Speakers

Aaron Reid
Head of sustainable procurement
Balfour Beatty

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Alzbeta Klein
Director and global head of climate business
IFC

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Alzbeta Klein is the IFC’s Director and global head of climate business. Her role is to facilitate business growth, provide thought leadership, fundraise and facilitate all work related to renewables, climate-smart agribusiness, green bonds, smart cities and other climate business areas. Prior to her current appointment, she was a Global Co-Head of Industrials for IFC, investing and managing $15bn portfolio of investments in emerging markets. Alzbeta joined IFC from Export Development Canada. She received Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Ottawa, Canada, where she also studied for her doctorate; engineering degree from Prague University, Czech Republic; and executive education from Harvard Business School and INSEAD. She holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. She currently serves on the boards of Hans Merensky in South Africa, Grupo Los Grobo in Argentina, both agribusiness companies, on the New York University Center for Sustainable Business Advisory Board, and on the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board.
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Andrew McMullen
Environmental impact director
LEGO Group

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Andrew is Environmental Impact Director at the LEGO Group. Responsible for their ambition to be a zero impact business by 2032 for issues related to energy, water and waste in their own operations and supply chain. Through his exposure to the benefits of play whilst working for the LEGO group, Andrew takes an interest in how creativity and innovative thinking can be encouraged through playful activities. He believes these skills are key for individuals of all ages who are passionate about helping to solve sustainability issues. Previous roles include work on Royal Mail's energy efficiency and data management initiatives and at Tesco PLC delivering CAPEX projects and employee engagement programmes related to resource efficiency. Before moving to environmental work, Andrew was a building controls and refrigeration specialist.
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Anita McBain
Head of responsible investment & ESG
M&G Investments

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Annika Ramsköld
Vice president corporate sustainability
VATTENFALL AB

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Annika Ramsköld, Vice President of Vattenfall’s Corporate Sustainability department since January 1st 2014. Main task for unit is to coordinate the strategy work related to sustainability within the company on all levels, including target setting, monitoring progress, consolidated sustainability reporting and running stakeholder dialogue, Annika Ramsköld has worked in Vattenfall for close to 30 years with a wide range of assignments from R&D and business development to sales, trading, marketing and strategy. Her more recent positions are as VP Market Strategy and Business Development, VP CEO Office. As VP Market Strategy and Business Development, she initiated and ran two major business development programs; e-mobility and sustainable cities Annika has a Master of Science degree from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. She is chairman of the Joint Venture “Volvo-Vattenfall Plug-in-hybrid company” and Gasnätet Stockholm, and a board member of CSR Sweden, Klimatum and Distriktstandvården.
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Ben Ngobi
Global procurement sustainability lead
Accenture

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Ben Ngobi leads Accenture’s Global Procurement Sustainability, as well as its Northern Europe Supplier Inclusion & Diversity programs. Ben is responsible for the strategy to embed environmental, social and governance factors into purchasing decisions, working closely with multiple stakeholders in the company. Ben was responsible for enhancing Accenture’s approach to small and medium enterprise supplier engagement. In addition, he is helping establish initiatives that support reporting of progress on Modern Slavery and human rights, as well as the new corporate goals around Science-Based Targets.
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Benet Northcote
Partner and director, corporate responsibility
John Lewis Partnership

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Benet Northcote is Director, Corporate Responsibility for the John Lewis Partnership, incorporating John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners.  He is accountable for the delivery of the Partnership's CR objectives across ethical sourcing, sustainability, D&I and Partner wellbeing, as well as the management of operational Health and Safety.  He is a Trustee Director of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, a Trustee of Green Alliance and sits on the Board of the Conservative Environment Network.     He joined the John Lewis Partnership in 2013 after nearly five years as Deputy Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales, where he was responsible for HRH's initiatives on responsible business, the natural environment, food and farming.  Prior to that he was Chief Policy Adviser to Greenpeace UK, working predominantly on energy and transport policy.     He started his career with the BBC as a journalist, before moving to corporate communications agency CTN Ltd., where he advised many FTSE 100 firms.
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Benjamin Ware
Global head for responsible sourcing
Nestlé

