As one of the most forward-thinking voices in ethical design and innovation, Joanne Jørgensen has spent her career challenging the status quo of product creation and corporate leadership.
From her early days visiting factories in Asia during the 1990s to spearheading Nike’s groundbreaking FlyKnit technology, Joanne has consistently pushed for more sustainable, human-centered approaches to design and business.
Now a sought-after executive coach and one of the UK’s leading Environment & Sustainability speakers, she brings a wealth of insight into how companies can embed sustainability into their DNA—not as a trend, but as a transformative force.
In this conversation with The Champions Speakers Agency, we explore the pivotal moments that shaped her journey, the lessons learned from leading innovation at scale, and the mindset shifts she believes are essential for building a better future.
Q: From your early career travels to factories in Asia in the 1990s, what first ignited your passion for ethical design and sustainability?
Joanne Jørgensen: “So I think first and foremost was being lucky enough early in my career to work for very large global brands and travel to factories—I mean, I’m talking the ’90s—travel to factories in Asia, and really seeing the process at a global scale and the end-to-end process.
“And I think when you see that, for me as a curious person, there were more questions than answers. I think one of the big things that I found really challenging to get my head around was creating product to just fill a store or minimum order quantities, with the hope that it would sell.
“Which for me created a lot more questions than answers. I was probably that annoying early-years designer that just was constantly curious. But that’s where I was like, surely we can do things better than this. So it started from the very beginning, to be.”
Q: Drawing on your leadership of Nike’s FlyKnit development, what key lessons should organisations learn when establishing R&D and innovation hubs?
Joanne Jørgensen: “Honest. So I think first and foremost it’s the importance of investment in R&D or innovation hubs. And when I say innovation hubs, I don’t mean an innovation team that is sort of dragged into the day-to-day.
“I really mean something that is separated off, that isn’t stuck in constant meeting cycles and is able to experiment and pilot and roll out processes for the business or products. I think this is really key in where we’re at today because we’re in a space where so many businesses are struggling—but when you look under the hood, they’re doing the same old thing expecting different results.
“I would say the same for a lot of leadership courses as well. So we are in a space where we need a different approach to leadership, but also a different approach to team structure. So that would be the number one thing.
“And when we look at Nike themselves, I would say, you know, they had obviously a big history designing trainers and a successful history in doing that in one way. But a traditional trainer has like 40-plus components cut out of rolled goods.
“The waste at scale for these companies is incredible. But what they did was take a risk on a completely new method of make through having innovation hubs, through having R&D that is zero waste. And I really believe that just taking that approach of taking people out of the day-to-day to answer the difficult questions—yes, we’re successful at doing this one way, but we’re damaging our planet—how can we create a different way?
“And yeah, I think there’s a lot to be learned for many, many companies with that. I think we’ve got into a habit of being always on. And that could be back-to-back Zoom meetings. I see this a lot as an executive coach. Often the problem that a lot of executives, leaders, founders come to me with is they say a lack of time. And that can be often time to get to know their team, time to do specific projects.
“What I find interesting about that is white space is where our ideas come. When we are calm and able to not be on the hamster wheel, it’s where our brain connects everything. And there’s no happenstance that people say, “Oh, I get ideas when I go for a run or napping.” And I feel like, again, when you have that space for R&D away from the hamster wheel, that is where the eureka and the most important strategies for your business can come from.”
Q: What practical steps would you advise companies to take in order to embed sustainability into every facet of their operations and strategy?
Joanne Jørgensen: “Yeah, I think the main thing I often say is this is not a band-aid solution. It’s not just hiring one ESG expert or someone with sustainability in the title. It should be absolutely something foundational that goes throughout your company and your organisation and sits in everybody’s strategies and everybody’s KPIs. Because the problem is with a siloed approach—if it’s the ESG or sustainability team—it’s just seen as something that everyone doesn’t need to worry about.
“And you know, I think as humans we do, in general, not like change. And you can really see that with things such as legislation coming in for sustainability. You know, the EU, for example, are very clear on the legislation and when it’s coming in. For example, digital product passports—and these are showing the ingredients of everything that is in a product. It is not new news that this is coming in 2027. But if I could tell you how many brands haven’t even started looking at this—it is insane.
“So I really think if it’s everybody’s priority to work to this, you will have a strategy. You won’t be scrambling, and you ultimately won’t be fined for not adhering to these things or end up hurting your bottom line. So it is really important that it is everybody’s strategy and everybody’s foundational.”
Q: In your public addresses, which mindset shift do you most hope to inspire in leaders and teams as they navigate the transition to more sustainable, creative ways of working?
Joanne Jørgensen: “First and foremost, I want to inspire both leaders and teams to embrace new ways of working to create positive, inspiring, creative team cultures. And with this paradigm shift in how we work, but also in how we make, I really do believe we can make better for all and move away from burnout culture or this damaging product creation cycle that we actually are in.
“Really going away with the feeling that as humans, we should slow down to speed up, take stock, and be comfortable with the unknown—almost the antidote to blank page syndrome. The power of not having all the answers and embracing risk to create the future that we all need.”
This exclusive interview with Joanne Jørgensen was conducted by Jack Hayes of The Motivational Speakers Agency.
