Advertise on podcast: Sustainability Leaders

Host Melissa Fifield, Head of the BMO Climate Institute, speaks with John Piotti, CEO of the American Farmland Trust, about why farmland should be viewed as essential climate infrastructure and what it takes to invest in it accordingly. They discuss how well-managed farms can deliver measurable climate and environmental benefits, and why connecting public and private capital to regenerative practices matters for resilience across food systems. The conversation covers practical financing pathways—including agricultural conservation easements as a tool to protect land and unlock capital—plus the realities of scaling regenerative practices like cover crops, reduced tillage, and crop rotations.

This episode explores how large-scale ecological restoration can drive resilience and economic opportunity, using California’s Redwoods Rising project as a case study. Learn how environmental conservation can simultaneously heal landscapes and create jobs in rural communities.   Hosted by Emily Hobbs of the BMO Climate Institute, the conversation features Shelana deSilva (California State Parks), Sally Bolger (Ecological Workforce Initiative), and Alma Cortes Selva (BMO Climate Institute). They focus on the Redwoods Rising initiative, including its forest and watershed restoration work, cross-sector partnerships, and new research showing how investment in nature-based solutions can strengthen local economies, support workforce development, and deliver lasting environmental and social benefits.  The full research report referenced in this episode and additional resources are available at parkscalifornia.org, a partner in this work connecting communities and cultivating new career pathways across California's public lands: https://parkscalifornia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Technical-Report_Design_FINAL.pdf Visit Redwoods Rising to learn more about the initiative discussed in this podcast:    https://www.savetheredwoods.org/project/redwoods-rising/ Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Emily Hobbs: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/emily-hobbs/

In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Alma Cortés Selva of the BMO Climate Institute is joined by Michaela Neuberger, Executive Director of Affine Climate Solutions, and James Burrow, Director of Sustainable Finance at BMO, to explore the findings of the Banking on Buildings research. Drawing on more than 20 years of global data, the conversation examines the growing evidence that green and climate‑aligned buildings outperform conventional assets on financial returns, resilience, and credit risk. The discussion unpacks the difference between “green” and “climate‑aligned” buildings, why energy efficiency, lower emissions, and climate resilience matter across the building lifecycle, and how simple, practical upgrades can deliver measurable benefits. The episode also looks at real‑world examples, such as green financing programs, and outlines what partnerships, policy alignment, and simple, scalable steps are needed to accelerate climate‑aligned real estate. Click here to learn more about the study mentioned in this podcast. In this previous episode of Sustainability Leaders, the BMO Climate Institute participates on a panel discussion about understanding physical climate risk resilience in real estate. Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Alma Cortés Selva, Senior Advisor, BMO Climate Institute.

Leah Weatherill, Head of National Agriculture with BMO Commercial Bank in Canada, is joined by Kate Congreves, Jarislowsky and BMO Research Chair in Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. Their conversation explores regenerative agriculture as both a scientific approach and an ethical framework for farming, touching on soil health as the foundation of agriculture, the vital role of nitrogen in food production, and the challenge of balancing productivity with environmental stewardship. Congreves explains how regenerative agriculture goes beyond a checklist of practices to reflect deeper values about reciprocity between people and the land.   Visit https://commercial.bmo.com/en/ca/industry-expertise/agriculture/ to learn more about how the company supports the agriculture sector through all cycles. Learn more about BMO’s recent Green Bond, the proceeds of which will be used to support sustainable food and agriculture, as well as renewable energy and green building projects: https://newsroom.bmo.com/2026-03-16-BMO-Issues-Green-Bond-to-Finance-Renewable-Energy,-Green-Buildings-and-Sustainable-Agriculture-Projects BMO also supported critical research into regenerative and digital agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan: https://commercial.bmo.com/en/ca/insights/bmo-donates-2-million-university-saskatchewan-accelerate-research-critical-future-food/

Michael Torrance, BMO’s Chief Sustainability Officer, sits down with Stuart Neely, Partner with Norton Rose Fulbright in London, to discuss how regulations are driving developments with sustainability in human rights, the role of multinational standard setting, and important litigation trends to monitor globally.   In a previous episode of Sustainability Leaders, Michael Torrance discusses how risk management is an important driver of why companies form their own human rights policies: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/insights/the-business-case-for-human-rights-policies/ Visit https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/michael-torrance/ for more thought leadership from Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer, BMO.

Jayen Veerapen, Senior Advisor with the BMO Climate Institute, sits down with Kayli Smith, CEO and Co‑Founder of Friendlier, a reusable packaging company, to explore why single‑use packaging is such a stubborn climate and waste problem—and why most of its impact happens long before disposal. Smith explains Friendlier’s “packaging‑as‑a‑service” model: durable, trackable containers, a deposit-and-return flow, and the infrastructure that can make reuse work at scale for campuses, workplaces, and other high‑volume food settings. They also discuss what drives adoption (from consumer expectations to policy tailwinds), and how the company is planning to scale its business across North America.

