Podcast #39 · Susan Stevens · Shining A Light On Sustainable Brands
“To us, sustainability means being devoted to craftsmanship, operating with a transparent supply chain, using natural materials, being mindful of recycling, upcycling, regeneration and reduction of waste, embracing renewable resources and preserving the environment and it’s also about contributing to make the world a better place.. so it’s about being more than just a profit driven operation.”
Susan Stevens
Susan Stevens is the founder of Made With Respect, an online platform that supports sustainable brands, inspired by a desire to live a more meaningful life. Susan is passionate about being part of the solution in protecting the precious resources around her that are often taken for granted by encouraging consumers to make more conscious choices. Living in New Zealand, a beautiful country with clean beaches, oceans, rivers and lakes, she feels most at peace when she’s on or in the water with her husband and 3 children surfing or paddle-boarding. Susan wants to ensure her children and future generations continue to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of nature. Through her journey her passion was ignited to create a business that supports and enables, a business with a purpose that delivers social and environmental impact.
In this episode with Susan, we cover the following:
- Susan’s background growing up in New Zealand, travelling the world, her inspiration and influences and her journey to founding Made with Respect(~01:30)
- Why running a business centered around sustainability is fulfilling for Susan (~05:20)
- What is Made With Respect? (~07:15)
- What makes a brand sustainable? Using the Made With Respect Framework and core values (~08:00)
- The importance of being “devoted to craftsmanship” (~10:15)
- Examples of incredible Sustainable Brands and how they’re contributing to saving the world (~12:00)
- The ‘end of life’ problem of products we own and thoughts on consuming responsibly, including choosing natural materials (~14:00)
- Made With Respect’s approach to sustainability in their own business and working with One Percent for the Planet (~19:30)
- Uptake so far on Made With Respect and business challenges as an eco-focused startup (~23:00)
- What keeps Susan up at night (~27:30)
- Role of business in driving change (~29:40)
- Susan’s ambition for MWR 5-10 years from now (~32:30)
- Further thoughts on Susan’s inspirations (~32:20)
- MWR and Susan’s plans for the coming year, including Susan’s thoughts on sustainable living (~34:45)
- How to support MWR (~40:45)
“These guys are the game changers and that’s why we need to support them. That’s what ‘Made With Respect’ is about, it’s about supporting them and making it easier to find them”
Susan Stevens
Notable Links
Made With Respect
Mentioned brands:
