Envision Racing recently officially launched its Race Against Climate Change Advisory Board – a collective of experts from across science, technology, academia, and industry, brought together to accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. The board was created to unite leading voices from different sectors who are already pushing boundaries within their own fields and who, together, can help shape meaningful, cross-industry action on climate.

One of those voices is Joanna Czutkowna who is the CEO of circular fashion consultancy 5Thread. Current researching a PhD in circularity within sports apparel and over 20 years’ experience working with some of the biggest global fashion brands, Jo brings unique insight into decarbonising one of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis: the fashion industry.

In this interview, Jo shares stories from her career, tangible advice for circularising the fashion industry – and why sports apparel specifically needs to be prioritised to make the biggest impact.

Firstly, please introduce yourself and give us an overview of your background.

I’m Joanna Czutkowna, CEO of 5Thread and doctoral researcher specialising in circularity within sports apparel. I’ve worked in the fashion industry for over 20 years, spending most of my career in China overseeing all parts of product development from design through to end of life at major fashion labels. That included visiting over 600 factories and exploring how innovation can be added to their supply chains to make them more efficient, streamlined and sustainable.

When I returned to the UK six years ago to set up my consultancy, initially with the intention of advising fashion brands, as I had done throughout my career, I took an unexpected turn into the world of sport. So although I don’t come from a traditional sports background, with my long experience in fashion and apparel, I was struck by the crossover and by how vast, inefficient, and linear the sports apparel industry is. It quickly became clear that there was an urgent need to transform the system and provide practical support to make sports apparel more sustainable.

What were some of the biggest challenges you saw in sport and how are you supporting organisations at 5Thread?

Let’s take cricket as an example. First of all, the cost of kit and equipment makes it quite prohibitive to play, but on top of that, each season kit is thrown away and replaced with new sponsor logos. And even worse, it’s a sport that is already significantly affected by climate change.

And it’s not just cricket – all sport follows a very linear path. What I focus on is systemic change and helping people make that shift. Finance is one issue, but knowledge should never be a barrier to action.

And there are so many benefits to playing sport and being involved in clubs – it’s a huge part of our culture, community and society – but we need to introduce circular principles in the way sports are managed at the systemic level to ensure they can continue.

It’s a big issue to tackle mainly because so few people are aware of the problem. Everyone is really aware of fast fashion and the challenges this sector presents when it comes to sustainability, but very few are aware of the wastage in sports.

I have worked with a wide range of organisations including UEFA on their Circular Economy Guidelines for Apparel, as well as national governing bodies, start-ups, academia and innovators. Whether we’re creating circular economy guidelines, a sustainable procurement charter, or simply a checklist of low to no-cost actions that will drive change, it all boils down to five key threads (hence the name):

• Circularity – Embedding systems that close the loop and drive circular practices across the supply chain.
• Leadership – Supporting those leading the transition and shaping influence where it matters most.
• Inclusivity – Bringing the right people to the table to ensure progress is collaborative and representative.
• Digital Transformation – Leveraging technology to streamline operations and scale sustainable solutions.
• Supplier Relationships – Building meaningful partnerships that prioritise sustainability and long-term impact.

So cross-industry collaboration is an important part of circularity in sport. Why is the Envision Racing Advisory Board important in driving the climate agenda forward?

The people in the Advisory Board offer such an important cross-section of those at the coal face of the climate agenda. What’s needed now is a clear roadmap for how we’re going to create change as a collective – within sport and further afield.

Envision Racing is in such a unique position to make change, working with amazing partners like Superdry to amplify the work they do to change the industry. But as a small team, there’s only so much you can do yourselves.

What is important is focusing on your area of control and measuring effectively. What are some of the small changes the team can do that could then influence others on a much bigger scale?

What I see a lot of in some of the companies I work with is a cascade effect; small interventions are taken by a company and because it’s personal to staff, it cascades through friends and family and becomes more mainstream.

That’s what Envision Racing could do – and then through the advisory board, influence more and more corporations and policymakers to make changes themselves. The same principle could be followed by all sports brands – do the very best at reducing your own emissions, then use the platform sport gives you, your fan base, to drive much wider action.

