Earlier this week Radio 4 broadcast a Costing the Earth programme on what the recession might mean for current approaches to the environment. They called it 'Black Monday, Green Tuesday' with the core question, "Is an economic bust actually an environmental boon, and is there any chance we'll emerge from this recession with a new model of economic growth – one built on sustaining resources not exploiting them?"

I was privileged to be one of the people they interviewed. My basic message was that sustainability makes business sense in a recession. In the short-term, it can help save costs and help companies survive. In the long term, sustainability issues (such as the effects of climate change or the cost of energy) will determine the growth potential of a company's core business. So, now is the right time to use sustainability to make the changes that position the company for long-term success. You can expect a lot more from us on using sustainability to survive and succeed in a recession.

Of course, the programme had the usual cast of characters along the spectrum of views.

My interview was set up because the producer was intrigued by the scenarios we had developed for Acting now for a positive 2018, preparing for radical change, a recent report with Capgemini. The interview itself was back in mid-November and was a strange experience. The presenter, Tom Heap, and I sat staring at each other across a desk, while the producer moved a digital recorder between us. The questions kept coming, so I can't remember exactly everything I said.

Then last week I got an email: so much has changed since the interview, do I still stand by what I said? I had a brief moment of panic: had I said something really stupid? But I didn't think I had, and I think the programme proves it. No one knows exactly what the future holds. But looking at the width of plausible futures, we can see that in all of them sustainable operations become increasingly important for business success. Which is why sustainability makes business sense in a recession.

Click here to listen to the programme.