Blue Earth ambassador Dan Macaulay discusses authenticity and industry collaboration on our podcast

We have a very strong ambassador line-up from across disciplines and they are truly representative of our values and ambitions for the summit. One of the key areas of the event is our close affiliation with the outdoor industry and Dan Macaulay is one of the most energetic and vibrant characters in that world.

The manifestation of the year one event was exceptional, the buzz was palpable. I speak to people who say we can’t possibly go because we’re not Patagonia for example. That’s wrong. The summit is about improvement; practical improvements. That aggregation of marginal gains, to take home practical elements to put into practice at work and home.

Dan is the founder and CEO at Brandwave, a sports marketing agency based in the South West of England. He grew up in Ireland, surrounded by some of the best surfing and windsurfing conditions in the world and spent much of his youth on the water teaching and competing in windsurfing.

He tells host Laura Nesbitt how he became the European Marketing Director for O’Neill before working on sporting campaigns for the likes of Adidas, BMW and The North Face.

We also hear from Dan about some of the challenges brands face today in getting their message across in an authentic way, why he believes many outdoor brands are behind when it comes to sustainability and why he’s so passionate about sport being used as a catalyst for social change.

He is also the co-founder of FoamLife one of our partners from year 1.

Sustainable for me is an absolute and I’d be sceptical of any brand that refers to themselves as sustainable outright. It’s much more of a journey than an endpoint. Stick to what’s attainable and people can relate to that.