When Envision Racing launched its Race Against Climate Change Advisory Board, the aim was clear: unite pioneering minds from across industries to accelerate impactful climate action. Among those experts is a sustainability and technology strategist whose journey has taken him from the newsroom to international PR firms, and from nonprofit leadership to the frontier of artificial intelligence.

In this interview, we meet Jonas Allen, an advisor blending deep insight in communications, electronics, and AI, with a long-standing passion for creating tangible environmental impact. From his early days in media to his current work using AI with purpose at Sand Technologies, Jonas reflects on the challenges facing tech, the role of nuance in sustainability conversations, and why optimism must be matched with urgency.

 

Let’s start with your background. How did your career path bring you to Sand Technologies?

I actually started my career in journalism – writing for travel and entertainment magazines. That early work gave me a real appreciation for the power of storytelling and how to engage people through content. Eventually, I shifted into PR and marketing, which allowed me to work more strategically – thinking not just about media coverage, but about partnerships, promotions, and the broader impact of communications.

I worked in global PR agencies through the dot-com bubble and beyond, before co-founding a boutique firm with some of my colleagues. That gave me a whole new appreciation for what it takes to build a business and survive in a competitive industry.

Wanting to expand beyond the specialism of PR, I eventually moved into regional marketing roles and later into the tech and nonprofit space – which is where the sustainability thread really took hold.

How did that pivot into sustainability come about?

I joined a nonprofit based in the Pacific Northwest, where there’s always been quite a strong environmental mindset. I had two young kids at the time, and I wanted them to be proud of the work I was doing. That was the motivator: to leave the world better than I found it.

The organisation oversaw one of the most successful ecolabels in tech and I was working with major electronics brands to make their products more sustainable. It wasn’t just about improving design, it was about changing the way we market and position sustainable choices to institutional buyers, governments, and consumers.

That experience and those collaborations really deepened my understanding of the trade-offs, the complexity, and also the opportunities to drive meaningful change at scale.

 

What drew you to your current focus on AI – and to this advisory board specifically?

A couple of years ago, while leading marketing for a major IT services firm, I was introduced to the founder of Sand Technologies, whose mission was to use AI to generate real, positive impact in the world. That wasn’t just a tagline – the work was about applying artificial intelligence in ways that deliver real social and environmental benefit in addition to economic improvements.

There’s a public perception that AI is only good for generative tools like ChatGPT writing your emails or creating a funny video. But AI is so much broader than that. It’s been around for decades. Digital twins, machine learning, pattern recognition – these are powerful tools that can drive huge efficiencies and insights across sectors, including sustainability. That’s what excites me: the potential of AI not just to entertain or automate, but to accelerate human progress.

Joining Envision Racing’s Advisory Board was a natural fit. The team’s passion is infectious. What drew me in was the opportunity to apply AI and software development to support a team that’s pushing the envelope – not just on track, but in how they engage fans, communicate purpose, and drive environmental performance.

 

What role do you think AI can play in sustainability and motorsport?

A huge one. Whether it’s tracking environmental performance more efficiently, improving energy use, making data-based decisions in a split second, or deepening fan engagement, AI can help teams be smarter, faster, and more transparent.

It’s also about identifying how the Race Against Climate Change can resonate with different audiences, inspiring them to take positive steps in their own lives as well. What lights a fire under fans? What moves people from awareness to action? AI can help uncover those patterns and amplify what’s working.

 

Of course, there’s complexity too. Like all advanced technologies, including cloud, there’s a carbon footprint that can’t be ignored. But, the benefits of strategic AI deployments also can’t be ignored. Used wisely, AI can generate so many benefits for the private sector, public sector and humanity writ large. Nuance is critical in these conversations. It’s important to acknowledge the challenges and work toward reducing impact – without throwing out the potential.

What are some of the misconceptions around AI and sustainability you think we need to challenge?

