CHANGE@WORK

Sara Polon, Co-Founder and CEO of Soupergirl -- a natural, plant-based, kosher, and sustainably sourced soup company -- joins this episode of Change@Work. The comedian-turned-food entrepreneur and host, Chris Thornton discuss Sara's journey to soup-making, the challenges and joys of being a small business owner in the food and beverage industry, and the role consumers play in creating a more sustainable and equitable future when buying packaged foods.

Susan Odle is the Founder & CEO of 8020CS — a strategic consultancy that helps leaders and leadership teams learn how to successfully operationalize strategic plans and change initiatives. She is also the author of a new book,Successful Change: A Field Guide to Operationalizing Change that Drives Growth, Profitability, and Operational Efficiency. In this episode of Change@Work, she and host Chris Thornton, discuss her career journey through the tech and private equity industries, how GenAI is disrupting the workplace, and the importance of humanity and transparent communication in business. As an extra bonus, enjoy her Sara Bareilles Spotify playlisthere.

Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld and Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education, joins us on this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the important role businesses play in the education system, how investing in education can help companies to achieve their ESG goals, and outlines key examples of how some of the world's largest organizations are investing in education now.

Dr Tanvi Gautam, MD, Founder of Leadershift Inc., Global HR influencer, Program director & faculty at Singapore Management University (ExD) and authorjoins us for this episode of Change@Work. She and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the framework for her new book, Deep Collaboration: 5 crucial conversations to accelerate performance across silos (2024), where the field of human-centric change is headed, and the need to embrace the uncomfortable to fuel our own growth.

Natalie Webb, founder and Executive Director of Cafecita Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster that sources all beans from sustainable, women-owned coffee farms and co-ops, joins us for this episode of Change@Work. She and host, Chris Thornton, delve into how Natalie’s unique experience as a human rights lawyer drove her to create a business that prioritizes sustainable practices and empowers gender equality for female coffee producers.

Eric McNulty, Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, an instructor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and co-author of the book, You're It: Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When it Matters Most joins us for this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss what we can learn about human behavior, change, and resilience through his research and analysis of national crises including the Boston Marathon bombings, Hurricane Sandy, and Covid. He explains how these crises can force necessary change, bring out humanity and empathy in business, and promote a sense of unity amongst organizations and communities.

Molly Fogarty, Head of Corporate & Government Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Zone North America, joins host, Chris Thornton, for this episode of Change@Work. In this episode, the two have a candid conversation about Molly's own journey to success and sustainability, navigating through the external perception of Nestlé's sustainability efforts and how to get buy-in from all levels of the organization to drive sustainability goals.

Daniel Oppong, founder of The Courage Collective, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultancy, joins us again on this episode of Change@Work. He and host, Chris Thornton, discuss the evolution of DE&I initiatives as of late, how they’ve been met with less momentum,  and shares why it’s imperative that organizations embed DE&I into their company culture.  

Brian Crimmins, CEO of Changing Our World, a trusted social impact consulting firm that advises leading corporations and nonprofit organizations, joins us for this episode of Chang@Work. He and host Chris Thornton discuss Brian's new book, The Generosity Crisis, which explores the current state of philanthropy and how we can change course to bring about a different, more connected future that benefits us all. For more information, visit his website here.

Celeste Leverton, Associate Director, Sustainability Manager at Coutts, a 331-year-old private bank in the UK, joins us for this episode on Change@Work. Listen as she and host, Chris Thornton, discuss what the B Corp certification process entails, the benefits of becoming certified, and how to get employees and leaders on board with becoming a more sustainable organization.