Grant Thornton launches sustainability team

A SUSTAINABILITY TEAM set up by Grant Thornton will be headed up by former Barclays Global advisor Jane Stevenson who becomes director.

The team will deal with developing sustainability policies for clients, as well as strategy, risk management and benchmarking, among other services.

Stevenson has spent ten years, until 2002, in the international oil and gas sector as an exploration geologist with Environmental International.

She has subsequently acted as a sustainability advisor to various businesses including Barclays, before going on to hold non-executive directorships with several social enterprise groups.

She holds a degree in geology from the University of Durham, which she supplemented with an MBA in business from INSEAD and postgraduate degree in sustainable business from Cambridge. She is currently non-executive director and member of the audit, risk and nominations committees at the Conservation Volunteers.

Nathan Goode, Grant Thornton partner and head of energy, environment and sustainability, said: “Sustainability is increasingly seen as a core business issue and the market for sustainability services is expanding rapidly, so it’s a natural progression for the firm to offer an advisory service that understands the challenges and opportunities its clients face.

“I’m delighted Jane has joined us to head up the new sustainability team – she is extremely experienced, a recognised expert in developing and managing sustainability programmes and partnerships for business, and an experienced board member herself.”