:45) Hear what led Sarah to pursue a more ethical and sustainable approach to business (10:42) Discover the Planet System Framework from Sarah's new book (12:24) Explore the biggest challenges businesses face when putting sustainability into practice (21:39) Consider the positive side effects of pursuing a sustainable agenda (22:47) Understand why businesses need to define their reasons for pursuing an ESG agenda (24:56) Learn why having a clear vision of where your business wants to be in five years matters (29:16) Explore whether certification systems are essential for creating meaningful change (31:20) Hear about Sarah's most memorable hospitality experience (32:41) Find out what Sarah has changed her mind about recently (36:03) Discover the book Sarah recommends most — other than her own

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 1, 2026

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Panic. Learn…then do stuff.

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