33. Surfers Against Sewage: Are we sitting on a public health time bomb? | Giles Bristow

The UK is ranked last in Europe for bathing water quality. With a small team and limited resources, how have a ‘bunch of surfers from Cornwall’ got parliament to listen and launch a commission on England’s chemical cocktail of stinking sewage? Today’s guest on All About Business is Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a water reform charity that’s been around for over three decades. In this episode, we discuss the dangers of not taking sustainability seriously, how to get the government to sit up and listen, and why community lies at the heart of every charitable brand. Giles Bristow is the CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, a marine conservation charity. Founded in 1990 by a group of surfers in Cornwall, SAS is a powerful environmental movement that addresses a range of ocean-related issues. Giles joined SAS in 2023 and has over 20 years of experience in environmental advocacy. 01:31 Introduction 02:22 What are the problems with the UK's oceans? 08:32 Recent environmental changes 10:41 Why can't water companies solve this? 13:38 Time for systemic change 16:45 Voters Against Floaters 31:31 Giles' advice for effective campaigning 36:42 Circular economies 38:53 Plastic - it's everywhere 40:40 How to lobby - transparency and connections 45:52 Just Stop Oil – Are they effective? 50:22 Helping businesses become more sustainable 53:55 Community and brand 59:19 Interview round Links Check out SAS’s website Follow Giles on LinkedIn Follow James Reed on LinkedIn All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_medium=AABshownotes . This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’d like to create a chart-topping podcast to elevate your brand, visit Flamingo-media.co.uk