Épisodes

  • 6: #6: Tara Schmidt - Executive Director at Transition Finance Scotland

    6: #6: Tara Schmidt - Executive Director at Transition Finance Scotland
    Feb 16 2026
    In this episode of Rooted, I am joined on my yellow bench by Tara Schmidt, Executive Director of Transition Finance Scotland, part of the Green Finance Institute’s mission for Scotland.
    Tara shares the roots of her sustainability career, from growing up on the Texas coast and witnessing environmental damage first-hand, to a global career spanning engineering, strategy, finance and policy. That combination gives her a unique combination of big picture thinking and on-the-ground pragmatism.
    In this conversation we explore why small actions really do matter, reflecting on Jane Goodall’s final words and her reminder that seemingly tiny steps can snowball into meaningful impact (watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfLKHY52ERc).
    We also talk about reconnecting with what brought you into sustainability in the first place, whether that’s time in nature, forest bathing, or simply remembering your ‘why’, and the importance of understanding your own USP in a complex, evolving field.
    This one was thoughtful, grounding, and genuinely good fun.
    You can connect with Tara on LinkedIn and find out more about the work of Transition Finance Scotland on the Green Finance Institute’s website.
    If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. I'd also love you to join my Rooted email community, where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.
    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.
    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.
    Thanks for listening!
    From Liv 💛
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    47 min
  • 5: #5: Nick Valenzia, Co-founder, Leafr

    5: #5: Nick Valenzia, Co-founder, Leafr
    Jan 26 2026

    Nick Valenzia, co-founder of Leafr, joins me on my yellow bench. Nick shares what led him to start Leafr, and the mission that now includes over 1,000 sustainability consultants. We explore the motivation behind building a business that not only connects organisations with expertise, but actively helps people move into consultancy and thrive once they are there.

    What really stood out for me from this conversation was the pride Nick takes in seeing the professional and personal impact this work has had on the consultants in the Leafr community.

    Nick shares what he is seeing on the ground in terms of continued demand for sustainability knowledge and skills, even amid wider uncertainty and I came away feeling genuinely optimistic.

    We also talk openly about the emotional reality of starting up a new business, including rejection, self doubt, and the discipline required to separate feedback on an idea from your sense of self. Nick reflects on how he maintained momentum by reframing rejection as information, not failure, and by staying connected to the bigger mission.

    Throughout the conversation, we return to familiar themes from this podcast: celebrating progress, cultivating gratitude, and drawing strength from community.

    For anyone considering a move from in-house work into independent consultancy, Nick shares practical insights and resources as well as thoughts on a helpful mindset to adopt. You can follow Nick on LinkedIn, check out Leafr’s work at www.leafr.com and the sustainability leaders community Leafr have created here. Finally, here's a link to the course Nick talks about in our episode: https://leafr.circle.so/how-to-succeed-as-an-independent-sustainability-consultant

    If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. I'd also love you to join my Rooted email community, where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.

    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.

    Thanks for listening! From Liv 💛
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    41 min
  • 4: #4: Maria Nazarova Doyle, Global Head of Sustainable Investment, IFM Investors

    4: #4: Maria Nazarova Doyle, Global Head of Sustainable Investment, IFM Investors
    Jan 5 2026
    With nearly two decades in finance, Maria Nazarova-Doyle has built an impressive career at the intersection of money and purpose. After leading responsible investment at Scottish Widows, she now shapes global sustainability strategy at IFM Investors, which manages over £115 billion in assets.

    In this episode of Rooted: the human side of sustainability leadership, Maria describes her role in sustainable investing as “a dream job”- work that never quite feels like a job because of the long-term impact and intellectual challenge it brings.

    We explore the threads that run through her life, from early policy advocacy at school to her leadership in investment today, and reflect on how often we return to our earliest values. Maria encourages sustainability leaders to lean into developing their leadership capability alongside technical expertise. Despite her many achievements, she’s most proud of building strong, diverse teams that challenge thinking and bring different perspectives to complex problems.

    Optimism and purpose run throughout the conversation. Maria shares her team’s motto, “Keep Calm and Invest Sustainably”, and reflects on the importance of holding a long-term view even as political and external pressures shift. We discuss how purpose carried her team through the pandemic, and how difficult it can feel when that sense of purpose is lost.

