ESG and Coffee Podcast
A long-form interview podcast where a sustainable investment strategist unpacks the ESG field with its pioneering practitioners.
This is a highly structured, educational podcast for investment professionals, by an investment professional. Host Graham Sinclair interviews the 'originals' of the ESG space—people who were in the field long before it was a mainstream acronym. Each episode is a deep dive into a guest's career trajectory, their specific role, and their perspective on the evolution and future of sustainable finance.
“The show's focus on 'the originals' provides a historical perspective often missing in ESG discussions. Its highly formulaic structure, including the 'Espresso Shot' questions and the recurring 'Three Data Points' segment, creates a consistent and recognizable framework that sets it apart from more conversational shows.”
Who hosts this show
ESG and Coffee is a long-form interview podcast hosted by sustainable investment strategist Graham Sinclair (@esgarchitect). The show unpacks the practice of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing through conversations with the 'originals'—the veteran investors, analysts, and strategists who have shaped the field. Sinclair, an ESG investment architect and consultant, uses his deep industry knowledge to explore the careers, philosophies, and day-to-day work of his guests. The podcast ran for one season, with the last episode published in early 2022.
Credentials & credits
- Independent sustainable investment strategist
- MBA, Villanova School of Business
- LL.B, University of Natal
- Lecturer on sustainable investment at business schools including Villanova and Harvard
- Contributed to books "Evolutions in Sustainable Investing" and "Research Handbook of Finance and Sustainability"
- TEDx Speaker ("Investing As If The Future Matters")
Other ventures
- SinCo sustainable investment consulting
- Africa Sustainable Investment Forum project (co-founder)
- Prudential Assets Working Group of ASISA (Chair)
- WWF One Planet Leaders Programme (inaugural cohort)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01S1E12 Chris Mcknett Co-head of Sustainable Investing at Allspring Global InvestmentsJan 31, 2022 · 1h 37m
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07ESG and Coffee Podcast S1E6 w Erika Karp, Chief Impact Officer at PathstoneAug 27, 2021 · 1h 44m
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01S1E12 Chris Mcknett Co-head of Sustainable Investing at Allspring Global Investments
A classic example of the show's format, where the host interviews a long-time colleague, revealing their shared history and using structured segments to explore the evolution of the ESG industry.
- 02S1E11 Michael O’Leary, Managing Director at Engine No.1 and co-auther of "Accountable"
This episode focuses on the activist side of ESG, exploring Engine No. 1's work and the concept of "citizen capitalism." The host's technique of reading from the guest's social media bios is on display.
- 03S1E10: Martina Macpherson, Head of ESG Strategy and Global ManCo Member, ODDO BHF Asset Management.
A deep dive into the regulatory and strategic architecture of ESG in Europe, particularly SFDR. The guest's self-description as an 'eco-warrior' to her children provides a memorable, humanizing moment.
What you'll be asked on this show
Sinclair's interview style is methodical and structured. He opens with a series of personal, rapport-building questions about the guest's location and their coffee order before shifting to professional topics. The core of the interview is built around distinct, named segments, including a rapid-fire 'Espresso Shot' round and longer 'Deep Dives'. A signature move is asking guests for three key data points (world population, S&P 500, and CO2 ppm) from the year they started their career, using it as a springboard to discuss long-term change. He probes by asking for specifics, such as demanding a number for 'long-term' or asking guests to explain their complex job to a 10-year-old. This structured approach ensures a consistent, deep, and comparable look across all the leaders he interviews.
Graham Sinclair hosts with the familiarity of an industry insider, often referencing how he first met his guests years ago. The interviews are rigidly structured into pre-announced segments like 'Espresso Shot Questions' and 'Deep Dives'. Sinclair comes prepared, referencing guests' social media posts and publications to ground his questions in their specific work.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
personal
3- Q.01
“Where in the world are you today?”
A standard opening question to establish the guest's location and set a conversational tone.
- Q.02
“What drink would I be ordering for you at your local cafe?”
A coffee-themed rapport-building question that connects to the podcast's title.
- Q.03
“What is your biggest investing mistake so far?”
The final 'Espresso Shot' question, designed to reveal a moment of learning and humility.
origin
2- Q.01
“What is your earliest memory of investing?”
Asked during the 'Espresso Shot' segment to get a personal origin story.
- Q.02
“What switched you on to ESG?”
This 'Espresso Shot' question seeks the catalyst for the guest's career focus.
mindset
3- Q.01
“What is your philosophy of investing in one short sentence?”
A recurring 'Espresso Shot' question to distill the guest's core belief.
- Q.02
“What were the world population, S&P 500, and CO2 ppm when you started working?”
A signature segment used to frame the guest's career against the backdrop of long-term global trends.
- Q.03
“How does it make you feel to see how those numbers have changed?”
A follow-up to the data point question, probing for a personal and professional reaction.
craft
2- Q.01
“How do you define sustainable investing in less than 30 words?”
A challenge for a concise, expert definition during the 'Espresso Shot' round.
- Q.02
“Now, explain that to a 10-year-old.”
A follow-up challenge used to force the guest to simplify a complex role or concept.
process
2- Q.01
“What does your job title actually mean, and what is not your job?”
A 'Deep Dive' question to get a clear, practical explanation of the guest's role.
- Q.02
“When you say 'long-term,' what's the number?”
The host pushes for a specific definition of a commonly used but vague industry term.
Signature segments
- · The Originals (Season 1 Theme)
- · Espresso Shot Questions
- · The Three Data Points (Population, S&P 500, CO2)
- · Deep Dives
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are senior, experienced leaders in the sustainable investment world. They are typically Managing Directors, Heads of ESG, or Co-founders at prominent asset management firms, often with decades of experience qualifying them as 'originals' in the space.
- Chris McKnetton S1E12 Co-head of Sustainable Investing at Allspring Global Investments
- Michael O'Learyon S1E11 Managing Director at Engine No.1 and co-auther of "Accountable"
- Martina Macphersonon S1E10: Head of ESG Strategy and Global ManCo Member, ODDO BHF Asset Management.
- Mark Vivianoon S1E9 Managing Partner and lead Portfolio Manager: Public Equities at Kimmeridge Energy
- Liz Simmieon S1E8: Co-Founder, Honeytree Investment Management.
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The episodes analyzed contained no paid sponsorships or advertisements.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host is Graham Sinclair, a sustainable investment strategist.
- Is the podcast still running?
- The podcast appears to be dormant. The first and only season of 12 episodes was released between 2021 and early 2022.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a long-form interview show with a highly structured format, including recurring segments like 'Espresso Shot Questions' and 'Deep Dives' with leaders in sustainable investing.
- Who is this podcast for?
- It's primarily for investment professionals and anyone with a serious interest in the history, mechanics, and key figures of the ESG and sustainable finance industry.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on its official website, YouTube, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]ESG and Coffee Podcast Official Websiteesgandcoffeepodcast.org
- [02]Graham Sinclair Bio | AGF Forumprivateequityafrica.agf-forum.com
- [03]Graham Sinclair Bio | Environmental Leadership Programelp.org
- [04]Graham Sinclair, Author at Trellistrellis.org
- [05]TEDx Talk: Investing as if the future mattersyoutube.com
- [06]ESG and Coffee Podcast - YouTube Channelyoutube.com
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