Kate Hutchinson is usually the host of this podcast but with the recent success of the Yorkshire Sustainability Festival, it's the perfect time for her to sit in the guest's chair.

Producer Andy takes over interviewing duties and we hear about the key themes from the festival including what high profile keynote speakers Mary Portas and Kevin McCloud had to say. Kate also talks about her own pivot towards sustainability. She explains how sustainability found her - as her company produced more and more events linked to green issues and equality, her interest grew. Then, a chance mention of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a conversation with a mentor led Kate to find out more, lean in to this roadmap to protect the planet... and the rest is history, including this podcast itself.

Kate launched Yorkshire Sustainability Week in 2023, then delivered an even bigger and better event - Yorkshire Sustainability Festival in the summer of 2024. In this episode she maps out her even grander plans for 2025 and beyond and talks inspirationally about how sustainability and business can work hand in hand to make the region, the country and the world... a better place.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

Many governments, policies and projects refer to the future need for "green skills"... but do we really understand what they are, do we have the structures and education system to provide them and are policies and industries ready to take a leading role in harnessing them?

A green industrial revolution has begun. Doing it properly could deliver the sustainable future the planet needs, but a lot will need to change. Education, careers, funding and a totally new approach to innovation.

In this episode Richelle Schuster and Martyn Long - founders of new company Creaticity which aims to shape sustainable cities by improving skills, innovation and collaboration - share their expertise and a vision of the future where young people are given the platform and opportunity to solve the world's problems.

To find out more about Creaticity, visit wearecreaticity.co.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

This month, we're revisiting past episodes of The 17 podcast to give you the essentials on two crucial SDGs - Climate Action and Zero Hunger.

In Episode 7, Kate Hutchinson spoke to climate activist Clover Hogan and Areeba Hamid from Greenpeace to discuss SDG 13 - Climate Action. What's the current climate crisis situation? Are governments and big business doing enough to improve things? What can we do as individuals? What climate action is necessary?

In Episode 8, Lella Halloum spoke to youth parliament member and food poverty campaigner Dev Sharma about SDG 2 - Zero Hunger. Why are young people like Dev and Lella so concerned about the current nutritional situation both here in the UK and around the world? Were things different in the past and do we need to look backward in history for lessons that can help us build a better food future and achieve zero hunger?

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

If women don't have the same rights, opportunities and pathways as men, then as a planet we are not harnessing the full potential of the people who live on earth. 50% of the world's population is female, but at the moment, that is where equality ends.

SDG 5 is… GENDER EQUALITY - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Expert guest Helen Oldham is someone who has blazed a trail of business success in often male-dominated sectors and now works to provide opportunity, investment and support to female founders and women looking to progress in the world of work. In her career Helen Oldham has turned around massive media organisations as a Managing Director. Now she is the co-Founder of Lifted Ventures which backs female entrepreneurs and also a founding trustee of the female employment charity Smart Works.

In this episode, Kate and Helen discuss...

The global context. What is the nature of the challenge to improve the current situation where, if existing rates of progress continue, it will take hundreds of years to get equality in leadership roles? Helen thinks the stats speak for themselves... in a start-up context female founders out-perform male ones... so why don't they get the same access to funding? Releasing the potential of women by giving equal access to funding and opportunity can boost business, innovation and the green sector on a global scale.

A national and regional focus. What particular challenges does the UK face? Helen talks about her work with Smart Works and outlines some of the hurdles women in the UK face getting into work. She also recounts stories from her own career where she has faced obstacles and prejudice. Helen and Kate discuss recent government policy changes around angel investment and Helen has direct feedback to regional investment funds about the levels of female representation on funding panels.

Finally Helen and Kate bring the conversation to a practical focus. What can be done to actually deliver SDG 5 at global, national and regional scales? Plus, how can we help? What one thing can we stop doing, and what one thing can we start doing that will make a real positive difference, right now?

To find about more about Lifted Ventures, go to liftedventures.co.uk

To find out more about Smart Works, visit smartworks.org.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

Education has a vital role to play in meeting every one of the UN's 17 SDGs. To solve an issue, first you must understand it and education gives all humans the foundation on which to build knowledge, and, via curiosity, learn and progress.

But what about education itself? Are people - young and old - around the world getting the opportunities to learn that they deserve? Are they even getting their basic needs met to be in a position to start learning?

