“How do we deal with dilemmas? How do we think unthinkable? You know, the climate, ESG, human rights issues, diversity, equity, inclusion, supply chain issues, cyber Security, integrity of data, incentive plans, all of those, the future of good corporate governance, transparency, anti-corruption. All of those different issues that have been there for a long, long time, but been kind of like voluntary more and less, and suddenly they are really coming at the top of the agenda for the board of directors.” Helle Jorgenson on Electric Ladies Podcast
When there’s a scandal or a huge failure at a big company or a famous one – like the collapse of FTX Crypto Exchange – you hear questions like, “where was the board of directors?” So, what is the role of the Board and how are environment, social and governance issues, including climate, diversity and covid, changing who is on them and why?
Listen to Helle Jorgenson, CEO and Founder of Competent Boards training programs for board members, and people who want to sit on boards, in this episode of Electric Ladies podcast in this valuable conversation with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson. They specialize in training on ESG issues, and, full disclosure, Joan is also now on their ESG faculty.
You’ll hear:
- What boards of directors actually do – and don’t do
- How covid, climate and the resurgence of social justice movements are transforming boards, from who sits on them to what they do.
- How, when and why boards focus on ESG issues.
- How much they serve customers vs. serving investors.
- How to prepare to be a successful board member.
- Plus, insightful career advice.
And much more!
“If you look five years out, 10 years out, what is it that you want to look back at and say, Yes, I was part of this, or, or I did this…There’s a ton of roles and…if you look at these 17 biggest pain points in the world (the 17 sustainable development goals)…and saying, Okay, where is it that I can make a difference? …I want to educate myself in this, so I can go out and help organizations, perhaps even the organization that you are working in right now.”
Helle Jorgenson on Electric Ladies podcast
Read Joan’s Forbes articles here.
You’ll also want to listen to (some of these are under the name Green Connections Radio):
- Kristina Wyatt, SVP of Persefoni and former leader of the SEC task force developing the climate risk disclosure rules that will be finalized shortly.
- Karen Alonardo, formerly of NAVEX and Founder of CSRWare, on ESG reporting systems
- Bridget Hughes, Donnelly Financial Solutions, on ESG software and what to look for.
- Natalie Jaresko, former Finance Minister of Ukraine, on the hidden power of ESG
- Michele Wucker, thought leaders and author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.”
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Joan Michelson, MBA is a highly accomplished business leader and award-winning strategic social impact and ESG – environment, social, governance – leader, who drove breakthrough results at Chrysler (in EVs), American Express and Deloitte, small businesses, and government agencies. She is an instructor on ESG issues to professionals, leaders and board members across industries. Her specialties include leveraging ESG solutions and partnerships strategically for maximum benefit, helping organizations recruit innovative, diverse women, and helping these women thrive in their careers. She is based in the Washington D.C. area.
Joan is also an accomplished journalist who has worked with top media organizations and hosts and produces the acclaimed Electric Ladies podcast (formerly known as Green Connections Radio), about innovation and leadership in energy-, climate- and sustainability-related issues across industries, featuring women experts.
She writes regularly for Forbes on these issues and has also been in the Harvard Business Review, HuffPost, TheAtlantic.com, Greenbiz, The New Economy magazine (distributed at the World Economic Forum), New Thinking magazine, regional business journals; and various other media. She coproduced segments with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” ABC News, and “The Crusaders,” and television specials on NBC.
Joan has spent her career working in energy-sustainability-climate-ESG issues and in marketing communications, including as head of communications and co-leader of the sales and marketing team of Chrysler’s Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), driving “best year ever” growth and significantly accelerated the adoption of electric vehicles. Prior to GEM, she led marketing communications efforts to high-net-worth and high-visibility clients in management consulting-financial services companies Deloitte and American Express. She's a native of NYC and has a BA from UCLA, an MBA from Baruch College at City University of NY, and post-graduate studies at Harvard Business School, The New School and The Aspen Institute, among others. She has a Sustainability and ESG certification from Competent Boards.
