SUSTAINABILITY
STEVE VARLEY TITLE : GLOBAL VICE CHAIR - SUSTAINABILITY INDUSTRY : CONSULTANCY LOCATION : LONDON , UNITED KINGDOM
and nature loss , water shortages , the circular economy , and plastics . But the bottom line is that businesses need to shift focus away from setting targets that may be many years in the future to reducing their absolute emissions today – and evidencing action each year .
Is aiming to be net-zero by 2025 ambitious , or achievable ? What are the biggest challenges ? It is ambitious but it ’ s also achievable . We ’ re a professional services organisation and our biggest asset is our people , so we don ’ t face many of the same complexities and challenges as some industries . It ’ s going to take some businesses longer to adapt , but those that can move faster , like EY , need to do so . A big challenge we face is helping our people take actions that will reduce their carbon footprint as they go about their work – for example , by taking fewer flights . We have a seven-point carbon point action plan to help us achieve our carbon ambition and
Steve leads EY ’ s climate change and sustainability agenda globally in a recently created role that is the first among the Big Four consultancy firms .
He helps EY clients create business value from sustainability and accelerate their transition to a lower-carbon future . He also leads EY ’ s overall environmental sustainability strategy across the US $ 36bn professional services organisation and its 300,000 people .
Steve is leading the organisation ’ s efforts towards decarbonisation and has overseen its achievement of carbon neutrality in 2020 , carbon-negative in 2021 , and netzero commitment for 2025 .
Steve was previously EY UK & I Regional Managing Partner and Chair of EY UK , leading the US $ 3.5bn business and its 17,000 employees . He originally joined EY in 2005 and has nearly 30 years of client and consulting business experience in various sectors including pharmaceuticals , oil & gas and public services .
Steve was a member of the Business Advisory Group to UK Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May and was also the UK Government ’ s Business Ambassador for the professional services industry during this time .
Steve is founding co-chair of the S30 , a group of 30 Chief Sustainability Officers from some of the world ’ s leading businesses , launched in 2020 in collaboration with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales ’ s Sustainable Markets Initiative .
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