Name: The Net-Zero Business Podcast: Episode One - The National Trust by edie.net
Duration: 23 min 27 s
Description: In response to the accelerated pace at which corporates are examining and setting net-zero targets to help alleviate the climate crisis, edie has launched a new spin-off of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast. First up on the Net-Zero Business podcast is an exclusive interview with the National Trust.

At the edie 25 conference in March 2025, the edie Extra stage hosted honest and thought-provoking conversations with climate leaders and sustainability experts about the ever-changing world of corporate climate action.

Here, Narrative Matters CEO Tom Idle chairs a discussion on whether, by using carbon removals, businesses are driving credible climate action, or simply finding excuses not to reduce their own emissions.

Tom's guests are Kaya Axelsson, head of policy and partnerships at Oxford Net Zero, and Tom Byrne, Head of Net Zero and Environment at British Airways.

Tom and the panel also explore how carbon removal buyers can engage with credit developers, regulators and investors to grow the market and enhance credibility.

Should businesses be using carbon removal credits?

At the edie 25 conference in March 2025, the edie Extra stage hosted honest and thought-provoking conversations with climate leaders and sustainability experts about the ever-changing world of corporate climate action.

Here, Narrative Matters CEO Tom Idle chairs a discussion on regenerative agriculture with Danone’s head of sustainability and social innovation Hannah Cornick, and Forum for the Future’s lead on food and regenerative agriculture in the UK, Duncan Williams (pictured).

Ever more businesses are making commitments to scale regenerative agriculture – but what are the challenges and limitations to the transition, and how can greenwashing be avoided, given that there's no agreed-upon international defenition of 'regenerative'? The panel explain.

Is regenerative agriculture the future of food, or another corporate buzzword?

In this new edie Extra podcast episode, published to coincide with Earth Day 2025, Gary Doran at insurance brokerage Lockton explains the practicalities of insuring projects for the energy transition – from large wind and solar farms to first-of-a-kind innovations.

Doran is partner at Lockton and head of Lockton’s London-based Energy and Power Team. He also 
 leads the European ESG Committee at Lockton. 

In this conversation with edie's content editor Sarah George, Doran explains how insurers create bespoke solutions to unlock financing for renewable energy ptojects and other energy transition infrastructure. The duo also explore how insurers are accounting for rapidly-evolving climate-related and technology-related risks.

#SustyTalk: What is the role of insurance in driving the energy transition?

In this new and exclusive edie podcast, BT Group’s head of circularity and net-zero Matt Manning outlines how the business developed its first Climate Transition Plan, covering risks, opportunities and actions for decarbonisation.

Your host for this episode is edie's editor, Matt Mace.

Published in March 2025, the BT Group Climate Transition Plan sets out the practical steps which BT Group will take to achieve its 2041 ambition of achieving a net-zero emissions value chain. It also covers climate-related opportunities and risks.

Manning explains how his team and other functions from across the business collaborated to shape the transition plan, in line with the Gold Standard framework from the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT).



#SustyTalk: Behind the scenes of BT’s Climate Transition Plan

This special episode of edie Extra sees edie’s newly acquired Springwise arm take the podcasting reigns for a deep dive into the world of climate innovations – broadcast live from the sidelines of the ChangeNow megaevent in Paris.

edie Extra x Springwise podcast: Live from ChangeNow

McLaren Racing’s first director of sustainability Kim Wilson podcasts in the edie Green Room, where the biggest names in corporate sustainability share their stories and valuable insights.

In conversation with edie's reporter Sidhi Mittal, Kim outlines her experience joining the newly-created role at McLaren three years ago.  Under her guidance, McLaren has reshaped its ambitions and approaches to decarbonisation, creating a circular economy, fostering DEI and improving health and wellbeing.

Kim also shares her wider career journey, including accounting, sustainability advisory and consulting, and working in-house in the energy industry. 

In edie's Green Room with McLaren Racing's sustainability director Kim Wilson

In this new edie Extra episode for June 2025, clean energy financing experts from Santander UK’s specialised and project finance team sharing how they have navigated decades of unprecedented change in technology and policy.

Your host for this episode is edie's content editor Sarah George. 

Your expert guests are: 
- Santander UK’s director of specialised and project finance Katie Bagshaw
- Santander UK's head of specialised and project finance Benedict Smith

The #SustyTalk series is all about keeping edie’s listeners connected to sustainability and business leaders across the world, even if they only have 20 minutes to tune in.



#SustyTalk podcast: Is the UK’s energy transition an attractive growth opportunity?

Jennie Colville, who leads on sustainability at Britain’s largest commercial property development and investment company Landsec, joins the edie team to share her insights and career journey in the Green Room podcast.

She is credited with having supported more than 500 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to improve their environmental performance as well as shaping the design and delivery of sustainability strategies for larger organisations, including RSA Insurance Group, law firm LinkLaters and Kent County Council.

Now, Colville is leading on Landsec's ambitions plans to enhance the resilience of its properties, deliver biodiversity improvements and reduce value chain emissions. She shares her approach to the challenge and provides advice to listeners.

In edie's Green Room with Landsec's head of sustainability Jennie Colville

London Climate Action Week (LCAW) is an annual event hosted to enable everyone to take part in discussions and actions to shape a more sustainable future, from families, to business leaders, to policymakers.

edie’s content editor Sarah George and senior reporter Sidhi Mittal attended some of LCAW 2025's 700+ events to bring you a flavour of the week in podcast form.

Our guests this episode are:
- E3G’s founder-director Nick Mabey and associate director Karla Hill
- Heart of the City's director Andy Melia
- City of London Corporation's circular economy and biodiversity lead Joanna Leyden 
- eBay UK's head of recommerce Alex Hiatt

edie Extra podcast special: What happened at London Climate Action Week?

Kew’s “Carbon Garden” officially opened in London in July 2025.

Funded by Biffa Award, it has been designed as an educational and inspirational space for visitors of all ages. The garden blends science, art and climate storytelling to bring the carbon cycle to life while showing how gardens can be powerful tools in the fight against climate change.

In this episode of the edie Extra Podcast, edie’s senior reporter Sidhi Mittal records live on-site at the UK’s largest botanical garden, meeting two of the project’s key figures. 

Our guests this episode are:
- The Carbon Garden's senior project manager at Kew, Lara Michael.
- The Carbon Garden's supervisor Joe Richomme.

edie Extra podcast special: Inside the 'Carbon Garden' at Kew

In response to the accelerated pace at which corporates are examining and setting net-zero targets to help alleviate the climate crisis, edie has launched a new spin-off of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast. First up on the Net-Zero Business podcast is an exclusive interview with the National Trust.

The Net-Zero Business Podcast: Episode One - The National Trust

What are the climate stories that really matter? What breakthrough innovations and ambitious business initiatives could genuinely accelerate the transition to a net-zero, circular economy? And who’ll take home the coveted Big Fat Sustainability Uncovered Quiz of the Year trophy? Join the edie team for this long-running show which makes the big climate issues bite-sized.

Sustainability Uncovered uncovers some of most inspiring and insightful sustainability and climate action stories from across the globe. The show features live in-the-studio guests, leader interviews, need-to-know round-ups, listener quizzes and more – all wrapped up into monthly episodes.

Whether you’re a business leader, climate expert, environmental professional, youth activist, or just someone with a passion for all things sustainability and climate action – this podcast is for you!

For edie's 1:1 interviews with leaders and special audio features, search 'edie Extra'.

The Net-Zero Business Podcast: Episode One - The National Trust

edie.net

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