Aug 18, 2026 · 20 min · 6 segments
Haze has returned to parts of Malaysia, reviving a problem that has persisted for decades despite repeated promises of action. But the bigger concern may be how easily societies learn to tolerate…
Cornelia WalterGuest
Rich BradburyHost
You are listening to People Planet Profit, the show where we explore developments and debate in the ESG space.
Air quality has deteriorated across several areas, with unhealthy readings recorded in parts of Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, as authorities continue to monitor fires across the region.
It's an environmental problem with consequences for public health and for workers, while raising difficult questions about corporate responsibility, supply chains and governance across borders.
But after decades of recurring haze, have we simply become used to it? We check the API, we put on a mask, we move activities indoors, we perhaps work from home, and we wait for the skies to clear.
It's an example of what Dr. Cornelia Walter describes as the normalization of the unacceptable, where repeated exposure to something abnormal gradually changes our perception of what we're willing to tolerate.
And she argues this phenomenon extends well beyond environmental problems, including into the way businesses and individuals are embracing artificial intelligence.
So when does adaptation become acceptance? And if ESG is ultimately about recognizing risks and taking responsibility for them, what happens when businesses and societies simply learn to live with those risks instead? And joining me to discuss this is Dr.
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You are listening to People Planet Profit, the show where we explore developments and debate in the ESG space.
Air quality has deteriorated across several areas, with unhealthy readings recorded in parts of Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, as authorities continue to monitor fires across the region.
It's an environmental problem with consequences for public health and for workers, while raising difficult questions about corporate responsibility, supply chains and governance across borders.
But after decades of recurring haze, have we simply become used to it? We check the API, we put on a mask, we move activities indoors, we perhaps work from home, and we wait for the skies to clear.
It's an example of what Dr. Cornelia Walter describes as the normalization of the unacceptable, where repeated exposure to something abnormal gradually changes our perception of what we're willing to tolerate.
And she argues this phenomenon extends well beyond environmental problems, including into the way businesses and individuals are embracing artificial intelligence.
So when does adaptation become acceptance? And if ESG is ultimately about recognizing risks and taking responsibility for them, what happens when businesses and societies simply learn to live with those risks instead? And joining me to discuss this is Dr.