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Carmel McQuaid
Head of sustainable business
Marks & Spencer

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Chris Daly
Supply chain VP, Europe nutrition
PepsiCo

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Chris has worked for PepsiCo for 27 years, predominantly in Supply Chain and Financial leadership roles. Having worked as a supply chain leader over the last decade, sustainability has been a critical part of Chris’ role and three years ago he formally took ownership of leading the sustainability agenda as part of his responsibilities to transform PepsiCo’s Europe’s supply chain. In this role, Chris leads PepsiCo’s work to embed sustainable thinking, practices and technology into the European supply chain. A key area he is driving is to establish end to end sustainability thinking into core decision making and processes across our business, alongside partnering with all stakeholders to make sustainable choices more accessible.
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Chris Harrop
Group marketing and sustainability director
Marshalls

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Chris Harrop is Group Marketing Director and Director of Sustainability at Marshalls plc. An accomplished marketer with a proven global track record, Chris’ persistent contribution has ensured that Marshalls not only leads the hard landscaping sector but is also a world-class sustainable business.  He drives the organisation to leverage its United Nations Global Compact signatory status for competitive advantage by working to uphold the principles of human rights, labour rights, Environment and Governance.  Under Chris’ guidance, the business has won numerous awards for commitment to the environment and supply chain ethics, including BITC, Business in the Community Awards for Excellence and the PLC Awards on 3 occasions. Chris was Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact UK Network for 4 years from January 2013 and has been a Non-Executive Director of the Ethical Trade Initiative since January 2011.  In addition, in June 2017 Chris became Chairman of Made in Britain.  Chris was rated 5th in Ethical Corporation’s Heroes of Sustainability in 2007 and named a Business Game Changer’ by BITC in 2012 and was named as one of the Top 100 Modern Slavery Business Influencers in 2018. Chris rounded off 2018 by being named BtB Marketer of the Year by BtB International. One of Chris’s proudest moments came in the 2019 New Year Honours List, when Her Majesty the Queen appointed Chris as an Officer of the British Empire, OBE for services to the Prevention of Modern Slavery and Exploitation. The strategic combination of experience allows Chris to fully understand the dynamic complexities of ethical trade, supply chains and international commerce.  Its potent combination affords him great insights which he is then able to recognise and activate in practical terms within his own organisation; he doesn’t just say it he does it. As a small example Chris made a personal journey to the North Pole in April 2017 to see the effects of climate change himself and to become a better advocate for action on climate change.
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David Saddington
Senior executive officer
BEIS

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David Saddington is a climate change policy maker & environmentalist. Since experiencing extreme flooding as a teenager he has communicated the importance of climate change action to millions, pioneered innovative policy change and worked with business on bold sustainability strategies. David’s first intervention was heading up a high profile public awareness campaign featuring BBC, Sky, ITV and working with then UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to get climate change on the school curriculum. David has spread climate education to other countries and his work to re-energise communication of climate change to the public has been featured by United Nations as an example of best practice. After leading education reforms David has pursued his own academic work first studying climate science before going on to investigate the economic, security & health risks of climate change. David has shared the stage with heads of state and CEO’s, talked at venues from the Hong Kong Science Museum to a beach festival in Ibiza and his TEDxTeen talk ‘Why I Don’t Care about Climate Change’ is one of the most watched climate talks on Youtube. David speaks about the opportunities and challenges from tackling climate change from his international consulting experience implementing carbon policies under the Paris Agreement and on sustainability initiatives with multinational corporations. David now works as a Senior Policy Advisor at the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on climate policy, including engaging youth voices and reaching beyond the 'climate bubble' at events during Green GB Week. David has been named by WWF as an Earth Hour Hero for his now 15 years of continued work as an environmental change maker and he is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Durham Energy Institute. David is also on the UK Board of Trustees for Nile Rodgers' 'We Are Family Foundation' which supports game-changing young entrepreneurs working on innovations to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.
David Symons, WSP

