Introducing our new Carbon & Sustainability Services Director
As the business world advances towards a more sustainable approach, NQA continues to lead the way with global certification and verification services.
This year marks a new chapter for sustainability at NQA, with Stephen Burt transitioning from Field Director to Carbon & Sustainability Services Director. He joins Amber Dixon, Sustainability Assurance Manager, working in partnership to help clients achieve their carbon and wider sustainability ambitions.
Keep reading to find out what Stephen has in store for NQA’s sustainability agenda.
Congratulations on your new role! Can you tell us more about yourself?
Hi. I’m Stephen Burt, NQA’s newly appointed Carbon & Sustainability Services Director.
I’m very excited to take the role up after over 15 years of working with NQA in a variety of roles, including Regional Assessor, Field Operations Manager, and, for the last seven years, Field Director.
What did sustainability look like when you first joined NQA?
When I first joined NQA, I had worked in environmental, energy and sustainability roles as a consultant and within the industry for over a decade.
In the 1990s and 2000s, it sometimes felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall trying to convince businesses of the need for, and the opportunities in, these areas.
Quite rightly, I’m very pleased to say that my experience is very different now, with many discussions around carbon, environment, energy and wider sustainability being much more like pushing an open door.
What has the support for sustainability at NQA been?
NQA has been delivering sustainability services for many years, beginning with my involvement in auditing against BS8900 Managing Sustainable Development in 2006.
NQA’s leadership team has long been committed to offering sustainability services to our clients. With the more recent uptake in standards relating to carbon, the decision was taken to establish a new Sustainability Business Unit.
The commitment to this has been driven from the very top of the organisation, and we’re all very excited to help our clients towards the ultimate goals of net zero and improved sustainable development.
What has driven you to a sustainability-focused role at NQA?
For many years, I have specialised in and had the keenest of interests in management systems such as ISO 50001 (Energy Management) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management).
As regulation, supply chain pressures, government policy and public perception have moved further towards carbon and sustainable development, this sustainability role has been a natural progression for me.
It matches well with my long-held interest in assisting our clients to improve their businesses while enhancing their sustainability performance.
What sustainability trends have you seen while conducting verification and certification work?
I’ve experienced many motivations for improved sustainability amongst our clients.
These primarily include regulatory, risk reduction, cost savings and supply chain pressures. There are also a surprising number of businesses whose leadership teams work hard to drive sustainability because of concerns about the future and the need to manage and reduce their carbon emissions.
The demand and desire for carbon quantification, management and reporting are very much an increasing trend I see on a daily basis.
What are your plans and goals for this role?
NQA has employed many high-profile experts with strong backgrounds in all things carbon, energy, environmental and sustainability for a long time.
I believe that, combined with our leadership team’s commitment to helping clients never stop improving, will enable NQA to:
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Set the standard and lead the market in carbon and sustainability services
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Become the go-to provider for credible and robust verification services
Now and in the future, credibility for our clients in their pursuit of carbon and sustainability reporting will be key, and we at NQA are fully committed and well-placed to support our clients.
NQA is here to support your sustainability journey
Businesses in the UK are increasingly turning to certification and verification to recognise their sustainability claims. Rely on NQA today to discover the opportunities of a carbon-friendly world for years to come.
Our renowned sustainability certification and verification services include:
Learn more about the environment and carbon neutrality by visiting NQA UK’s Sustainability Hub.
Want to speak to a sustainability expert about your options? Take the first step via our contact page.
