Welcome to another episode of the State of Sustainability.

In this episode, host Saif Hameed takes a deep dive into Bill Gates‘s controversial COP 30 memo. Saif is joined by Faisal Tajdar, head of projects at Acasus.

Acasus is an impact focus consultancy that partners with governments around the world on public sector reform. Across his time at Acasus, the Gates foundation and Mackenzie, Faisal has been involved in healthcare reform work in several countries and multiple continents.

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 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.