We believe doing good business is good business. In our 3-year vision we’ve made big, inspiring commitments. By 2025 we’re B Corp certified. On our journey to net zero. And we have a Head of Sustainability driving our business to be more sustainable. Well, we’ve ticked the last off. Meet Nicoleta Ciobanu.
The drive for businesses to be more Sustainable has never been greater. It was already on our radar. Then COP26 put it firmly front and centre in our thinking. We’ve always been a business with purpose. Particularly when it comes to our employees and community. We now want to extend that purpose to include the environment.
We want to be at the forefront of businesses that are taking heed of sustainability. We lead. We make life count. And that means we take care in our environmental, social and governance impact. Our journey to become B Corp Accredited demonstrates that doing good business is part of our DNA.
Getting Nico to lead our sustainability efforts is also a response to demands from our clients and partner organisations. They want to work with businesses that share their values and vision. As do we.
Things are changing. Large businesses are already required to report on their Carbon emissions. Regulators are proposing more mandatory reporting requirements for ESG. More clients are making voluntary disclosures and requesting assurance on those. There is a myriad of frameworks to apply. Guidance to follow. And we’re being asked our advice on how to cut a way through the noise.
Ade Cheatham our CEO said of Nico’s appointment:
“I’m really excited that Nico has agreed to take on this role. Becoming our first ever Head of Sustainability. She brings together passion, substance, and credibility.
Sustainability is here to stay, and we need to have an evidence-based approach to it. Her accounting and auditing skills will be key to monitoring our progress on our sustainability journey. Holding me and the whole CP team to account.”
Nico’s already part of the CP family having worked as an Accounting and Advisory Manager for the past 6 years. It’s really important to have someone leading on sustainability that is really embedded within CP. Who gets us. Our culture. Our operations. And most importantly our people.
But it’s not just about being part of CP. Nico’s also got the qualifications. A Cambridge University Certificate in Sustainability in Business Management and Global Reporting Initiative certified.
Plus she’s got the experience. She’s been working with our clients. Supporting them on sustainability issues for some time. Helping them set up systems to manage data capture and assurance. Clients in UK and Europe who want Nico’s input on Sustainability Advisory projects.
And Nico’s got the connections. A keen community member of B for Birmingham. A group for existing and upcoming B Corp members. Active alumni of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. With Cat Kelly our Head of Retail, Nico helped set up the Sustainability Sussed Community powered by Cooper Parry.
Nico said of her new role:
“I’m incredibly excited to be making this career shift from accounting advisory to sustainability. After ‘flirting’ with sustainability in my professional life for almost two years now, getting myself up to speed on the business imperatives, I am ready and excited to be turbo-charging CP’s sustainability efforts, our B-Corp journey and achieving our net zero targets.”
Along with focussing on CP’s sustainability targets Nico will also keep an external role for those clients that are on a similar sustainability journey. Supporting them through confusing ESG regulations and benchmarks.
