Friday fizzers from Giles Gibbons

AI, Vouchers, Net-zero, Farmers & Sweets

Giles Gibbons

Good Business - Sustainability | Strategy | Impact

March 21, 2025

Mind the AI Gap

Artificial intelligence is transforming our world – and while it could bring new opportunities, there is also a lot of concern around potential negative impacts, including in the workplace. The Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) 2024 Ethics at Work survey found that 48% of employees worry about AI misuse, from discrimination to privacy violations, while 46% fear they will be replaced by AI tools. Yet only 30% of employees say their company has AI ethics guidelines, highlighting a clear gap between tech adoption and responsible governance.

IBE’s survey, covering 12,000 employees across 16 countries, shows that concerns around AI misuse, job loss, and workplace ethics have risen sharply since 2021. More than half of employees say their company provides no AI-related guidance, despite around 70% being aware of corporate Codes of Conduct. This disconnect suggests that while businesses are eager to adopt AI, many haven’t taken the time to build trust around its use.

Beyond job security, employees are increasingly uneasy about bias in AI decision-making, with 43% citing discrimination as a major concern. With DEI efforts already under pressure, poorly designed AI could make workplace inequalities worse. Women and younger employees are the most concerned about AI’s impact on their careers, while others worry about increased surveillance and loss of human interaction. It’s clear that companies need to balance AI’s efficiency with human values.

But there’s plenty of room for optimism. Businesses have a real opportunity to get this right. Upskilling is key, yet 39% of workers already feel unprepared for AI-driven changes. Without the right training, AI could widen the digital divide rather than bridge it. But companies that invest in AI literacy, communicate openly, and build ethical frameworks can turn fear into confidence. AI can empower employees, not replace them.

The takeaway? Ethical AI isn’t just about compliance—it’s about trust, inclusion, and opportunity. Companies that balance innovation with responsibility will create workplaces where employees feel valued, prepared, and engaged. AI should work for people, not against them—and the time to act is now.

Vouchers for veg

Healthier eating just got a major boost. The UK government announced that as part of its recently announced £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods, a fund aimed at tackling deprivation across the country, it will support schemes that offer financial incentives to improve diets.

Vouchers for fruit and veg have been available through NGOs such as Alexandra Rose Charity for some years, with robust evidence that they reduce poverty and provide economic support to local markets which form an essential part of the food ecosystem. Schemes like this improve diets, in turn improving both physical and mental health in deprived communities. But beyond government incentivisation, there is a role for progressive businesses to amplify the impact of this kind of initiative.

By supporting these schemes, consumer goods businesses can capitalise on the benefits, particularly in the wake of concerns around lost junk-food profits due to the rise of appetite-supressing drugs like Ozempic. For insurers, there is an opportunity to creatively cut liabilities by incentivising healthier eating through innovative mechanisms. For pharmaceutical companies looking to boost their reputation by focusing on preventative healthcare, supporting healthy eating schemes is a tried and tested strategy to tackle certain chronic diseases, like diabetes.

This is ‘smart capitalism in action’: government establishes the need, some funding and policy framework, businesses amplify the impact, and healthier communities result. So who will step up?

Mission impossible?

Kemi Badenoch made headlines this week for asserting that achieving net zero by 2050 is impossible. In a recent speech, she dismissed the UK’s target as an ‘abstract concept’ that could bankrupt the country. In the same sentence, she went on to say she also ‘wants a better environment and better future for our children’. Essentially, she wants to have her cake and eat it.

Unfortunately for the Conservative leader, the climate doesn’t care if net zero is expensive. It’s not checking government balance sheets, it’s responding to what we put into the atmosphere. But she did raise some important challenges. The transition requires upfront investment, it’s disruptive, and, if handled badly, risks hitting those who can least afford it the hardest. Rising energy bills, upfront costs of greener technologies, and job losses in high-carbon industries are real challenges that need real solutions. Pretending these don’t exist is naive (at best) and downright damaging (at worst). But stating that reaching our legally binding net zero target is impossible with no tangible alternative doesn’t help, it hinders us.

And here’s the thing, we’re already making progress. UK emissions fell about 3% in 2022, continuing a decade-long decline, largely thanks to the near phase-out of coal. Meanwhile, the green economy isn’t dragging growth, it’s accelerating it. The CBI reports that net zero industries are expanding three times faster than the wider economy, contributing £83 billion and employing nearly a million people. Hitting net zero by 2050 means cutting emissions by that much every year for the next three decades, which is not easy. But it is possible.

So instead of writing net zero off as unrealistic, let’s focus on making the transition fairer and more practical. Because the challenge isn’t going away, whether politicians like it or not.

Funding farmers

This week Waitrose has been sowing the seeds for a more sustainable future with the launch of its £500,000 fund to help British farms within its supply chain cut their emissions.

With nearly half of Waitrose customers concerned about the environmental impact of modern agriculture, and farmers facing financial challenges with high inflation and proposed inheritance tax changes, this comes at a crucial time. As part of Waitrose’s Farming for Nature programme, the fund will support farms to implement initiatives such as rainwater capture tanks, sustainable fertilisers, investment in low carbon heating systems or soil friendly machinery to help decarbonise the farming industry.

The fund builds on Waitrose’s earlier £1 million investment for Farming for Nature, which is already helping farmers shift towards nature-friendly practices that boost long-term financial resilience and tackle biodiversity loss. It also complements Waitrose’s broader sustainability efforts, including a partnership with digital mapping tool Land App to help farmers implement regenerative practices.

Applications for the £500,000 fund are open to Waitrose’ suppliers until 13 April 2025, with a steering group set to select the winning projects. So, keep your eyes peeled for the results!

Whilst Waitrose’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions for its UK farming supply base by 2035 and across its entire supply chain by 2050 is no small feat, they’re clearly rooting for success.

The Sweet Spot

Little Moons and Gü Desserts, renowned for their delicious treats, have recently both achieved Certified B Corp status. Little Moons, celebrated for their mochi ice cream bites, secured their certification in late 2024 with an impressive 89.7 score, while Gü Desserts, renowned for their decadent puddings served in (54% recycled) glass ramekins, achieved B Corp status with a score of 89.4. Both companies significantly surpassing the median of 50.9 for ordinary businesses.

While B Corps have faced recent scrutiny, it's crucial to recognize that many companies utilize this framework to guide sustainable growth. Certification should mark the beginning, not the end, of a business’ sustainability journey. These two brands show us how it’s done.

Little Moons aims to gain 15 additional B Corp points by 2030 and has implemented ambitious goals, including achieving Net Zero emissions for their direct operations by 2040 and slashing carbon intensity in their supply chain by 90% by 2050. It is also implementing sustainability training across the company.

Gü has achieved zero waste to landfill, committed to Net Zero emissions by 2050, and uses 100% renewable electricity. Gü's commitment extends to using recycled glass ramekins and encouraging their repurposing. You can check out their page dedicated to ideas of how to repurpose your ramekins here.

Both Little Moons and Gü are leveraging their B Corp status to propel further initiatives. We believe the B Corp framework presents a significant opportunity for businesses to integrate sustainability into their processes and decision-making. As these brands prove, it's possible to have your cake (or mochi) and eat it too, all while taking care of the planet and its people.