The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq.

This time, Saif takes the mic solo for another short-form content byte, and he’s tackling one of his long-standing bugbears: ESG. Or more specifically, why it’s the end of ESG as we know it (and why that might not be a bad thing).

In this episode, Saif unpacks why the term “ESG” has always bothered him - and why it might be time to finally retire it. He explores:

• The origins of ESG as a concept designed for financial institutions, not operating businesses.
• How the framework became overloaded with hundreds of unconnected KPIs that can’t meaningfully be compared.
• Why “brand ESG” has lost its meaning - and how its politicisation (particularly in the US) has turned it into a cultural flashpoint.
• The path forward: focusing on what actually matters to each business, by breaking the ESG basket into specific, strategic priorities owned by the right teams.

Rather than treating ESG as a checklist or reporting exercise, Saif makes the case for a return to fundamentals - where companies define what truly drives value, resilience, and impact for them, and commit to doing fewer things, better.

To find out more about what we do at Altruistiq, visit https://altruistiq.com

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq.

This time, Saif takes the mic solo for a special short-form episode - part of a new series of “content bytes”, where he shares quick insights on what’s new and topical in the sustainability space.

In this episode, Saif tackles one of the drier – but essential – topics shaping the future of corporate sustainability: regulation. Specifically, he explores the UK’s shift from Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) towards the new UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS).

He delves into why this transition matters – the reasoning behind bringing the UK’s reporting frameworks together, the push for greater consistency, and what this means for organisations preparing for the next wave of disclosure requirements.
Rather than simply summarising the standards, Saif takes a more qualitative approach: reflecting on the key shifts these changes represent, their practical implications, and where the broader sustainability reporting landscape may be heading.

To find out more about what we do at Altruistiq, visit https://www.altruistiq.com/

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.

The State of Sustainability Podcast is where we unpack the topics and trends of corporate sustainability, hosted by Saif Hameed, Founder and CEO of Altruistiq.

This time, Saif is joined by David Sykes. David is an independent consultant on Data Science and AI, and was formerly Global Head of Data Science, Analytics and Engineering at Octopus Energy Group, where he spent the better part of a decade building Octopus’s data and AI capabilities.

His experience offers a unique perspective on how AI can unlock value across business functions - particularly in advancing sustainability and operational impact.

In this episode, David and Saif discuss how AI is reshaping the sustainability landscape - from tools and teams to the mindset shifts needed to make it work. They explore where AI is already creating rapid value, which levers are harder to pull, and what sustainability professionals can do to stay ahead of the curve.

As David puts it:

"Stop using AI just through the chat window and start figuring out what else it can do. Workflows, tool use, MCP which is this protocol for how you connect AIs to other tools so that’s how you might go and connect to Spotify or something like that and then maybe try a vibe coding platform something like Lovable to build something and see how it works. Just push yourself and you’ll learn a lot and upskill through that."

Links to content mentioned in the episode:

• How people are using ChatGPT (OpenAI)
• State of AI in Business 2025 Report (MLQ.ai)
• AI and the Future of Work (YouTube)
• Harvard Business School Working Paper 24-013

To find out more about what we do at Altruistiq, visit www.altruistiq.com

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.