Keynote Speakers

Paul Elliott CBE, MBE a special adviser to the FA Chair and CEO

Paul Elliott, a former Charlton Athletic player, acknowledged the strength of the club’s partnership with the RSK Group, which has helped the club become more sustainable. Although CAFC ranks among the top 6 sustainable clubs in the UK, they remain dedicated to further reducing their carbon emissions and accelerating change. Initiatives such as a sustainable travel charter, introducing drinking water machines at the club, and replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs demonstrates their commitment to creating “greener games”. Paul emphasised our collective responsibility to maintain the environment, encapsulated in the acronym below.

TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More

Paul Elliott was a successful England football player whose career began at Charlton Athletic in the early 1980s. Paul has dedicated his life to anti-racism initiatives which began during his time at Chelsea where he co-founded the country’s leading football anti-discrimination organisation. Paul was appointed MBE and CBE for his services to equality, diversity, and inclusion in football. Returning to his football roots, Paul was recently appointed to Charlton Athletic FC’s Board.

Dr Alan Ryder Chief Executive Officer, RSK Group

From picking up litter on the way home from school to developing an interest in environmental issues at Hull University, RSK founder Alan Ryder’s drive to look after our planet began at an early age. More than 35 years ago, Alan was inspired to establish an organisation that would positively impact both the environment and society, providing innovative, high-quality environmental and engineering solutions whilst prioritising sustainability. In his address, Alan shared his inspiration, reiterating the value and importance for us all to come together as a strong community to ensure we can meet net zero goals.

Alan is both the founder and CEO of the RSK Group, fulfilling his ambition to create a sustainable business with people at its heart. Today, RSK is a group of more than 200 diverse businesses with 15,000 colleagues working together on six continents across most sectors of the economy, all committed to delivering against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Sarah Murray Director, Local London

Sarah Murray of Local London reflected on their sustainability achievements while acknowledging the urgent need for residents and businesses to work together to find ‘voices and resources’ to accelerate further change. Diverse initiatives are underway across nine member London boroughs, including a 3-year plan, ‘Towards 2026’, with an emphasis on ‘People, Place, and Sustainability’. Sarah also highlighted the ‘Mind the Skills Gap’ local skills improvement plan, which aims to help double green job opportunities by 2030, and a focus on Green and Digital initiatives, including Project Gigabit, which will enable hard-to-reach communities to access fast internet services.

Local London is a partnership of 9 London boroughs working towards net zero, identifying the jobs and skills needed in key green economic growth sectors, with a focus on collaboration and innovation. Sarah oversees large growth programmes covering employment, skills, careers, business support and digital infrastructure. Sarah leads the sub-region’s efforts to influence the Government’s levelling-up agenda and secure funding for sustainable local economic growth.