David Symons
UK Director of sustainability
WSP

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Edwina Hughes. WRI

Edwina Hughes
Head of engagement, Cool Food Pledge
WRI

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Erin Meezan
Vice president & chief sustainability officer
Interface

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As chief sustainability officer, Erin gives voice to Interface’s conscience, ensuring that strategy and goals are in sync with its aggressive sustainability vision established more than 20 years ago. Today, Interface has evolved its thinking to go beyond doing less harm to creating positive impacts, not just for Interface and the flooring industry, but for the world at large. Erin led the company to unveil a new mission in 2016 – Climate Take Back, tackling the single biggest threat facing humanity: global climate change. This mission is focused on creating a path for Interface and others to reverse global warming, not just reduce carbon emissions. As CSO, Erin leads a global team that provides technical assistance and support to this audacious goal and the company’s global business, addressing sustainability at all levels – from operations and management, to employees and customers, and in policy forums. Erin and her team also develop industry-leading approaches to measurement, driving transparency and innovation in the field of sustainability, while also capturing successes as the company nears its Mission Zero targets in 2020. Erin is a frequent lecturer on sustainable business to senior management teams, universities and the growing green consumer sector. She has keynoted at a variety of conferences and forums around the world. Erin serves as a guest faculty member at Harvard University for the Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership program. She also serves on the Sustainable Entrepreneurship MBA (SEMBA) program advisory board for the Vermont Grossman School of Business. Erin is a magna cum laude graduate of the Vermont Law School, where she earned her master’s degree in studies in environmental law and her juris doctor degree.
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Fiona Ball
Head of responsible business and Sky ocean rescue
Sky Group

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Fiona joined Sky in 2005 and leads the Group’s work on the environment (from reducing the company’s impact on the environment to ensuring its product and services are sustainable), child safety, access services and responsible sourcing. Alongside this, she was responsible for Sky Rainforest Rescue, Sky’s six year campaign and partnership with WWF to inspire customers to get involved and help save one billion trees in the Amazon Rainforest and am now actively involved in the Sky Ocean Rescue campaign, which aims to protect the health of our oceans by ensuring the business leads industry by being single use plastic free in its operations, products and supply chain by 2020. She is responsible for opinion former engagement and reporting the company’s sustainability performance and strategy. Prior to joining Sky, Fiona was the Global Environment Manager at a multinational telecommunications company. Fiona is a Chartered Environmentalist and a fellow member of the Institute of Environmental Management.
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Dr. Geoff Mackey
Corporate affairs & sustainability director
BASF

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Geoff was brought up on a small family farm in South Armagh, N. Ireland, he read biology in Liverpool and followed it with a range of post graduate qualifications in Health & Safety and management including a sleepless MBA. His doctorate concerned the strategic business value of social networks. He is a Director of BASF plc, responsible for a service portfolio in UK & Ireland and BASF’s Sustainability network in Europe. He has been within the BASF group for almost 20 years and advises a wide range of strategic and tactical groups inside and outside BASF covering private, public and third sector organizations in sectors including science, environment and further education. Historically, he has been an HSE inspector (Yorkshire), a bouncer (N. West), research scientist (Wales), sports coach (Midlands), bingo hall manager (N. East), bar manager (N. Ireland), PR adviser (Cambs), trainer (London) and ran his own consultancy (Shrops). In his 'spare time' Geoff is a driver for his two growing boys; an active Rotarian and has been recognized for his work both nationally and internationally; played rugby for Waterloo and Halifax; American Football in America and Australia; has sung and danced(!) with operatic societies; represented Breconshire at athletics; and is a published poet. He once won an award for his writing, and raises substantial charitable donations standing on his hind legs in public and talking.
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Gilbert Ghostine
CEO
Firmenich