    Finally, Maria shares the moment of luck that pulled her back from the brink of burnout, and the lasting changes she made to protect her wellbeing. We talk about why those working in this field may be particularly vulnerable due to the emotional investment the work demands.

    You can follow Maria on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-nazarova-doyle-cfa/

    If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. I'd also love you to join my Rooted email community, where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.

    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.

    Thanks for listening!

    From Liv 💛
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    41 min
  • 3: #3: Gemma Lannon - Director at Treo House sustainability collective

    3: #3: Gemma Lannon - Director at Treo House sustainability collective
    Dec 8 2025
    In this episode of Rooted: The Human Side of Sustainability Leadership, Liv welcomes Gemma Lannon to her yellow bench.
    After starting her career at Unilever and working on grassroots sustainability projects around the world, Gemma founded Treo House - a new community supporting sustainability professionals to navigate the human side of this work.
    In this conversation, Gemma shares the moment she realised the true scale of the climate challenge and how that eventually led to a period of deep stress and reflection. She talks about learning to be patient, finding healing in nature, and building Treo House with intention and care rather than urgency.
    She explores with Liv what it means to feel the fear and act anyway, to stay curious when the path ahead is uncertain, and to recognise that impact often starts with one honest conversation.
    Please do check out the fantastic community, workspace and events at Treo House at www.treohouse.com and you can follow Gemma on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-lannon/
    If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. I'd also love you to join my Rooted email community, where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.
    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.
    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.
    Thanks for listening!
    From Liv 💛
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    50 min
  • 2: #2 - Dr Rebecca Heaton - Senior Sustainability Advisor

    2: #2 - Dr Rebecca Heaton - Senior Sustainability Advisor
    Nov 17 2025
    Liv welcomes Becky Heaton to her yellow bench.

    What does it really take to keep your balance when your job is literally saving the planet? In this episode of Rooted: the human side of sustainability leadership, former corporate sustainability leader turned coach Liv Cropper sits down with Dr Rebecca (Becky) Heaton to explore the realities of leading change in some of the toughest boardrooms. A senior sustainability leader with two decades at the sharp end of corporate and policy work, Becky has led sustainability at Ovo, Drax and Lloyds Banking Group, and was a member of the UK Committee on Climate Change.

    From forestry beginnings to shaping UK climate policy, Becky reflects on legacy, impact, and the challenges that push chief sustainability officers to the edge of burnout, as well as why even “tree huggers” need a strategy for staying sane.

    You can connect with Becky on LinkedIn

    If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. I'd also love you to join my Rooted email community, where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.

    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.

    Thanks for listening!

    From Liv 💛

    P.S. Big thanks to John Cropper for editing and sound production.



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    38 min
  • 1: #1 - Matteo Deidda - Global Net Zero lead at Tide

    1: #1 - Matteo Deidda - Global Net Zero lead at Tide
    Oct 21 2025
    Matteo Deidda takes a seat on Liv’s yellow bench.

    What happens when your passion for innovation and technology collides with the urgent need to tackle climate change? In this episode of Rooted: the human side of sustainability leadership, Liv Cropper sits down with Matteo Deidda - now Global Net Zero Lead at Tide and a familiar face across the UK sustainability community.

    From early days studying civil engineering and frustrated by “old” technology, Matteo shares how curiosity for innovation drew him into sustainability’s fast lane – and kept him there for over 15 years at some of the UK’s biggest companies like Sainsbury’s, Vodafone and Lloyds.

    He reflects on the power of people engagement, why conversations create more impact than any single initiative, and why he considers his “climate shadow” to be his greatest legacy. Matteo also opens up about his ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of resilience, why he chooses optimism over doom, and how changing the narrative towards hope keeps him grounded.

    Want to connect with Matteo? He can be found on LinkedIn.

    If you enjoyed this podcast please hit subscribe, post a review, and share this episode with your friends. You might also enjoy my Rooted email community where I share regular insights about the human side of sustainability leadership - click here to join.

    Have any questions? You can find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

    Interested in one-to-one coaching with me? Check out my website to book a free discovery call.

    Thanks for listening!

    From Liv 💛
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    37 min