Celebrating our ten-year anniversary

On its ten-year anniversary as an independent sustainability company, Resource Futures announces its new executive team. Sam Reeve has officially taken up the role of Chief Executive Officer from Jane Stephenson who has become Business Development Director. Supporting Sam are two newly created senior roles: Bethan Jones steps up as Head of Engagement and Communications, whilst Emma Burlow joins as Head of Resource Efficiency.

On its ten-year anniversary as an independent sustainability company, Resource Futures announces its new executive team. Sam Reeve has officially taken up the role of Chief Executive Officer from Jane Stephenson who has become Business Development Director. Supporting Sam are two newly created senior roles: Bethan Jones steps up as Head of Engagement and Communications, whilst Emma Burlow joins as Head of Resource Efficiency.

Emma joins in May 2016 from QSA Partners where she has been delivering on the WRAP REBus project since 2014 and has worked closely with over 30 companies including Argos, Beko, DHL, Ikea, Oxfam and Sky plus innovative SMEs such as Globechain, Greenstream and Po-Zu. Before joining Resource Futures in October 2015, Bethan previously worked with the likes of Facebook, EE, Freeview and BT, encouraging broad behaviour change around the adoption of emerging technology such as broadband, digital TV, 4G and social media.

This marks the next chapter for Resource Futures in supporting public, private and third sector organisations in instigating positive change to minimise the impact of consumption and production on the environment. Resource Futures is one of the UK’s leading organisations delivering expert analysis and interpretation of secondary material data, high impact communication and education programmes, and innovative reuse and remanufacturing projects.

These changes come at a time when there is increased demand for resource efficiency and what seems to be a real desire to change the status quo of the UK as a throwaway society. This has been prompted, in part, by things like record global temperatures in February (1.35°C warmer than average according to Nasa data), the recent launch of the new Courtauld Commitment, and last year’s EU Circular Economy package. Waste and resources have also been given prime-time exposure with the hugely popular programme ‘Hugh’s War on Waste’ and shortly the upcycling show with Gok Wan, ‘Fill Your House for Free’, which are raising consumer and business awareness about wastefulness and lost ‘cash’ in our supply chain systems.

Bringing together the expertise around data analysis and behaviour change is where Resource Futures can really have an impact. The company has worked with the likes of WRAP, AkzoNobel, Zero Waste Scotland and Kingfisher on a broad range of projects including SCAP 2020, SATcoL market research, edoc and Community RePaint.

Commenting on the changes, Sam Reeve, CEO, said:

“Over the past ten years, Resource Futures has matured from its grass roots beginnings to become a trusted partner without losing its founding principles. It is our passion for resource efficiency to become a business norm and daily habit. The Resource Futures brand is built on robust data and insightful analysis to deliver innovative behaviour change through collaboration across the value chain. Now is the right time for us to scale up our work in delivering sustainability for our clients, be that through education, behaviour change, remanufacturing or waste prevention.”

Philip Ward, Chairman of Resource Futures, added:

“The appointment of a new executive team to guide our employee-owned company marks the next phase in the development of Resource Futures. We have brought new talent to the team to mix with Sam and Jane’s enormous expertise and knowledge of the business and our customers. Both Emma and Bethan bring an extended breadth of experience and insight to help us evolve to meet the emerging needs of our clients where climate change and resource issues are becoming ever-increasing business risks.”

Jane Stephenson, Business Development Director and Board Member, commented:

“Having led Resource Futures over the past ten years I’m delighted to step into a new role to support our growth. Going forward we will continue to support fascinating projects that will have a positive impact from community-level upwards. Resource efficiency is a powerful tool to act on climate change whilst delivering strong economic value for all and it’s a real pleasure to be at the heart of that for our clients.”

As part of the recent changes, Phil Cumming also joined the Board in December 2015 as a non-executive director. Phil is an independent consultant, trading as Koru Sustainability, and brings with him considerable insight into sustainability issues and engagement of the corporate sector and is currently working as a sustainability advisor to Marks & Spencer. Phil has a long standing relationship with Resource Futures having managed, on behalf of the London Olympics Games Organising Committee, the company’s strategic advice and legacy report work on waste management at the London Games.