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Gilbert Ghostine is the Chief Executive Officer of Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned Perfume and Taste Company and the number one Fine Fragrance House worldwide. Ranked among this year’s Top 100 CEOs, he is recognized for his relentless commitment to inclusive growth and delivering sustainable and differentiating innovation to his customers. Gilbert has a deep understanding of the Consumer Goods and Luxury industries, having lived and led businesses in 4 Continents for two decades with Diageo, the leading premium spirits company; and more recently as CEO of Firmenich for the past 5 years. A champion of “inclusive capitalism”, Gilbert believes in delivering positive value for all his stakeholders, from his customers and people to the planet and society. Leveraging the Group’s world-class science capabilities, exemplified by its Nobel Prize, Firmenich strategically invested CHF 380m in 2018 to innovate for a better society, with a focus on Sanitation, Nutrition and Climate Change. Firmenich is recognized as a global environmental leader, as one of only two companies worldwide to have achieved a triple A ranking from CDP, the world’s gold standard for environmental management. It is also one of only seven companies worldwide to be globally-certified as a gender-equal employer. Gilbert holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Saint Joseph University, Lebanon and completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.
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Ian Heasman
Director of sustainability
Taylor Wimpey

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Ian is the Director of Sustainability for Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd, one of the UK’s largest house builders. He is responsible for the development and delivery of Taylor Wimpey’s sustainability policy and strategy. This has included work on climate change, waste and resources, water, biodiversity, air quality, supply chain, social issues, reporting, disclosure, contaminated land and environmental liability. Ian studied geology at Southampton University and then Environmental Technology at Imperial College. Ian’s career started at an air quality start up and with environmental consultancy practices ERM and RPS. For the last twenty-two years he has been working within the construction sector, initially on large civil engineering projects with Taylor Woodrow, but mainly within the house building sector.
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Jim Skea
Co-chair working group III
IPCC

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João Pola
CEO UK&I
Signify

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João Pola is UK & Ireland CEO for Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), a position he has held since October 2017 having joined the senior leadership team early that year. Signify is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Headquartered in Eindhoven, and with global sales of EUR 6.4 billion in 2018, Signify has approximately 29,000 employees and is present in over 70 countries. Before joining Signify, João spent almost 15 years working internationally for Schneider Electric in various General Management, strategy, marketing & sales management and R&D roles. During his tenure at Schneider, João led global product launches, drove new partnerships in India, and created a new manufacturing scheme for electrical distribution products in South America. He has a range of experience acquired working at both market and corporate levels in France, Spain and the UK&I. João is a Portuguese national and fluent in four languages. He holds an MBA from IESE Business School and Electrotechnical Engineering Degree from ISEL- Lisbon Polytechnic Institute.
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Joe Franses
VP sustainability
Coca-Cola European Partners

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Jonathan Horrell
Director sustainability
Mondelez International

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Kate Wylie
Global VP sustainability
Mars, Incorporated

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Laura Gutowski
Director of strategy & sustainability
Pret A Manger

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Mardi McBrien
Managing director
CDSB

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Mark Gough
CEO
Capitals Coalition

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Mark Gough is the CEO of the Capitals Coalition, an open and inclusive, collaborative space to harmonize and enable thinking across all the capitals. As the Executive Director of the Natural Capital Coalition, Mark led the work that delivered the Natural Capital Protocol, the internationally accepted framework for business and developed the global community of practice which is still growing today. Mark was also on the board of Social and Human Capital Coalition, which is now unified with the natural capital approach through the capitals Coalition. Mark previously worked for The Crown Estate, helping to develop its integrated vision and strategy. Prior to this he was the Global Environmental Manager for the information company, Reed Elsevier. Mark is on the TEEB Advisory board and has sat on a number of national and international committees, including the Steering Committee of the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, the Board of the Alliance for Water Stewardship, and the Aldersgate Group, which brings together business, politics and civil society to drive action for a sustainable economy.
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Mart Drake-Knight
Owner
Rapanui Clothing

