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Frankly Speaking - A Podcast on Responsible Business

Frank Bold
European Union
CSRD
Sustainability Reporting
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
Sustainability
European Sustainability Reporting Standards
ESRS
Sustainable Finance
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive
SFDR
Due Diligence
Living Wages
European Grid Package
Brussels
Degrowth
Product Level Disclosure
CSRD (corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)
United Nations Guiding Principles On Business and Human Rights
Japan
Double Materiality

Frankly Speaking is a double award-winning podcast on responsible business by Frank Bold - discussing the latest political, legal and business developments in the field of ESG, business and human rights and corporate reporting. Host Richard Howitt is a pioneer in the field of corporate disclosure and former Member of the European Parliament. He speaks frankly and personally about what moves policy... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes115Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

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Latest Episodes

How effectively have German firms been implementing the LkSG?

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Sarah Hechler, consultant at the German Helpdesk on Business and Human Rights (Helpdesk Wirtschaft und Menschenrechte) a... more

We often hear about the backlash against sustainability and business and human rights in the United States, but does the perception reflect the reality when it comes to actual business practice?

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt w... more

From Responsible Business to Responsible AI: what you need to know and do. In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt is joined by two leading voices on AI and responsibility to cut through the hype and the fear around artificial intelligenc... more

How does the field of responsible investment compare to a decade ago?

In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Richard Howitt was joined by Nathalie Dogniez, chair of Eurosif and Independent Director of The Director’s Office, and Julian Toth, Executive... more

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Recent Guests

Kathryn Dovey
Founder of Recalibrate; former OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct contributor
Recalibrate; OECD
Episode: #113 Kathryn Dovey & Alex de Vries-Gao: Responsible AI - What You Need to Know
Alex de Vries-Gao
Data scientist and researcher at the Institute for Environmental Studies, VU Amsterdam
VU Amsterdam
Episode: #113 Kathryn Dovey & Alex de Vries-Gao: Responsible AI - What You Need to Know
Nathalie Dogniez
Chair of the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif); Independent Director on fund manager boards
Eurosif
Episode: #112 Nathalie Dogniez & Julian Toth: What Is the Current State of Responsible Investment?
Julian Toth
Investment Manager at Responsible Investors; Soulmates Ventures; Director at Czech Sustainable Investment Forum
Soulmates Ventures; CzechSIF
Episode: #112 Nathalie Dogniez & Julian Toth: What Is the Current State of Responsible Investment?
John Morrison
Former chief executive of the Institute of Human Rights and Business; long-time advocate for business and human rights
Institute for Human Rights and Business
Episode: #111 John Morrison: Why Sustainability Will Come Back Stronger
Simon Braaksma
Global Head of Sustainability
Royal Philips
Episode: #110 Filip Gregor & Simon Braaksma: New EU Sustainability Standards Just Released - What Now?
Filip Gregor
Head of Responsible Company section
Frank Bold
Episode: #110 Filip Gregor & Simon Braaksma: New EU Sustainability Standards Just Released - What Now?
Jeremy Nicholls
Founder and longstanding chief executive of Social Value International
Social Value International
Episode: #109 Jeremy Nicholls: Why Accountants Aren't Saving the World
Andreas Beckmann
Regional Chief Executive for WWF in Central and Eastern Europe; Chair of WWF's Committee for Global Partnerships and Corporate Engagement
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Episode: #108 Andreas Beckmann: The Role of Business in Nature Restoration

Host

Richard Howitt
Host of Frankly Speaking, guiding and moderating discussions on policy, governance, and responsible business in a regulatory context

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 48 ratings
  • Very interesting for sustainability and esg good debate seekers

    If you're on the hunt for a podcast that stimulates your intellect and sparks insightful debates on sustainability and ESG, look no further. I recently stumbled upon this podcast that has not only captured my attention but has also become a staple in my playlist for its contents and speakers.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LolitadePalma
    Italy3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the show's rigorous, thoughtful debates on sustainability and ESG topics.
Guests are consistently high-caliber and provide practical insights for implementing regulation in business.
The discussions offer clear links between policy developments and corporate strategy, making complex topics approachable.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#149
Belgium/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#80 Sébastien Mandron: CSRD is Already Redesigning Corporate Sustainability in France
Q: How did you get into sustainability, and what drew you to CSRD specifically?
Sébastien explains that sustainability work emerged from a long-running transformation mindset, with CSRD presenting a major new reporting framework that forces companies to make concrete transition plans and address questions upfront, not just in theory. He emphasizes the learning curve and the practical need to engage with the rules rather than avoid them.
#82 Kate Lewis & Francesca Mangano: How Supply Chain Due Diligence Can Work For All
Q: What is your response to the CSDDD and what's potentially happening to it?
ETI supports meaningful legislation aligned with UNGPs but is concerned about watering down scope and enforcing mechanisms. It should cover entire value chains, be clear and enforceable, and avoid mere procedural requirements.
#82 Kate Lewis & Francesca Mangano: How Supply Chain Due Diligence Can Work For All
Q: Francesca, can you give a very practical example of how your procurement practices have improved a garment worker's life?
We now bring suppliers to the table as equal partners in critical path planning, including discussing costs, payment terms, risk foresight, and elasticity. This collaboration has linked purchasing decisions to workers' livelihoods, improved wage monitoring, and fostered direct supplier engagement to advance responsible production across the supply chain.
#82 Kate Lewis & Francesca Mangano: How Supply Chain Due Diligence Can Work For All
Q: So Francesca, you must have found some obstacles internally as you've tried to deliver that approach and you must have overcome them. Tell us a bit about those obstacles and how you've overcome them.
There was initially little dedicated sustainability function, so it required time to show why responsible business is important and how it aligns with core goals. Over eight years, awareness grew that sustainability is interconnected with overall strategy, governance set the mandate, and cross-department collaboration became essential for implementing responsible purchasing and engaging suppliers as equal partners.
#86 Bernard Gouw & Jo Chidley: Will Every Company Become a B Corp?
Q: Bernard, what does the changes look like from a company perspective with the new standards and why are they important?
Bernard discusses continuous improvement, the requirement for cross-cutting performance across environmental, social, and governance topics, and the benefits of a framework that makes it easier to communicate and drive reform across the business and its suppliers.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Frankly Speaking

What is Frankly Speaking about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful program focused on ESG, responsible business, and sustainability reporting, with conversations that connect policy developments, regulatory reforms, and practical implementation across industries. Recent episodes center on EU sustainability standards (ESRS and CSRD), due diligence in global supply chains, governance and board oversight, nature restoration, and the evolving role of finance in driving responsible outcomes. A distinctive trait is the mix of policy experts, NGO leaders, industry practitioners, and researchers who offer grounded, experience-based perspectives on how regulations translate into real-world business practice. This combination makes it useful for listeners who want to understand how regulatory change sha... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Frankly Speaking?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Frankly Speaking:

1. All Things Sustainable
2. Voices - Conversations on Business and Human Rights from Around the World
3. Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change
4. Zero: The Climate Race
5. Political Fix

How many episodes of Frankly Speaking are there?

Frankly Speaking launched 4 years ago and published 115 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Frankly Speaking?

Recent guests on Frankly Speaking include:

1. Kathryn Dovey
2. Alex de Vries-Gao
3. Nathalie Dogniez
4. Julian Toth
5. John Morrison
6. Simon Braaksma
7. Filip Gregor
8. Jeremy Nicholls

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