Tim Christophersen on Restoring Our Relationship with Nature

Tim Christophersen on Restoring Our Relationship with Nature

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Tim Christophersen, author of Generation Restoration and a leading voice in global ecosystem restoration. Drawing on more than two decades of experience across the European Commission, IUCN, the UN Environment Programme, and now Salesforce, Christophersen argues that the nature crisis is fundamentally a relationship crisis. The conversation explores why modern economies have treated nature as a commodity, how natural capital accounting and nature-related financial disclosures can help but remain insufficient, and why companies must move beyond carbon tunnel vision to understand their dependence on forests, water, biodiversity, and landscapes. Christophersen discusses Salesforce’s nature-positive strategy, the evolution of the Trillion Trees Initiative into the Forest Future Alliance, the role of the voluntary carbon market, and the need for public-private partnerships capable of restoring ecosystems at scale. At its core, the episode reframes regeneration as more than a technical agenda: it is a shift in perception, accountability, and reciprocity between business and the living systems on which it depends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Ken Pucker on Why Sustainable Fashion Keeps Failing

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Ken Pucker, former COO of Timberland and one of the most thoughtful critics of modern corporate sustainability. Drawing on his experience helping build Timberland into one of the earliest high-profile examples of responsible business, Pucker reflects on the evolution of sustainability over the past two decades. The conversation also explores why many mission-driven companies, including Allbirds and Everlane, struggled not because sustainability itself failed, but because of tensions between long-term purpose and growth-oriented business models shaped by venture capital and public markets. Pucker also examines the structural incentives that continue to reward overproduction, low costs, and environmental externalization across the fashion industry, while discussing the role of policy initiatives such as the New York Fashion Act in creating stronger accountability around emissions and supply chains. Throughout the episode, the discussion moves beyond simplistic “win-win” sustainability narratives to confront deeper questions about governance, capitalism, incentives, and whether current economic systems are capable of delivering the scale of transformation required for a livable future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Inside Prota Fiori’s Sustainable Footwear Innovations

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Jennifer Stucko, founder and CEO of Prota Fiori, a sustainable luxury footwear company working at the intersection of circular materials and Italian craftsmanship. Stucko explains how Prota Fiori emerged from a desire to rethink the environmental impacts embedded within traditional footwear supply chains while preserving the artisanal heritage of Made in Italy. The conversation explores the practical complexities of building luxury products with upcycled and regenerated materials, including apple-skin leather alternatives and circular manufacturing systems that require new supplier relationships, production methods, and quality standards. Stucko also reflects on the cultural challenges of introducing sustainability into traditional luxury manufacturing environments, the role of design and desirability in changing consumer behavior, and why craftsmanship may become even more valuable in an era increasingly shaped by AI and automation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Redesigning Business for Nature with Frieda Gormley from House of Hackney

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Frieda Gormley, co-founder of House of Hackney, about the company’s evolution from a design-led interiors brand into a business grounded in regenerative principles. Drawing on her background in fashion and her growing engagement with ecological thinking, Gormley reflects on the limitations of traditional sustainability models and the need to move beyond minimizing harm toward actively restoring natural systems. The conversation explores how this shift manifests in practice—from rethinking supply chains and pricing to reflect true ecological costs, to embedding nature directly into corporate governance through a “Mother Nature” board role. Gormley also discusses the cultural and philosophical dimensions of regeneration, including the influence of indigenous perspectives, long-term thinking, and the recognition that the economy is embedded within nature rather than separate from it. Together, they examine the tensions between growth and regeneration, the challenges of operating within conventional financial systems, and the emerging possibilities for redefining value, accountability, and business purpose in a rapidly changing world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Seventh Generation co-founder Jeffrey Hollender on Why Responsible Business Isn’t Enough

In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder of Seventh Generation and a leading voice in sustainable business, about the evolution—and limitations—of purpose-driven companies. In his new book “Built for a Better World: How Seventh Generation Pioneered a Movement That Changed the Purpose of Business [https://bookshop.org/p/books/built-for-a-better-world-how-seventh-generation-pioneered-a-movement-that-changed-the-purpose-of-business-geoff-davis/9097897f759b8e0e?ean=9781639081745&next=t],” Hollender reflects on building a brand that combined environmental responsibility, consumer education, and human health, while also experimenting with employee ownership and values-driven culture. Our conversation explores these topics and how business can move from minimizing harm to creating systemic value, the tensions between mission and capital, and the governance challenges that arise as companies scale. Hollender also discusses the role of NGOs, public policy, and large corporations like Unilever in driving broader change, offering a candid assessment of what it takes to move toward truly regenerative business. The episode ultimately raises a critical question: how can businesses operate differently within systems that still reward short-term extraction over long-term value? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]