LOUISE HERRING, ETHICAL TRADE MANAGER, SAINSBURY'S - CORPORATE ACE
As the supermarket giant's leader for ethical trade, Herring is responsible for ensuring that workers along all its global supply chains are treated fairly. She has seen firsthand how injustices affect farmers and workers from Africa, India, Poland and Australia to the UK. 'I've talked to women in South Africa about the impact of not being paid a living wage, and I've seen the dramatic effect of rains coming at the wrong time on farmers and their families in Kenya,' she says. These experiences have shaped Herring's view of how business should behave. At Sainsbury's for less than two years, she is leading the rollout of its plan to improve the working lives of migrant and agency workers in the UK meat and poultry industry. All the judges commended her dedication to the cause.
HELEN MCTAGGART, SUSTAINABILITY DELIVERY MANAGER, M&S - CORPORATE ACE
A delivery manager in Marks & Spencer's award-winning Plan A team, McTaggart says her focus is 'on supply chain sustainability and building the capacity of our suppliers to be better environmental and social stewards'. What particularly impressed the judges about McTaggart was what she'd achieved outside her day job, namely the Future Sustainability Leaders Forum, which she founded this year. It's a network of young career sustainability professionals, whose events have attracted managers from Virgin, Tesco, SAB Miller and HSBC. 'The aim is to build connections early in our careers that will pay dividends in years to come. It will sharpen sustainability professionals' strategic thinking and influencing skills and make them forces to be reckoned with,' McTaggart says.
EMILY SPEARMAN, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, DONG ENERGY - MBA MASTERMIND
Due to complete her part-time global energy MBA at Warwick Business School next year, Spearman has just joined Dong Energy, a Danish energy company, as development manager for the Hornsea Offshore Wind Project. At the time of entering these awards, she was associate director at URS, one of the world's largest engineering and environmental consultancies, working to reduce the environmental footprint of major projects around the world, including London's CrossRail. Spearman, who was credited by the judges as being one of few senior women working in a male-dominated sector, has high ambitions. 'My objective has always been to become CEO of an energy or engineering company and ensure that sustainability is embedded into the organisation,' she says.
DANIELLE MICHALSKA, SUSTAINABILITY GRADUATE, BARRATT DEVELOPMENTS - ONE TO WATCH
Michalska's responsibilities in the housebuilding group's sustainability department include promoting sustainability issues, increasing the knowledge of the company's operational offices, assisting in large development bid submissions, providing standard group solutions and implementing strategies. Michalska's achievements include efficiency savings, improving bid submissions, building industry relationships, enhancing CSR reporting and improving corporate reputation. 'With the UK housing industry accounting for 30% to 40% of our carbon emissions, the sustainability challenge we face is how we fulfil the housing shortfall and the Government's aspirations without comprising the future,' says Michalska. The judges admired her confidence and commitment.
