January 2026
The Speaker: Martin Sutton
In May 2025, Martin gained a post graduate certificate in Sustainable Business from the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership. This builds on his career providing senior leadership in assurance, risk and sustainability to large, highly regulated multinational companies.
Since March 2025, Martin has taken a career break where he has talked with well over 100 individuals in the sustainability field from leading academics to practitioners. He has also started a MSt in sustainability leadership at the University of Cambridge. These discussions, and a lot of reading, have led him to reflect deeply on where we are in the journey to net zero and whether there is any hope for humanity in confronting this exceptional challenge.
The Talk
Martin is an excellent, authoritative speaker with a sneaky little sense of humour. His talks are always very well informed and entertaining.
In this talk he looked squarely at the reasons why many are becoming disillusioned and losing hope. He will also look at the reasons why, despite all the depressing headlines, there is ever more reason for hope and positivity.
His extensive studies and personal conversations have encouraged him to believe in the resilience of human beings and their ability, with the right kind of leadership, to survive even this. He is realistic enough not to suggest there are easy solutions, but his many examples of positive action around the world are very encouraging. Do watch this on YouTube, (link button above).
During the talk Martin mentioned two books he encourages us all to read:
Factfulness by Hans Rosling and The book of Hope by Jane Goodall
Speak up for our Planet 