Summary
I have been supporting people on a range of environment and sustainability topics within commercial enterprises, public sector, social enterprises and co-operatives for 17 years. I co-founded Sustainable Change Co-operative (SCC) to bring skills and experience, and a passion for the natural environment and its protection, together. We need to approach these issues with creativity and ambition, finding different and better ways of doing things. My focus, and that of SCC, is on facilitating and informing rather than simply telling people what to do. I guide them to think for themselves and what is best for their organisation - it's like mentoring with environmental expertise intertwined. It embeds skills, builds confidence and integrates new ways of doing things into work roles. As things progress, motivation grows and action accelerates demonstratively, rewarding people and organisation. Environmental knowledge cuts through most areas and I have expertise across a range of environmental topics, and organisations - public, private, social enterprise, academic and co-operative. Key aspects of the approach relate to: getting a sense of what a business is about, culture and barriers to change; understanding current knowledge and ambition (and pushing it further); identifying the cored of need and priorities; and exploring whether tools such as EMSs and more challenging new ones (e.g. Future-Fit Business Benchmark) are suitable or not. As every person and organisation is different, delving deeply into specific needs is vital and I take considerable time and pride in getting this right.
Expertise
I have a broad knowledge of environmental issues and some areas of speciality that have developed through experience, for example: Defining clear environmental goals and vision, and ways to them; Environmental management systems (EMS) e.g. ISO14001; Climate change and responses e.g. carbon reduction, community renewable, energy efficiency; Waste as a resource - avoidance, reduction, reuse and recycling; Environmental legislation, risk management and pollution control; research to inform policy, practice and campaigns; project management.
Experience
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Sustainable Change Co-operative
Partner
2007 - Current
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Sustainability Northwest
Project Manager
2002 - 2007Senior Project Manager, Project Director and consultant on a wide variety of initiatives including: EU-funded Corporate Responsibility projects aimed at business, Community Renewables Initiative, climate change impact and adaptation research, sustainability appraisal, workshops, environmental management and reviews for multi-site businesses. -
National Centre for Business and Sustainability
Project Manager/Co-ordinator
1997 - 2002Consultant on a wide variety of initiatives including variety of environmental improvement projects aimed at SMEs. On-site long-term support for manufacturers, acting as Environmental Manager to reduce pollution, manage regulators, identify savings and reduce resource use. Research for industry groups, retailers and others. Reviews and environmental management systems for several multi-site co-operative businesses.
Education History
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Environmental Protection
University of Salford
1995 - 1997 -
Physiology
University of Manchester
1987 - 1990 -
Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science 'A' Levels
Stafford College of Further Education
1985 - 1987
Qualifications
Clubs and Associations
- Chartered Environmentalist with the Society for the Environment
- BRE Code for Sustainable Homes
- ILM Level 5 Certificate in Social Enterprise (and co-operative) Support
- CMI Level 5 award in Management Coaching and Mentoring
- Member of Co-operatives UK
