Over the next decade, the relationship between business and the natural world will be a defining one. There’s a lot do and momentum is building, with ambitious goals set and net zero commitments made.
As a global network, we have a critical role to play. We’re taking action to achieve net zero by 2030, working alongside clients and partners to help them make climate-related change.
Our people are at the heart of this important work and are taking important actions every day to move Deloitte closer to our net zero goal. We’re lucky to have a team of brilliant people leading our climate work across the organisation and commitment from leaders to making a real difference.
Below we hear from two of our colleagues: Laila Takeh and Sharon Thorne.
As part of our Strategy and Innovation practice, Laila is putting her long-held passion for sustainability into leading our net zero transformation team. And as our organisation’s Global Chair, Sharon is using her platform to prioritise climate change in her work with Deloitte partners, people and clients.
I’ve always believed that purpose and social value are central to creating commercial benefits for organisations, as well as it being the right thing to do.
Deloitte Net Zero strategist
Laila Takeh: Net Zero Strategist and veg grower
Laila describes her role as helping clients think about how they can create value from transitioning their strategy and operations to survive and thrive in a low carbon economy.
“I’ve always believed that purpose and social value are central to creating commercial benefits for organisations, as well as being the right thing to do.”
“We’re seeing more and more evidence of this,” she continued. “Lots of public sector clients are asking for help to ‘write their rules’ for a low carbon economy. Equally, people in the private sector are asking how they need to respond to it, and where to prioritise given the scale and complexity of the shift.”
Away from work, she finds it’s the simple things in life that inspire her most. “Recently I’ve been really interested in the trend of growing your own veg at home - and generally just being thriftier and making the most of the things we have.”
Optimistic about our future, Laila believes that collaboration holds the key to unlocking collective impact. And we’re contributing by doing what we do best – connection.
Above all, she sees a growing willingness from businesses to change in ways that can ultimately benefit us all: “The future I see is one where there ceases to be a social value strategy versus a revenue-generating strategy. It’s one and the same thing.”
The next decade is a big opportunity for us all. A lot could change, and despite the headlines, for the better - especially if we work together now. Fortunately, we can see that momentum is building towards achieving a sustainable future for everyone.
Deloitte Global Board Chair
Sharon Thorne: our Global Chair on the power of collaboration
Climate change has been on Sharon’s mind for years. She wasn’t sure how exactly she could contribute. Then she became the Deloitte Global Chair and decided to make taking action on climate change part of her legacy.
“I felt I had a platform to make a difference in a way I hadn’t had in my previous roles,” Sharon said. “I could use my voice to have a dialogue with Deloitte partners, people and clients so we could leverage our unique position in the many sectors that we work in.”
For Sharon, being ambitious about our goals is something we shouldn’t be afraid of and it’s important that we use our global presence to encourage and support others with their sustainability goals, while recognising that countries are all at different places on the journey.
“This is where the power of a connected global organisation comes in,” Sharon said. “We can look across our global organisation to share ideas and best practices that will help us all overcome challenges and make meaningful progress.”
As Sharon continues her work with teams around the world to drive our sustainability strategy, she’s encouraged by the progress that’s being made and feels optimistic about what businesses can achieve if we work together.
“At Deloitte, we will continue to support and champion those taking action as well as being honest about the learnings and progress from our own journey.”
Taking action on climate change can feel overwhelming at times, but together we can make a huge difference by turning commitments into actions.
We’re on the journey too and learning along the way. Read more about what we’re doing on our climate page, and hear more from our people who might inspire you on your journey.
Contact:
Katy Barrass, PR manager
+44 20 7007 7916 | Email Katy