SDG 4 is… QUALITY EDUCATION - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Expert guest Nathan Atkinson has a stellar career in education and sustainability is a huge part of his purpose and approach. He's a richly experienced Headteacher who is also co-founder of Rethink Food, which aims to deliver 10 million hours of education in support of improved food security.

In this episode, Kate and Nathan discuss...

The global context. What is the nature of the challenge to improve the current situation where hundreds of millions of young people don't get basic levels of education. Where are the inequalities, what's the direction of travel and how can these macro level problems be addressed? Nathan has experience of working with teachers across the world and is able to bring to life the vast variety of contexts, approaches and solutions that are out there.

A national and regional focus. What particular challenges does the UK face? Are teachers overwhelmed? What about funding levels? How do we address a growing mental health crisis in young people that drastically affects their education and future prospects? Nathan describes the in-school experiences that inspired him to co-found Rethink Food and explains how food is the perfect vehicle to address basic "ready-to-learn" needs plus provides a clear path to explore and ingrain sustainability.

Finally Nathan and Kate bring the conversation to a practical focus. What can be done to actually deliver SDG 4 at global, national and regional scales? Plus, how can we help? What one thing can we stop doing, and what one thing can we start doing that will make a real positive difference, right now?

To find about more about Rethink Food, visit rethinkfood.co.uk

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

In this 'Pioneers' episode, two experts at the cutting edge of green tech innovation share their insights and expertise.

Dr Alan James has a vision for sustainable national transport systems for the UK and beyond that are powered by renewable energy. As well as updated grid systems capable of storing captured energy from renewables, he introduces us to exciting concepts such as hyperloops which could cut down inter-city travel times to mere minutes.

Also, Dr James - through his personal example at his own house - demonstrates how it is possible to save thousands of pounds of money and achieve hugely significant reductions in CO2 emissions... by installing the latest green tech in the home.

Sri Hollema is a young inventor and green tech entrepreneur whose innovative product - Mat Zero - creates a warm and comfortable sleeping surface for refugees using renewable energy. Sri shares her advice for innovators and makes a case for why business should - and can - be done in a sustainable way.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

The usual format of The 17 podcast is to focus each episode on one of the UN's 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) but the next two episodes are different. They will feature Sustainability Pioneers - the experts, thought-leaders and innovators who have shaped sustainability up to the present day, and will address the challenges of the future.

In this Pioneers episode we talk to:

Mike Berner-Lee, an expert on carbon footprints and net zero and a globally-respected expert on the changes needed at a global systemic level to protect the future of the planet.

Jo Fairley, one of the leaders of the Fairtrade movement, who, as co-Founder of Green & Black's chocolate, changed the game in terms of business being done in a sustainable way.

John Elkington, often referred to as a founding father of sustainability, he pretty much coined the term and has written many influential books grappling with a path through the competing pressures of economic thriving and environmental responsibility.

Asking the questions are Kate Hutchinson and Lella Halloum. These interviews were recorded at Yorkshire Sustainability Week 2023.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 15 is 'Life On Land' - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Dr Wayne Visser has a clear vision on how to go about meeting this goal. He is the author of more than 40 books on sustainability and is recognised as a world expert on nature, society and the economy. In this episode Dr Visser discusses with host Kate Hutchinson how nature can often be forgotten as climate change takes centre stage in environmental discourse and debate.

This episode discusses how we need to put nature and biodiversity at the heart of our current future actions as a planet, because the rates of land degradation and species loss are truly startling.

Kate and Wayne take a practical and positive approach, breaking down the challenge into 7 missions that will make a real difference - Donating, Off-setting, Greening, Sourcing, Innovating, Transforming, Tipping.

There is no doubt that SDG 15 is a real challenge - so much damage has been done to fauna and flora already, but listeners will leave this episode with a far greater understanding of an often under-featured issue and also with hope... as shown by the examples of change and innovation that Dr Visser is able to highlight.

As a published poet, Wayne Visser takes the chance to end the episode with a poem that warns, challenges and inspires.

The 17 is a podcast themed around the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A new episode is published on the 17th of each month, and explores a different one of the 17 goals in detail or discusses a topic linked to sustainability.

The UN SDGs represent an all-encompassing plan to protect the future of our planet, it is our responsibility to know what they are, understand them, and make sure that we are doing our bit to help.

Help us grow this podcast. Please subscribe on your usual podcast platform, leave reviews and spread the word about the podcast. Thank you.

The 17 is produced by Bwlb - www.bwlb.co.uk