In July, we had the absolute pleasure of hosting a screening of the Welcome to the Jungle film, Responsible, alongside Director of the film, Tristan Lochon. Boasting the tagline ‘There is no business to be done on a broken planet’ Responsible is a documentary exploring the theme of corporate responsibility, and whether there is any such thing as a truly responsible business.
Back in 2022, Wholegrain Digital co-founders, Tom and Vineeta Greenwood, were invited to feature in the film because of their mission to create a business that prioritises sustainability and declares responsibility to both people and planet. With values and purpose immensely aligning – collaborating with Tristan was a no brainer!
Responsible businesses such as Patagonia, Tony’s Chocoloney, the Positive Internet Company, and more, were featured, portraying an optimistic view of what business could and should look like, if it focussed on people and planet over profit. What better way to celebrate the release of the film, and Wholegrain’s feature within it, than getting together with friends and partners to screen the film?
The event itself was hosted at The RSA, a valued client of Wholegrain. It was fantastic to collaborate with The RSA on this event, as the space made for an atmospheric day. We had the space all day, which meant we could screen the film not just once, but twice! Being able to share this film with a variety of wonderful clients, partners and friends of Wholegrain was a great opportunity to maximise the impact of the film’s message by sharing it far and wide.
The day began with coffee and conversation, and it was great to see friends and partners of Wholegrain congregated. Following the morning session, we were fortunate enough to have Tristan join Tom on stage for a Q&A session – during which Tristan discussed his motivations for making the film, and the journey he’d been on with it. It was refreshing to hear Tristan talk about his desire to have the film present hopefulness and positivity, which can be rare when discussing the climate crisis. It was a helpful reminder that we should maintain enthusiasm and not underestimate the ripple effects of small changes, which can spiral into something much bigger than the sum of their parts.
After the afternoon screening of the film, we were very grateful to be joined by an esteemed panel. James Gill, of sustainable email marketing platform, Ecosend, was our first panellist, bringing a plethora of digital sustainability knowledge. We were also joined by Matt Bagwell, of Deep Green, a data centre provider with a difference – using the excess heat generated by data centres to power community facilities such as swimming pools, free of charge. The panel was completed by Director Tristan Lochon and Wholegrain’s own Tom Greenwood. So ensued a valuable discussion around responsible business and the daily decision making process involved when people and planet are centric to every decision – with a special focus on digital sustainability. It was inspiring to hear the motivations behind our panellists and to be reassured that yes, there can be such a thing as a responsible business, when you have the right people in the room and values remain central to the conversation.
The day wrapped up with further conversation and networking – completed by the infamous RSA vegan chocolate orange cookies. It was refreshing to be in the room with likeminded people and overhear inspired (and indeed, inspiring) discussion following Tristan’s film.
The 52 minute documentary film, Responsible, was officially released in France on September 21st, with international distribution coming soon! Even better, you can organise your own private screening for your organisation or group. Just write to the Welcome to the Jungle team at: [email protected]
All that’s left to say is a huge thank you from the Wholegrain team, to Tristan, our panellists, and everyone who joined us at a screening.