One big one is the idea that generative AI is the whole story – it’s not. GenAI may be the hot topic today, but AI as a whole is more like a spectrum. There are hundreds or thousands of compelling use cases, particularly in asset-heavy industries. The good news is, now that more people are waking up to the idea of AI, there are entirely new audiences exploring the potential applications for AI.

When it comes to sustainability, one of the misperceptions or myths is the notion that there’s going to be a perfect solution. Take EVs, for example. Critics will point to the batteries that require mining, or to the tyres that cause more wear on roads. All of that is valid, but every solution has trade-offs. The question is: what’s the spirit behind it? What are we trying to solve? And how do we keep improving over time? It’s important to continuously learn and iterate. Nobody can afford paralysis by analysis – making progress against our goals is better than standing still.

We need to talk about sustainability with honesty – not just highlight the benefits, but also acknowledge the costs, and make it clear that progress is a journey. AI can play a huge role in that journey.

 

What stood out to you in your first experience on the Advisory Board?

The diversity in the room was incredible – people from science, sport, technology, policy – all with different expertise, but completely aligned in purpose. There was real unity. When you have that kind of focus, you can do hard things. You can make real progress.

There’s a sense of urgency that’s very real. Climate change isn’t slowing down – if anything, we’re behind where we need to be. So the conversations weren’t just theoretical. They were about action: what can we do now? What’s realistic? What can we take back and implement in our own organisations?

For me, the most exciting thing is how quickly this group has formed a sense of shared responsibility. It’s not just a title. People are engaged, contributing ideas, connecting dots, and helping the Envision Racing team scale their impact in practical, measurable ways.

 

Where do you hope the board goes next – and how do you see your role evolving?

I think the future is about keeping the momentum alive between meetings. It’s easy for advisory roles to become reactive – just show up when there’s a calendar invite. But this group wants more than that.

We’ve started talking about identifying topics ahead of time, doing pre-work, having offline conversations. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with other members at the next race in London, but even more so, to continuing those discussions in between.

This board can be a sounding board but also a testing ground, an amplifier, and a force multiplier. And I hope to continue bringing that AI and digital perspective into the mix, not just in terms of what’s possible, but how we can actually deliver it

The Frontrunners in the Race Against Climate Change: Meet the Corporate Campaigner

Envision Racing has launched its Race Against Climate Change Advisory Board – a collective of influential voices from science, technology, academia, and industry, working together to accelerate the global transition to a net-zero future. This diverse group was brought together to break down silos and unite sectors that are often working in parallel, when what’s needed most is collective, aligned action.

Among the Board’s inaugural members is Alice Spencer, Executive Director of Education at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL). With a career spanning corporate, not-for-profit, and government sectors, Alice has helped shape national and organisational strategies on key commercial opportunities – from biodiversity restoration in Australia to corporate transformation at a global level. Under her leadership, hundreds of major organisations and thousands of leaders worldwide have gone onto align business performance with positive outcomes for society.

In this interview, Alice shares insights from her journey, explores the role of leadership in delivering systemic change, and discusses why meaningful progress on climate hinges on the courage to challenge ‘business as usual.’

Firstly, please introduce yourself and give us an overview of your background.

My work at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership is focused on helping organisations let go of outdated mindsets and reimagine how they operate in a world shaped by climate change, social pressures, and market transformation.

We work with senior leadership teams and board members across all sectors and continents to build the critical knowledge and capabilities to lead through complexity and uncertainty – to stop viewing sustainability as a side project or a branding exercise, and instead embed it into the heart of business strategy and in shaping future commercial resilience.

The transition to a sustainable economy isn’t a challenge of finding the right science and data; it’s a leadership one. And it has to start from the top. We know the problems –  in many cases, we have the solutions – but it will take bold leadership to motivate the scale of industrial change required that brings about the markets and businesses of the future.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see in your line of work and how can corporates make significant change?

We focus on three core themes: climate, nature and people. And across all three, the challenge is the same – you can’t fix an unsustainable system by tinkering at the edges. We need structural change. That means shifting from linear, extractive models to circular, regenerative ones; financing a just transition; and ensuring diverse voices are not only heard but central to shaping the path forward.

