The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast
No fluff. Just real talk.Tired of jargon-filled panels and sustainability spin? So are we.Hosted by industry expert Ildiko Almasi Simsic, The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast lifts the hood on today’s sustainability talk to expose what’s real, what’s greenwash, and what actually works in the field.Each time, we invite real practitioners—not just theorists—to break down a sustainability buzzword, explain it in plain English (or so even our moms can understand), and share what it looks like in practice. If it gets too fluffy, we hit the buzzer. Literally.Whether you're a sustainability professional, a curious...
IFI Watch 3-14 November 2025
IFI Watch – A No Nonsense Sustainability Miniseries
Every two weeks, we check in on what our favourite international financial institutions (IFIs) are up to - what’s being funded, where, and why it matters. From climate resilience projects in small island states to massive infrastructure investments, we break down the latest disclosures and unpack what they really mean for communities, investors, and practitioners on the ground.
Short, conversational, and grounded in real-world context, IFI Watch by E&S Solutions helps you stay informed about the trends shaping sustainable finance and development - minus the jargon. For...
EP10 Data Protection in E&S: The Legal Lens with Danie Strachan
Senior Privacy Counsel Danie Strachan joins the show to explain how data protection applies to environmental and social work. The episode covers common legal blind spots, what the law requires, how to design practical data protection systems and new guidance being developed for IA practitioners. A clear and grounded conversation for anyone handling community or project data.
IFI Watch 20-31 October 2025
IFI Watch – A No Nonsense Sustainability Miniseries
Every two weeks, we check in on what our favourite international financial institutions (IFIs) are up to - what’s being funded, where, and why it matters. From climate resilience projects in small island states to massive infrastructure investments, we break down the latest disclosures and unpack what they really mean for communities, investors, and practitioners on the ground.
Short, conversational, and grounded in real-world context, IFI Watch by E&S Solutions helps you stay informed about the trends shaping sustainable finance and development - minus the jargon. For...
EP09 Energy Transitions: Between Strategy and Reality with Mehmet Öğütçü
Guest: Mehmet Öğütçü - globally recognised expert in energy policy, investment and geopolitics, with senior stints at the IEA and OECD, and extensive advisory experience across government and industry. In this episode we discuss: ✔️ How big-picture energy transition strategy is emerging today ✔️ The practical realities of delivering energy projects -| infrastructure, investment, stakeholders ✔️ What leaders (public & private) can do to move from ambition to action Tune in for a candid, no-fluff conversation on what it actually takes to build energy-transition projects that work. 👉 Watch now, subscribe for future episodes. #NoFluff #BobtheBuzzer #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #StrategyVsReality #ClimateTech #Infrastructure
IFI Watch 6-17 Oct 2025
IFI Watch – A No Nonsense Sustainability Miniseries
Every two weeks, we check in on what our favourite international financial institutions (IFIs) are up to - what’s being funded, where, and why it matters. From climate resilience projects in small island states to massive infrastructure investments, we break down the latest disclosures and unpack what they really mean for communities, investors, and practitioners on the ground.
Short, conversational, and grounded in real-world context, IFI Watch by E&S Solutions helps you stay informed about the trends shaping sustainable finance and development - minus the jargon. For...
EP08 Data Protection for E&S: Don't just tick the box
In this episode of The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast, we sit down with Laura Palmariello, our E&S Solutions Data Protection Officer, to explore the practical realities of managing data protection in the field.
From navigating complex regulations to embedding good practices in daily operations, Laura shares insights from our joint journey of understanding each other’s worlds. This isn’t about checking a box - it’s about real impact, smarter processes, and protecting people on the ground.
Tune in for actionable tips and a candid conversation about data protection in E&S projects.
...
IFI Watch 22 Sept - 3 Oct 2025
IFI Watch – A No Nonsense Sustainability Miniseries
Every two weeks, we check in on what our favourite international financial institutions (IFIs) are up to - what’s being funded, where, and why it matters. From climate resilience projects in small island states to massive infrastructure investments, we break down the latest disclosures and unpack what they really mean for communities, investors, and practitioners on the ground.
Short, conversational, and grounded in real-world context, IFI Watch by E&S Solutions helps you stay informed about the trends shaping sustainable finance and development - minus the jargon. For...
