DR ALEX O’DELL, Senior Market Director in GB & Ireland for roof window manufacturer VELUX, has taken on a new sustainability role as co-chair of the UK Corporate Leaders’ Group (CLG UK).

The group, which is convened by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), seeks to share the experience of businesses with policy makers to promote ambitious and practical outcomes for government and industry to meet net-zero targets by 2050. Alex joins fellow co-chair Peter Simpson, CEO of Anglian Water for a two-year period.

Corporate Leaders’ Group

CLG UK was founded in 2005 under the leadership of the former HRH The Prince of Wales to call for a stronger voice from industry to tackle climate change. It is now present in both the UK and the EU.

VELUX is one of 19 members of CLG UK, bringing the only voice from the construction sector to the organisation, having joined in 2022. The Danish-based firm, which has its UK & Ireland headquarters in Glenrothes, Scotland, recently set ambitious targets to become a carbon-neutral company by 2030 and halve the emissions in its value chain. This is in addition to capturing its historical operational carbon footprint through reforestation projects in collaboration with WWF.

New Co-Chair

Dr Alex O’dell said, “I am honoured to have been appointed co-chair of CLG UK. A key aspect of the VELUX sustainability strategy is showing how the built environment can be more sustainable, given buildings account for around 40% of global carbon emissions through embodied and operational carbon. I hope to bring our experience in this sector to CLG UK and its ambitious plans to promote policies and practices that can help industry and government meet net zero targets.”

Beverley Cornaby, Director, CLG UK, added, “We are delighted to welcome Alex O’dell as co-chair of CLG UK. Now more than ever it is vital to have committed voices from the business community to make the case for ambitious climate and environmental policy. Alex’s leadership experience and VELUX’s sustainability achievements make him well-placed to steer CLG UK and ensure the group maintains its track-record of achieving positive impact towards a climate neutral, nature positive and resilient socially inclusive economy.”

Alex O’dell began his career as a crop scientist with Unilever in its sustainable agriculture programme, before undertaking leadership roles with international manufacturing companies Canon and Dyson, latterly as North Asia president. Prior to his current role, he was Managing Director for UK scale-up company LITELOK, from where he joined VELUX in November 2022 as Senior Market Director for GB & Ireland. Alex was also appointed to the NARM board of directors in April 2023.

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