Interviews with...
Interview with Essentra plc
“Small ideas: Big changes”
In this video recorded back at the beginning of 2024, NB Board Practice Partner Tanya Gass interviewed Essentra plc’s Company Secretary Emma Reid and ESG Director Jennifer Spence.
Essentra plc is a FTSE 250 company and a leading global provider of essential components and solutions, focusing on the manufacture and distribution of plastic injection moulded, vinyl dip moulded and metal items.
Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Essentra's global network extends to 28 countries worldwide and includes over 3,000 employees, 14 manufacturing facilities, 24 distribution centres and 33 sales & service centres serving c.69,000 customers with a rapid supply of low cost but essential products for a variety of applications in industries such as equipment manufacturing, automotive, fabrication, electronics, medical and renewable energy.
Given Essentra’s purpose “to help customers build a sustainable future”, Tanya explored in this interview Essentra’s approach to sustainability, including:
how they go about turning a plastic manufacturer into a sustainable business
engaging with their workforce and supply chain to build sustainable strategies
whether they feel there is a tension between sustainability and profitability
how the board provides effective oversight of ESG.
Interview with Mark Cuddigan
Is 'doing good' good business?
In this interview, Mark Cuddigan, ex-CEO of B Corp Ella's Kitchen and now CEO of B Corp plant-based food provider THIS, talks to Tanya about the benefits of being a responsible business.
As well as his career as a successful CEO, Mark Cuddigan has been a driving force behind the B Corp movement having sat on B Lab’s board of trustees for nearly five years.
Tanya and Mark explore whether there is a friction between being a good business and a profitable one, the transformative effect of a B Corp journey and collaborating with other industry players to tackle the flexible packaging recycling challenge. Not to mention discussing why boards should consider having a ball pit in the corner of the room and the parallels between section 172 of the Companies Act and coco pops!
Note - this interview was recorded just after Mark left Ella’s Kitchen and just prior to starting in his role as CEO of THIS.