Key Themes from the Episode:
– Why ESG ratings alone are not enough—and how they’ve become “a pig’s breakfast” of inconsistent metrics
– The need for clearer frameworks to evaluate direct and indirect corporate impacts
– How to bridge the gap between NGO perspectives and business realities
– The role of technology in both creating and solving sustainability challenges
– Why today’s externalities are tomorrow’s risks—and how investors can use this insight to drive positive change
“Be approximately right rather than precisely wrong.” — Pavan Sukhdev
The conversation follows Pavan’s journey from scientist to banker to sustainability advocate—a path shaped by personal revelations (including fatherhood) and a growing recognition of nature’s invisible economics. His recent TED Talk, “The Birth, Life, Death and Afterlife of ESG Ratings,” sets the stage for a candid, thought-provoking discussion on how we must evolve beyond box-ticking toward true impact investing.
Memorable Quotes:
“Why would I not want to know these things?”
“If you want to be sustainable, be positive impact.”
“Today’s externalities are tomorrow’s risks.“