In this inaugural episode of a special series on the Sustainability Leaders podcast focused on Reconciliation, host Kayla Jacobs, Director with BMO’s Office of Reconciliation, is joined by Nadir André, Partner at JFK Law and Co‑Chair of BMO’s Indigenous Advisory Council. Together, they explore Nadir’s personal and professional journey as an Indigenous legal expert, including his background in Indigenous law and his long‑standing work with communities across Canada.   The conversation focuses on the role corporate Canada can play in advancing economic reconciliation, the evolution of Indigenous rights, and the importance of respectful, long‑term relationships between industry, government, and Indigenous Peoples. Nadir discusses renewable energy and natural resource projects as pathways for shared prosperity and reflects on the need to balance economic growth with the protection of land, culture, and future generations.

In this episode from BMO's Metal Matters podcast, BMO Commodities Analyst Helen Amos is joined by Ro Dhawan, President and CEO of the ICMM to discuss how the role of sustainable mining is shifting in a world where mining and critical minerals has been thrust into the foreground of global geopolitics. They discuss the new Consolidated Mining Standard which marks a major turning point in harmonizing standards across the industry, as well as progress made in tailings management, gender-based violence, and the urgency around improving safety performance. Ro suggests that the increase in government participation and M&A in mining could bring opportunities for sustainability too.

In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Alma Cortes‑Selva of the BMO Climate Institute speaks with Viola Lutz, Head of the Moody’s Climate Center of Excellence, about how climate risk analytics are reshaping the way businesses prepare for increasingly severe natural disasters. The conversation explores what physical risk analytics are, why they matter, and how they translate hazard data into actionable insights for organizations. The discussion also examines the growing role of AI in climate and risk analytics—from post‑disaster event response to proactive portfolio monitoring—highlighting how technology, combined with strong governance, can help organizations move from reactive risk management to forward‑looking resilience planning.

In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, host Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer at BMO, sits down with Mike Richter, President of Brightcore Energy, to explore Richter’s unconventional journey from NHL Stanley Cup–winning goaltender to clean energy executive. Their conversation explores how Brightcore is helping commercial, municipal, and institutional clients reduce carbon emissions while cutting operating costs. Together, they discuss the fundamentals of geothermal ground-source heat pumps, the challenges and opportunities of deploying the technology in dense urban and existing buildings, the role of policy incentives and utilities, and why energy efficiency and electrification are critical to meeting rising energy demand and advancing the clean energy transition.

In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, the authors and reviewers of new research on climate risk and real estate discuss how to use quantified climate-risk insights to prioritize assets for investment, build the business case for adaptation, and treat resiliency not just as an aspiration, but as an investable strategy. Angela Adduci, Senior Advisor from the BMO Climate Institute, joins a panel moderated by Mike Williams (President and Co-Founder of ClimateFirst Building Solutions), including Kathleen Beaumont (Investment Management Corporation of Ontario), Natalia Moudrak (Aon), Holly Neber (AEI Consultants), and Olivia Pink (ClimateFirst). Learn more about the case study discussed in this podcast: Investing in Resilience: Making Physical Climate Risk a Financial Priority for Real Estate • ClimateFirst Building Solutions Inc.

Aging power grids in the U.S. and rising clean energy demand are both influencing the outlook for buyers in 2026. In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, host Angela Adduci from the BMO Climate Institute sits down with Rich Powell, CEO of the Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA), to explore the evolving dynamics of corporate clean energy procurement. They discuss: How the US can meet rising energy demand, the critical role of permitting reform and electricity grid enhancement, and how innovative approaches—from data center flexibility to technologies such as geothermal and nuclear—are shaping the future of energy markets.

In collaboration with IBM through the IBM Impact Accelerator, the University of Illinois developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered flood forecasting system that improves rainfall prediction and flood forecasting in the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S., with the potential for the program to be applied and adapted in other parts of the world. In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Michael Torrance, BMO's Chief Sustainability Officer, sat down with two people who had a significant role in creating the solution: Ana Barros, Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Michael Jacobs, Head of Social Innovation, IBM. They discussed their collaboration, what went into building the forecasting system, and the future of environmental adaptation and disaster mitigation.   

In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Caroline Donlin, Managing Director and Head of Engineering and Construction at BMO, speaks with Kristal Kaye, Interim CEO of CarbonCure, and Marty Ozinga, CEO of Ozinga, about their partnership to advance sustainable concrete. Their conversation explores the economic, technical, and cultural shifts needed to decarbonize one of the world’s most essential building materials.

Climate goals, rising energy demands, and geopolitical pressures are transforming global energy investment strategies. Based on a panel discussion from the 2025 Toronto Global Forum, this episode of Sustainability Leaders examines the impact of industrial demand shifts—such as AI and data centers—on energy investments, effective policy frameworks for de-risking clean energy projects, and approaches to pricing climate-related risks while fostering innovation and private capital. Jason Peel, Managing Director and Head, BMO Radicle moderates a conversation with: Mpho Kubelo, Chief Risk Officer, Development Bank of Southern Africa Jean-Jacques Barbéris, Deputy CEO (Amundi AM) – Head of Institutional and Corporate Clients Division, ESG Supervisor Eric Arnould, General Partner and IR Officer, Jolt Capital Laurent Germain, CEO, Egis Group.