Too often, sustainability is seen as a siloed department or niche initiative. But real impact happens when it’s seen as a lens for every strategic decision – from product design to supply chains, investment, governance and beyond. At the moment, our global markets don’t reward sustainability performance. Rather markets allow companies to profiteer from depletion of social and environment assets. Clearly that is unsustainable – it is not good for business or the planet. So businesses have a role to use their voice and influence to demand better policy and incentives that enable them to become un-stuck on their sustainability potential.

 

How are you seeing corporates respond to that challenge – and are they moving fast enough?

It’s a mixed picture. Some companies are still in the early days – dealing with legacy systems, high emissions, and deeply entrenched models. For them, the transition is complex and politically sensitive. Others are moving faster – more agile, more innovative, more open to change, more positive about sustainability as a serious competitive advantage rather than a limiting tick box exercise.

But regardless of where you start, the questions are the same: are you shaping the future, or are you being shaped by it? Are you building a business model that will make sense in a decade – or just clinging to what worked in the past?

Many leaders still assume that historic business successes will keep them safe in the future. But social unrest, consequences of inaction on climate and technologies like AI are revealing just how quickly supply chains, consumer behaviour and infrastructure expectations are changing.

And the leaders who are stepping up aren’t just making marginal improvements – they’re flipping their models entirely. One major renewable energy CEO we’ve worked with made the bold call to move away from fossil fuels, even as infrastructure was still being built. He didn’t wait for regulatory pressure. He saw the market signals, saw the momentum behind net-zero, the inevitability of the market shift, and made the leap. That’s the kind of forward-thinking leadership we need more of because it sets a precedent that ‘moves the middle’ and brings whole sectors along with them.

What excites you most about your role on Envision Racing’s Advisory Board?

What’s powerful about this board, besides being a lot of fun (we’re allowed to have fun, right?) is how action-oriented it is. We’re asking the important questions like what can we do now? What’s the next priority? What’s achievable for a small but mighty team with a global platform?

The team’s size belies its impact – what Envision Racing says is amplified far beyond what you’d expect from a small organisation. That influence matters. And in a world saturated with information, storytelling becomes crucial. How do we make the sustainable path the most compelling, the most desirable? How do we frame this as a race worth winning?

What Formula E offers isn’t just a new motorsport – it’s a symbol of the future of mobility, of innovation with purpose. It’s a platform to inspire, to provoke, to challenge. And it reaches across borders, cultures, and generations.

 

How do you see that message landing with audiences – particularly those who aren’t already engaged?

We underestimate the power of emotional connection. People don’t change because of data alone – they change because of how something makes them feel. Think about how deeply people connect to Formula 1 – the adrenaline, the drama, the sound. Formula E may be quieter, but that’s part of the story.

In Monaco after our first advisory board meeting, we sat at breakfast while the cars raced past, and being able to hold a conversation, breathe clean air, and not get drowned out by roaring engines – that’s the vision. A city that’s exciting and liveable.

And sometimes, it only takes one experience – one moment – for someone to make a real commitment. That’s why the advisory board is so powerful. It’s not an echo chamber, it’s a network. And when the right people are around the table, the impact extends far beyond the meeting room.

 

Finally, what does real collaboration look like to you – and what advice would you give to others trying to build momentum around climate action?

If you’re joining a conversation about climate, you are also joining a conversation about nature, justice, future markets, innovation… the list is endless but an incredibly exciting and increasingly positive space to play.

In terms of real collaboration, I’d suggest getting out of your lane. It looks like shared accountability with stakeholders.

You have a responsibility to act – whether that’s committing to change inside your organisation, sharing the message, or opening doors for others.

This isn’t about grandstanding – it’s about momentum. And every person on this board was selected because they bring something unique to the table, whether that’s networks, influence, energy, or commitment.

We’re not a huge team, but we’ve got huge ambitions. And what’s amazing is how quickly a sense of community has formed. Within a day of our first session, people were reaching out to each other, collaborating, helping make connections. That kind of instant coalition is rare – and powerful. If we can nurture that energy, align it, and keep the pressure on, I truly believe we can help tip the balance.