Environment Magazine

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP has announced the appointment of Malcolm Preston as chief executive officer of the firm’s sustainability and climate change practice as part of the firm’s strategy to respond to growing client needs in sustainability, and investment in its advisory business.
Ian Powell, chairman and senior partner commented: "Sustainability remains a major business issue for our clients. Given the current market turmoil unsurprisingly the short term focus for a number of companies is how sustainability can assist in immediate short term cost efficiencies. However, the mid and long term challenge of sustainability is high on both policy makers' and business' agenda and Malcolm and the new members of PwC's sustainability practice demonstrate the significant investment we are making to develop our market leading sustainability team."
With a proven track record of building successful business within PwC, Malcolm will lead the firm wide sustainability team providing a comprehensive service ranging from impact assessment and strategy formulation through to the specific challenges of climate change and carbon management as well as sustainability assurance and reporting. Recent partner appointments have further strengthened the team:

• Alan McGill, joins from KPMG, specialising in non-financial performance measurement, reporting and assurance. He is a former project director of The Prince of Wales Accounting for Sustainability initiative.
• Jon Williams, joins from HSBC where he was group head of sustainable development, with responsibility for developing and implementing the firm’s sustainability business strategy. Jon’s initial area of focus will be the financial services sector, utilising his significant experience of lending and investments related to climate change, low carbon energy, water infrastructure, forestry and microfinance.
• Will Day joins as a sustainability adviser in a part time capacity. A senior adviser to the United Nations Development Programme and a senior associate of the Cambridge Programme for Industry, the primary focus of his work will be market facing, building awareness and understanding of sustainability trends and issues.

Malcolm Preston, chief executive officer, Sustainability and climate change said: “Sustainability is now a mainstream business issue, and the downturn is providing the ideal opportunity to examine short and long term financial and business opportunities that integrate sustainability into the supply chain, product development and financing. I am delighted to take up this new role with an experienced team at such a critical point for the sustainability agenda.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers has a 15-year track record of advising clients on sustainability and corporate responsibility issues across its assurance, tax and advisory practices. In the past eighteen months, the dedicated sustainability and climate change practice has doubled in size and forms part of a global team of over 700.