How SMEs can become environmentally sustainable and productive

In this episode, Professor Kerrie Unsworth (Leeds University Business School) and John Steel (Cafédirect) discuss the tensions and potential trade-offs between social, environmental, and financial goals. Kerrie asks John about Cafédirect’s take on sustainability and social justice. 
 
This podcast episode was recorded remotely in December 2021. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available. 

Kerrie Unsworth is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Leeds University Business School. Her research focuses on how people juggle goals, tasks and identities and the effect this has on motivation and particular behaviours such as leadership, collaboration and pro-environmental behaviour. 
 
John Steel is CEO of Cafédirect. He is a business leader and social entrepreneur with a passion for making business a force for good. Under John’s leadership Cafédirect has returned to growth, become profitable and yet maintained its sustainability commitments to its producers. John is determined that Cafédirect, as one of the UK’s pre-eminent Social Enterprises, plays a pivotal role in leading the change agenda. John is a passionate and genuine believer in the need for real change in the way business contributes to society and the wider world.

A balancing act between sustainability and profitability

There is a consensus that companies need to adopt a low-carbon economy. Manufacturing Small to Medium Enterprises (mSMEs) are pulled by pressure for productivity growth whilst also being high carbon emitters. In this episode of the Research and Innovation Podcast, Dr Matthew Davis and Naomi Booth Wade discuss the tensions and challenges of productivity and environmental sustainability. 

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in September 2020. If you would like to get in touch regarding the project discussed in this podcast, visit bit.ly/productivesustainable or email n.s.boothwade@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available at: https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/196/podcast_episode_13_-_transcript

About the speakers:  

Matthew Davis is an Associate Professor at Leeds University Business School, a Chartered Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. His research centres on how people interact with their environments, the impact of different office designs and how businesses engage in CSR, particularly to address sustainability and modern slavery. 

Naomi Booth Wade is a Research Assistant on the project “Sustainable and productive?! Helping manufacturing SMEs to manage multiple goals”. Naomi has an educational background in Psychology and Organisational Psychology. She is a budding business psychologist with a demonstrated history of working in the research and consultancy fields.

The project discussed in this episode is funded by the ESRC Productivity Insights Network. Grant number 154166.

Can manufacturing SMEs be both productive and environmentally sustainable?

Professor Kerrie Unsworth and Mark Goldstone discuss the benefits of manufacturing SMEs becoming more environmentally sustainable and what Yorkshire businesses are doing to achieve their sustainability goals. 

This podcast episode was recorded remotely in December 2020. If you would like to get in touch regarding this podcast, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk. A transcript of this episode is available at:  https://business.leeds.ac.uk/downloads/download/204/podcast_episode_15_-_transcript. 
This project - “Sustainable and productive?! Helping manufacturing SMEs to manage multiple goals” - is funded by the ESRC Productivity Insights Network. Grant number 154166.

Kerrie Unsworth is a Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Leeds University Business School. Her research focuses on how people juggle goals, tasks and identities and the effect this has on motivation and particular behaviours such as leadership, collaboration and pro-environmental behaviour. 

Mark Goldstone is Head of Business Representation & Policy at the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce helps businesses grow by sharing opportunities, knowledge and expertise, with a strong business voice influencing decision-makers at all levels.

How manufacturing SMEs are becoming more environmentally sustainable in the Yorkshire region

Leeds University Business School’s Research and Innovation podcast brings you insights from our expert researchers. From the future of work, to disruptive technologies; green behaviours to emerging markets, we’ll be covering a wide-range of topical issues and novel ideas. 

Listen to the podcast to find out more about our research and how it’s inspiring business managers, informing policymakers and influencing society.

If you have any comments regarding any of these episodes, please contact research.lubs@leeds.ac.uk.