We are honoured to announce that Frankly Speaking - A Podcast on Responsible Business has received the Silver Stevie Award in the Podcast category for Sustainability & Environment.
The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards programme. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - are eligible to submit nominations. The 2025 IBAs received nominations from organisations and individuals in 78 nations and territories.
More than 3,800 nominations from organisations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.
The Frankly Speaking podcast won the Silver Stevie Award in the Podcast category for Sustainability & Environment.
Richard Howitt, who hosts the podcast and formerly worked as a Member of the European Parliament, said: "In contrast to those who say sustainability is too difficult or costly, the interest in our podcast from a very wide audience shows that sustainability transformation is absolutely essential and that there is a real thirst for knowledge on how to do it.
"We all have a stake in how companies meet this challenge, as employees, as customers, as pension holders. The 'Frankly Speaking' podcast really does allow us to speak frankly about what it means to be a responsible business."
Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 250 executives worldwide, who participated in the judging process in May - July.
The judges described Frankly Speaking as representing a valuable and meaningful contribution to the discourse on sustainability, and praised the actionable advice to businesses that the podcast provides:
“Frankly Speaking stands out as a timely and insightful podcast that contributes meaningfully to the sustainability and ESG discourse in Europe and beyond. The series effectively blends policy updates with practical business insights, featuring a strong lineup of global thought leaders. Its focus on making responsible business the norm is both urgent and well-executed. The interviews are relevant, well-researched, and accessible, making complex legal and sustainability topics understandable for a diverse audience. A valuable contribution to the sustainability media landscape.”
“The show successfully navigates complex and evolving topics like ESG, sustainability reporting, and corporate responsibility — issues that are currently at the core of EU and global business regulation…The podcast doesn't just analyse issues — it also offers actionable insights for businesses, which makes it especially valuable for corporate listeners navigating the green transition.”
“Excellent initiative with a depth in the purpose. Apart from being a podcast, it is actually bringing in future relevant conversations.”
To listen to any of the 83 episodes we’ve released so far, please see here.
If you’d like to learn more about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners, please visit here.
In response to demands from investors and companies, the European Commission presented a proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in February 2022. The Directive is also a response to France, Germany and Norway adopting legislation on due diligence and attempts to harmonize and introduce one European standard of responsible business conduct.
After several months of delay, today, the European Commission presented its proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in Brussels. The main objective of this new legislation is to integrate into European law international standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights - adopted globally over a decade ago - and standards developed and approved by the OECD.
What is the content of sustainability due diligence standards, how can companies effectively implement due diligence, and what challenges and benefits does it bring to businesses? These and other questions were answered by speakers at the webinar organised by Frank Bold.
