Better Heroes

Better Heroes is back with a new episode just in time for Climate Week in New York City!

Have you heard the acronym ESG? We’ve definitely mentioned it once or twice on the show. It stands for environmental, social, and governance. These are three areas where businesses have become far more conscious of their impact on the world and are evolving in their ability to quantify and disclose their impacts, risks and opportunities for each. 

In this episode, Elise Saur, EY Responsible Business Leader, and Brian Finch, Vice President of Sustainability at Mastercard, join us to talk about the importance of measuring a company’s sustainability impact.

They’ll talk about what responsible business really means and why sustainability reporting matters.

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Learn more about EY Ripples and all of our guests at www.ey.com/eyripples.

The views reflected in this podcast are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the global EY organization or its member firms.

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Neurodiversity is an asset in the workplace but employers haven’t always been ready for it. Research shows that when neurodiverse people are properly supported, they come up with more novel ideas and better serve customers.

Supportive technology has changed the game in this regard. Things like AI, can help people focus on their strengths while filling in the gaps where they might have a weakness. 

One of our guests today is Martin McKay. He is the co-founder and CEO of Texthelp. A company that provides digital tools to those who need a little more help understanding and communicating in the workplace. In recognition of his work, Martin was EY Ireland’s Entrepreneur of the year.

Our other guest is Gillian Hinde, EY Global Corporate Responsibility Leader. Gill and the EY Ripples team have a goal to impact 1 billion lives by 2030! 

Despite the uncertainty of new technology and conversations about the negative impacts of AI, today’s Better Heroes believe whole-heartedly in its positive uses.

Rami Amin is the Director of Innovation and Digital Partnerships at Visa. He spearheads AI initiatives, and digital partnerships, with governments, to help financial ecosystems.

Sophie Sirtaine is the CEO of CGAP which stands for the Consultative Group, to Assist the Poor. CGAP is an international partnership housed by the World Bank Group. 

They explain how AI can help advance us to a world where our financial institutions and products are inclusive to all. If our governments work together with the private sectors, then the digital transformation we see today can build a better and more inclusive tomorrow.

In order to best prepare students for the workforce, artificial intelligence (AI) should be taught and used in schools. Some countries and some states are way ahead of others when it comes to how they approach teaching AI. 

That’s where public, private and government partnerships come in to level the playing field. Today’s guests are embracing AI and preparing current and future generations to work with it.

Pat Yongpradit is the Chief Academic Officer for Code.org and leader of TeachAI, an initiative to guide education leaders and policymakers in transforming education in an age of AI.

Jay Persaud is EY Global Emerging Technology Ecosystem Leader. He works with new tech like AI and helps prepare his colleagues for the future of work. 

Have you ever heard of the Zulu word, Ubuntu? It means ‘I am because we are.” The term alludes to having a collective vision, goal and effort as a community rather than an individualistic outlook.  

Both of today’s Better Heroes are living, breathing examples of how this collective effort can help us live more sustainably by changing our consumption habits. While they have different approaches their goal is the same: To improve sustainability and make a difference in the world.

Umazi Mvurya is the youngest leader of the Leadership Council of Kaya Duruma, a forest sanctuary in the Kenyan coast. She calls herself an artivist and uses her art to create sustainable solutions in  indigenous African communities.

Tom Simmons is the founder and CEO of The Supplant Company. Supplant creates sustainable sugar substitutes from agricultural byproducts that would usually go to waste.