Ed Gillespie (sustainability professional)

Edward Roger Gillespie
Born May 1972
Norfolk
Occupation sustainability consultant
Known for Co-Founded wearefuterra.com, Director of Greenpeace UK
Notable work wearefuterra.com

Ed Gillespie is a British environmental entrepreneur and author. His focus is on sustainability and innovation. He co-founded Futerra, one of the first specialist sustainability communications agencies in 2001 with Solitaire Townsend.[1][2]

Early life and education

He grew up in Norfolk, attending Norwich School. Afterwards he was a volunteer for Project Trust as a teacher in Jamaica. He completed an MSc in marine biology at the University of Wales and continued in this discipline by undertaking a MSc in Marine Resource Development and Protection at Heriot-Watt University.

After this his focus shifted to business as he enrolled in a Professional Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development at Middlesex University, a course run by sustainable development charity Forum for the Future.[3] While there he met Townsend.[4]

Career

Ed started his professional career as an Environmental Development Manager at London Transport. Before this he had worked for the Survival Natural History Film Unit and as a marine biologist in Australia, New Caledonia and Orkney.

In 2001, he co-founded Futerra Sustainability Communications with Solitaire Townsend and their mission is to make sustainable development so desirable it becomes normal.

In 2007/8, he traveled around the world without flying, and his passion for slow travel led him to invest in, and become Chairman of, European Rail Business Loco2.[5] His interest in sustainable development is further shown by his service as a non-executive Director for Zero Carbon Food,[6] a London Sustainable Development Commissioner,[7] Director of carbon emissions campaigning organisation Sandbag [8] and an investor in Foodtrade.[9]

Publications and public speaking

Ed is a regular contributor to The Guardian, which began back in 2007 with his Slow Traveller blog.[10] This developed into commentary on topics around sustainable business, climate change and environmental communications.[2]

In June 2014, Wild Things Publishing published Ed's first book, Only Planet.[11][12] The book is based on his 2007/8 trip.

Gillespie is regularly invited to lecture around the world to audiences, including the UN, national governments, multinational corporations and citizen organizations. He spoke at a TEDx event in 2010 about the importance of embedding sustainability into business strategy in a talk titled 'Sustainability, the reinvention of progress'.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Ed Gillespie - Keynote, Public, After Dinner, Event & Guest Speaker". London Speaker Bureau. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  2. 1 2 "Ed Gillespie". The Guardian. 2009-01-04. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  3. ↑ "Leadership for Sustainable Development". Forum for the Future. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  4. ↑ Lock, Helen (2017-09-20). "Businesses on the couch: the co-founders in couples' therapy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  5. ↑ "team". Loco2. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  6. ↑ "The Team | Zero Carbon FoodZero Carbon Food". Zerocarbonfood.co.uk. 2014-01-24. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  7. ↑ "Ed Gillespie". Londonsdc.org. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  8. ↑ "Who we are". Sandbag. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  9. ↑ "ed gillespie". FoodTrade. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  10. ↑ "Slow Traveller | From the Observer". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  11. ↑ "Only Planet". Only Planet. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  12. ↑ Webb, Flemmich (2014-06-12). "Only Planet by Ed Gillespie, book review: Allow world's flaws and". The Independent. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  13. ↑ "Responsible Marketing". VLearn.org. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
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