Forces for Good

AI is poised to radically transform the way we work. This moment is an opportunity for workers, business leaders, and governments to come together and harness this powerful technology for good – or face the consequences of failing to act.  Today’s guests, Richie Jones and Hilke Schellmann, help us learn how people and AI fit together into the future of work. Hilke is an Assistant Professor of Journalism at New York University and an Emmy award-winning investigative reporter. Recently, her reporting has been focused on AI. In the episode, she gives us an overview and a warning about how AI has been shaping hiring processes. Richie is the Founder and CEO of Vvast, an e-commerce services company (and B Corp). He also helped found and is a member of the Ethical AI Coalition. Their goal is to introduce more transparency into the use of AI so that companies can learn from each other. B Lab believes that AI can be a force for good, but no one person – not a worker, not a CEO, not even governments – can do this alone. We all need to demand transparency and accountability from those in the business of AI. Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net [http://www.bcorporation.net] Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of B Lab or Hueman Group Media. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The ability for employees to speak up is critical to creating a system that is fair, representative, and works for all. Our guests today, Jenny Holdcroft and Antoine Heuty, are both on a mission to make sure people are heard by their employers.  Jenny is Deputy Director of Business Engagement at the Shift Project, the leading center of expertise on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. She and Shift champion unions and organized labor.  Antoine is Senior Vice President of Human Rights at EcoVadis and founder of Ulula.  Ulula is a B Corp that gives workers the ability to communicate with their employer anonymously. It can be used to make complaints about working hours or conditions in real time. If you see or know about human rights violations in the workplace, you can report them to the UN: https://www.ohchr.org/en/reporting_violations [https://www.ohchr.org/en/reporting_violations]  Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net [http://www.bcorporation.net] Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of B Lab or Hueman Group Media. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The best way to build a thriving business is to build a thriving workforce. In this episode, we look at two ways both a business and its people can prosper. First, we’ll learn about worker cooperatives from Julian McKinley, Co-Executive Director for Partnerships and Growth at the Democracy at Work Institute. A business co-op is a group of workers coming together to co-own the business for which they work. Generally, workers in a co-op have better working conditions, higher wages, and more power. The business also benefits from more democratic decision making, lower administrative costs, and even tax benefits in some cases! In the second half of our episode, we're going to take a look at the B Corp, Naturesweet.  CEO and President, Rodolfo Spielmann and Sustainability and Social Impact Officer, Fernanda Suarez tell us about how having a prosperous work force is a part of their business model.  Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net [http://www.bcorporation.net/] Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of B Lab or Hueman Group Media. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Alternative ownership structures, like cooperatives and employee ownership trusts, are some of the most powerful wealth and power distributors we have at our disposal. Are they the key to creating better jobs? Today’s guests would tell you yes! In this episode, we hear the story of how B Corp and outdoor clothing brand, Patagonia donated itself to Planet Earth and we learn more about alternative ownership structures. Greg Curtis is the Executive Director of Holdfast Collective, the nonprofit that owns all of Patagonia’s non voting stock and distributes its profits to environmental causes. Our second guest is Mark Hand, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at Arlington. He’s an expert in democratization and teaches us about the alternative ways to set up a company that you might not learn in business school. Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net [http://www.bcorporation.net] Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of B Lab or Hueman Group Media. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

What does it really mean to go green? As the climate crisis accelerates, businesses are under pressure to transition away from fossil fuels, adopt sustainable practices, and reduce their environmental impact. But this shift isn’t just about the planet—it’s about people, too.  In this episode, we hear from Marina Gning, CEO of ApiAfrique, a B Corp proving that sustainable businesses can create both environmental impact and quality jobs. She shares how manufacturing locally in Senegal—despite industry norms—has empowered workers, especially women, and strengthened the local economy. We also speak with Andrew Prag, Managing Director for Policy at We Mean Business Coalition, about why businesses must center workers in their sustainability strategies and how a just transition benefits both people and profit. Learn more about B Lab at www.bcorporation.net [http://www.bcorporation.net] Views and opinions expressed during the podcast are those of the individuals expressing them and do not necessarily reflect those of B Lab or Hueman Group Media. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.