Richard Milburn, King’s College London

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Dr Richard Milburn, Visiting Lecturer in War Studies at King’s College London and UK representative for the Pole Pole Foundation, a gorilla conservation charity in Eastern Congo.

Richard shares how he applies behavioural science and creative problem-solving to tackle complex challenges in conservation, peacebuilding and social value. He explains why he sees conservation as a social issue as much as an environmental one, highlighting projects such as tackling malnutrition in Congo through spirulina to reduce reliance on poaching.

Sarah and Richard discuss how the same behavioural insights can be used to rethink social value in the UK, from replacing CV-based recruitment with challenge-based tasks, to creating back-to-work bonds and linking recycling levies to homelessness initiatives. They also explore his work with Tunza Games and how gamification can inspire engagement and fund real-world conservation.

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