Speakers

For the past three decades, Holly has been a leading practitioner in the field of sustainability - linking the inherent values of biodiversity and ecosystem services to human livelihoods and well-being.

She began as a systems ecologist and has gone on to become an expert in long-term ecological monitoring, corporate ecosystem valuation and monetisation, the international trade and use of wild species of animals and plants, community-based conservation and governance, strategic planning and implementation for the conservation of biodiversity.

After more than 20 years on the staff of WWF International, in 2004, Holly was elected to the Governing Council of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to serve as Chair of the Species Survival Commission (SSC), the largest of IUCN’s six expert Commissions, overseeing the publication of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and coordinating the work of over 7,500 conservation experts.  For over two decades she has also chaired SSC’s African Elephant Specialist Group and was recently awarded IUCN’s Sir Peter Scott Award for Conservation Merit – the SSC’s recognition for lifetime achievement.

Between 2009 and the end of 2012, she brought these many years of experience to her work at PPR (now Kering). Holly was responsible for bringing innovative, yet practical, ideas to the company on creating value and advising their diverse group of brands on key risks and opportunities in their global value chains. Among the pioneering brand initiatives was PUMA’s pioneering 2010 Environmental Profit & Loss (E P&L) account. She was a key member of the core team in its development and initial rollout. In her previous capacity as Director of Strategies and now as Senior Adviser to The B Team, Holly is actively engaged in development of the National Capital Protocol for the Natural Capital Coalition. Holly also oversaw a major feasibility study into the development of a Social Profit & Loss (S P&L) account and remains engaged in WBCSD’s planned development of a Social Capital Protocol.

She is currently exploring solutions to the need for new metrics, new incentives and greatly enhanced leadership from the business world, through working with the investment community to enhance the flow of capital to those companies delivering environmental, social and financial benefit.  Holly has also worked extensively on responsible sourcing and the need for establishing mutually beneficial relationships between companies and the local communities who are stewards for the natural resources they depend on.

Holly has actively participated in policy forums, including UNFCCC, CBD, CITES, the MDG and SDG processes. She serves on the Steering Committee of the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group and is a member of the Sustainability Committee of Wilderness Safaris.

As an accomplished speaker and writer, she has a proven track record of deeply understanding the issues, thinking strategically and putting lessons from diverse realms into operational practice.

@HollyDublin1