EP07 Trauma, Drama and the Space Between | Building Emotional Resilience in the Field
Host Ildiko Almasi Simsic talks with Dr. Sérgio Moreira about the emotional challenges of sustainability and social performance work - from managing others’ emotions in consultations to witnessing communities affected by projects. They discuss building resilience, preventing burnout, and the importance of self-care. The episode also highlights SPCircles, a new Community Insights Group initiative supporting practitioners facing mental health challenges. This conversation is a reminder to put on your own oxygen mask first.
EP06 IFIs vs. Watchdogs | Who’s Right and Who’s Wrong?
In this episode of The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast, host Ildiko Almási Simsic meets Nina Lesikhina from Bankwatch for the first time after years of working on opposite sides of development finance projects. Their conversation explores accountability, personal safety, and investigations, while asking a central question: are IFIs and watchdogs really adversaries, or can they find ways to work together?
EP05 AI in Disaster Risk Management: Does it really work
Most disasters aren’t natural - they’re systemic failures.
In this special episode recorded in Geneva, I’m joined by Dr. David Daou from the UN University. Together we unpack:
Why disaster risk reduction (DRR) must go beyond buzzwordsHow AI can predict hazards but still miss inequalityWhat inclusive AI for resilience actually looks likeWhy resilience is built long before the disaster hitsIf you care about sustainability, climate resilience, and the future of AI, this conversation is for you.
🎧 Listen now on The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast.
EP 04 The New Skills of E&S - Proportion, Prediction and People
🎙️ This week on The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast
We’ll be diving into Proportion, Prediction and People:
The New Skills of E&S with Josh Fothergrill from Fothergill Training & Consulting.
From cutting through 65,000-page reports to the future skillset of impact assessors, Josh shares sharp insights on how environmental & social assessments need to evolve.
👉 Watch on YouTube or listen on your favourite podcast platform.
#TheNoNonsenseSustainability #JoshFothergrill #ESG #Sustainability #TNNSP #IldikoAlmasiSimsic
EP03 Beyond the Contract: What it Really Means to Be a Responsible Employer?
In our latest podcast with David Rousseau from Impactt Consulting to share raw, real stories from the frontlines of global supply chains.
🚫 Workers without contracts
🛑 Codes of conduct that go nowhere
⏳ Zero-hour contracts & gig economy pitfalls
💸 Migrant workers trapped in debt bondage
From corporate policies that never make it off the page to practical steps for responsible recruitment, David Rousseau reveals what’s really going on - and what can be done about it.
👉 Watch on YouTube or listen on your favourite podcast platform.
#Sustainability #Podcast #NoFluff...
EP02 Circular Economy Explained: From Buzzwords to Real Change 🌍
What does a circular economy really mean - and why does it matter for our future?
In this episode, sustainability expert Dariusz Prasek (ex‑EBRD) joins us to break down:
✅ How to design products that last longer
✅ Why waste should always be a resource
✅ Business models that make sustainability profitable
✅ The role of governments, startups, and finance in making it real
✅ How to spot real solutions vs. greenwash
If you want to understand how circular thinking can save resources, create jobs, and reshape industries - this episode...
EP01 Community Engagement – Who’s Even in the Community?
The No-Nonsense Sustainability Podcast with Ildiko Almasi Simsic
Buzzwords aside, what does community engagement really mean?
In this episode, Ildiko Almasi Simsic speaks with Paul Lawrence to unpack what’s behind the jargon and frameworks.
Who actually counts as "the community"? How do big organisations engage - or fail to engage - with real people on the ground?
No fluff. Just honest, practical conversation about the human side of sustainability and social impact.
Follow for more unfiltered insights on ESG, sustainability, and leadership.
What to Expect from This Channel
🎙️ Not another ESG report full of buzzwords and zero action.
I’m Ildiko Almasi Simsic, a social development specialist who’s worked in 89 countries with 753 companies, and interviewed over 3,000 people living the reality behind sustainability projects.
Here’s the truth: We don’t talk about what’s really happening anymore.
This is the channel where that changes.
The No Nonsense Sustainability Podcast is where sustainability gets real. No green gloss. No perfection politics. No net-zero rainbows. Just unfiltered conversations from the field.
📅 First full episodes drop mid July.
🔗 Follow & Liste...
