In our post-truth era, how does an 85-year-old publication maintain trust while testing tomorrow's technology today?
Phil Radford, President and CEO of Consumer Reports, brings a unique perspective to consumer advocacy, combining decades of environmental activism with rigorous product testing. From his early days fighting waste incinerators in Chicago to leading Greenpeace and increasing their revenue by 233%, Phil has consistently worked to create market conditions that favor sustainable products. At Consumer Reports, he's pioneering new testing methodologies for electric vehicles, battery safety, and charging infrastructure to help consumers make informed decisions about green technology.

Under Phil's leadership, Consumer Reports is evolving beyond traditional product reviews to become a catalyst for sustainable innovation. The organization's independence—funded entirely by 5 million subscribers without advertising revenue—allows them to maintain objectivity while pushing manufacturers to create better, more durable products. Phil emphasizes that successful green technology adoption happens when products excel on the fundamentals consumers care about most: saving money, ensuring safety, lasting longer, and providing genuine utility rather than relying solely on environmental virtue.

Phil Radford serves as President and CEO of Consumer Reports, bringing over two decades of environmental advocacy and organizational leadership to the role. Previously, he led Greenpeace USA as CEO, where he increased organizational revenue by 233% while working with nearly 100 major corporations to improve their environmental practices, including convincing tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Apple to commit to 100% clean energy. Phil's career began as a high school environmental justice activist in Chicago, fighting toxic waste incinerators in underserved communities. He founded Power Shift in 2001, pioneering clean energy financing solutions that helped scale solar adoption when global manufacturing was just 200 megawatts annually. Phil studied political science and business, combining his passion for environmental protection with strategic business acumen to drive systemic change in both policy and market adoption of sustainable technologies.

In This Episode:

(00:00) Introduction of guest Phil Radford

(03:47) Phil's career journey from high school environmental activism

(06:23) Shift to solar energy advocacy and Power Shift organization

(10:28) Consumer Reports' age of adoption story and testing innovations

(13:44) Building trust in a post-truth era through objective testing

(17:13) Consumer priorities beyond environmental concerns and future outlook

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About the show:

The Age of Adoption podcast explores the monumental transition from a period of climate tech research and innovation – an Age of Innovation – to today's world in which companies across the economy are furiously adopting climate solutions - the Age of Adoption. Listen as our host, Keith Zakheim, CEO of Antenna Group, talks with experts from across the climate, energy, health, and real estate sectors to discuss what the transition means for business and society, and how corporates and startups can rise above competitors to lead in this new age. Access more curated content on the subject by visiting, www.ageofadoption.com.

This podcast is brought to you by Antenna Group, an award-winning integrated marketing, public relations, public affairs and digital agency that partners with the world’s most exciting and disruptive companies across cleantech, mobility, real estate, healthcare, and emerging B2B tech sectors. Our clients are transformational and distinguished corporations, startups, investors, and nonprofits that are at the bleeding edge of the Age of Adoption. Visit antennagroup.com to learn more.

Resources:
Phil Radford LinkedIn

Antenna Group

Age of Adoption Website

Keith Zakheim LinkedIn