Think about the products you use every day at home. The hand soap. The cleaning spray. The sponge for the dishes. The face cream. The toothpaste.

Why do you buy certain brands, with certain packaging and certain ingredients?

Whether it's because they were the products of our childhood, or the advertising has convinced us, or the price is just too convenient, we may not spend much time questioning our purchase decisions. It feels like consumers are pushed towards disposable items that contain powerful chemicals that may not necessarily be good for people or the environment.

But is there another way?

In this week’s episode, Giulia speaks to Ira Guha, founder at Asan, to challenge the consumer products status quo through the lens of the menstrual cup.

They explore the history of menstrual products, including their environmental and health impacts, and the issue of period poverty. Ira shares insights on the need for education and behaviour change to promote reusable options, which are not often displayed in shops and pharmacies, remaining a bit of a “secret”.

Breaking the taboo surrounding menstruation ignites the discussion on the vast array of reusable products. By opening up to other people who menstruate, we can discover that they are more environmentally friendly, and arguably more comfortable, than what the status quo has us believe.

This blueprint can be applied to all those products that we use on a daily basis. Can you make the switch to a reusable option today?

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram – and why not spread the word with your friends and colleagues?

Is ESG really “dead,” or are we asking the wrong question?

Perhaps, we should examine what it takes to run a truly responsible business in today’s high-risk environment.

This week, Giulia is joined by Steve Kenzie, executive director of the UN Global Compact Network UK, to explore how the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative is pushing companies beyond paper commitments and into real accountability.

It is tempting to think that ESG acronyms, ratings, and disclosure frameworks capture what responsibility means. Meanwhile, as Steve explains, the underlying pressures – climate change, inequality, resource stress – are not going away.

Business as usual is untenable. The companies that survive will be those that embed principles, acknowledge trade-offs, and act with long-term value in mind.

In the first episode of Season 5, we explore why debates over ESG branding miss the real sustainability pressures, how the UNGC helps businesses align with global needs, and what needs to change to scale true sustainable practices.

This is a reality check – and a call to courage – for leaders navigating backlash, complexity, and the quiet temptation to wait it out.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram – and why not spread the word with your friends and colleagues?

At the heart of Shaken Not Burned is sustainability literacy. But not in the sense of teaching acronyms or repeating headlines. What we mean is something bigger: the skills to understand how systems really work – and how to change them.

The same skills that help you spot greenwash or untangle climate policy are the ones we all need to face today’s challenges: misinformation, polarisation, geopolitical shocks, even the cracks in democratic norms.

Here’s the thing: we don’t need more theories telling us where we should be. We need the how. How do we move from brilliant ideas and elegant frameworks to action that actually changes things?

We are placing power at the core of our project. Not power as something distant or elite, but power as agency. Knowing where you stand, what you can influence, and how your actions ripple through the system. That shift – from paralysis to agency – is the foundation for resilience and change.

This season we’ll be exploring how people are already doing it. Different approaches, different products, different ways of thinking – but all rooted in action, not theory.

Whether you’re running a business, allocating capital, or simply trying to build a better future, Season 5 is about finding your leverage points and learning how change actually happens.

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram – and why not spread the word with your friends and colleagues?