Compass appoints Chief Climate and Sustainability Advisor

Compass Group UK & Ireland has appointed leading University of Oxford expert, Professor Sir Charles Godfray FRS, as Chief Climate and Sustainability Advisor to its Executive Team. He will support the clients of Compass by primarily shaping and delivering the organisation’s industry leading commitment of reaching Climate Net Zero by 2030.

Professor Godfray is a population biologist with broad interests in the environmental sciences and has published in fundamental and applied areas of ecology, evolution and epidemiology. He has spent his career at Oxford and Imperial College and is currently Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Population Biology at Oxford. 

Professor Godfray is particularly focussed on food security and chaired the UK Government Office of Science’s Foresight project on the Future of Food and Farming. Formerly Chair of Defra’s Science Advisory Council, he is an ongoing Trustee of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

In addition, he is Co-Director of the Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP) project at the University of Oxford that included an ecolabelling pilot, which Compass supported across its Business & Industry sector.

In 2017 he was knighted for services to scientific research and for scientific advice to government.

Commenting on the appointment Carolyn Ball, Director for Delivery of Net Zero, said:

“Specialist guidance will play an increasingly integral role in the business decisions needed to deliver our climate commitments, so this level of direction and thought leadership within our Executive Team is a real privilege for everyone at Compass and all those working with us.”

Professor Sir Charles Godfray added:

“Compass’ size and scale means that it is uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the food system. The team’s commitment to working with suppliers, clients and its people is outstanding and I’m looking forward to contributing to their ambition. Together, we must create the blueprints for the wider industry to learn from.”