Season 2, Ep. 4 | Driving Sustainable Change with Noel Kinder

More Elephant

In this episode, we sit down with Noel Kinder, former Chief Sustainability Officer at Nike, to explore what it really means to lead change inside a global brand.

Noel’s path from operations into sustainability gave him a front-row seat to and, later in his career, explicit accountability for how decisions in one part of the business ripple across supply chains, factories, and communities worldwide.

He explains how sustainability becomes meaningful when it’s integrated into everyday business decisions — not treated as a side project. By aligning goals with innovation, efficiency, and profitability, companies can create real impact while also strengthening the business itself.

Noel also shares lessons on leadership—that change requires learning and practicing patience to focusing on what can truly be influenced as a way to deliver systemic solutions. He emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and trust, which prove critical not only in moments of crisis but also in sustaining progress over time.

This conversation highlights how values come to life inside an organization. It’s a candid look at the balance between vision and pragmatism, and a reminder that employees’ energy and passion are among the most powerful drivers of change.
Key More Elephant Takeaways in this Episode:

• True sustainability sparks both innovation and profitability.
• Patience is key when driving change — not everything will be within your control.
• The most effective strategies come from focusing on fewer, high-impact priorities.
• In times of crisis, relationships and trust are what matter most and the passion and energy of the team are often the most powerful forces for progress.
• …and more.