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Martin Gettings
Group head of sustainability
Canary Wharf Group

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Mary Robinson
President; former President of Ireland; and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Justice

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Michael Alexander
Head of water, environment, agriculture
Diageo

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Michael is global head of water, environment, and agriculture sustainability for Diageo with a focus on strategy, policy and communications. His principle responsibility is to drive the company’s strategy and associated communications, stakeholder engagement and reputational programme. This applies to the full value chain but with an emphasis on supply chain and operations. Key to success is understanding the evolving and complex sustainability agenda and industry best practice - and sharing and applying this across the business. He joined Diageo in 2007 prior to which he was with Ericsson. A graduate of the universities of Edinburgh and London, Michael is a member of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, Institute of Economic Development and the Chartered Institute for Public Relations.
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Mirza Baig
Global head of governance
Aviva Investors

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Naomi Hicks
Director of partnerships
WWF

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Nidhi Baiswar
Head of sustainable design and construction
Bouygues UK

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Paul Clark
General manager, Cloud engineering and supply chain
Microsoft

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Paul currently works in Azure as the General Manager of Cloud Provisioning & Decommissioning Engineering and he is the Azure environmental sustainability champion. Paul Clark is a veteran of process engineering and managing global supply chain capabilities that deliver exceptional value to customers as well as large corporations. Paul’s passion for innovation can be traced back to Intel where he spent significant time working in emerging markets and developing a deep understanding of the global perspective. At Microsoft, one of Paul’s passions is Supply Chain Sustainability and how corporations drive accountability throughout the cloud infrastructure ecosystem.
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Rebecca Marmot
Chief sustainability officer
Unilever

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Rhian Mari Thomas
CEO
Green Finance Initiative

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Ruth Romer
Private sector advisor
WaterAid

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Sashidhar Vempala
Head of communications and sustainability
Pernod Ricard India

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Sashidhar is a former wildlife photographer and conservation documentary film maker. Being a conservationist and wildlife photographer in India, he has been working very closely with the forest departments of certain states to aid water management, bio diversity conservation, conflict management, and anti-poaching camp infrastructure. This work has allowed him to gain a vast amount of expertise in water conservation, habitat and biodiversity management, working with tribal communities on livelihoods. His extensive background in forest conservation amongst other things has led him to his current role as Head of communications, sustainability and responsibility at Pernod Ricard India.
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Scott Poynton
Founder
The Forest Trust

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Scott Poynton has built a career inspiring leaders to take major, unprecedented leaps forward that have transformed not only their own company, but also their entire industries. Since founding The Forest Trust (now Earthworm Foundation) in March 1999, Scott has worked on seven major industry wide transformational projects that have broken traditional moulds and helped position his clients as pioneers, helping them reap significant reputation and business returns while making major shifts in their environmental and social performance. Key to these major transformations has been an exploration and implementation of company leaders' personal values. This career continues as an independent advisor to C-suite executives the world over, where he shares the lessons he's learned over the past 20 years to inspire leaders, both experienced and new, young entrepreneurs, to move forward within a complex context of big challenges and bigger opportunities.
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Siån Sutherland
Co-founder
A Plastic Planet

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Sonya Bhonsle
Global head of supply chain program
CDP

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Sonya Bhonsle is the Global Head of CDP’s Supply Chain program which enables major multinationals and governments to achieve sustainable supply chains, influencing over US$3.3 trillion in annual procurement spend. Sonya has over 14 years of Sustainable Supply Chain experience, both in the public and private sector. Over the last few years she has specialised experience on Scope 3, setting and meeting scope 3 targets (including science-based targets), as well as setting and meeting water security and deforestation related supply chain goals.
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Tom Szaky
CEO
TerraCycle

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