HSH Princess Theodora von Liechtenstein launches conservation foundation

A new, not-for-profit foundation targeting eco-conscious teenagers around the world is set to launch in the UK.

Green Teen Team, founded by nine-year old HSH Princess Theodora von Liechtenstein, aims to help protect the environment by engaging young people in conservation projects and educational summer camps across the globe.

Following the charity’s inaugural regeneration project, Chelonia - a turtle and tortoise conservation programme in Italy – the Green Teen Team Foundation will now work with ‘a major environmental organisation’ to roll out a new project in the UK.rolling out projects across the globe with the UK next in line.

Founder of Green Teen Team, HSH Princess Theodora said: “People think that big problems need big answers but that is not always true, sometimes small actions can make a big difference. If I start now, at nine years old, and other young people join me, in 10 years’ time, together, we can make significant improvements to our future environment.

“Our first project in Verona has successfully created a cutting-edge, protected habitat enabling five species of endangered European turtles and tortoises to reproduce and thrive. Our goal is to release them back into their native habitats to regenerate in-situ populations.”

Find out more about the Green Teen Team.

New supply chain certification to be launched by the Carbon Trust

The Carbon Trust has announced that it is developing a new certification for organisations that are taking ‘effective action’ to reduce carbon emissions across their supply chains.

The certification will provide ‘a quantitative and qualitative framework for recognising organisations that have committed to take action on their supply chain environmental impacts, ultimately leading to carbon reductions’.

A draft methodology for the new award is currently being developed and involves measuring impacts and improving processes and systems.

The Carbon Trust has said it is now looking to work with a number of organisations across different sectors in an initial pilot phase running through to early 2015.

Darran Messem, Managing Director of Certification at the Carbon Trust, said: “For a typical organisation, up to 90 percent of the carbon impacts are outside of its own boundaries of operational control.

“The Carbon Trust’s new supply chain certification will help businesses and public sector bodies along a continuous journey of improvement, as a part of a sustainable, low carbon future.”

Organisations that are interested in working with the Carbon Trust in piloting its new supply chain certification should either email the Carbon Trust or call +44 (0) 207 170 7000.

Find out more about the Carbon Trust.

FDF Director General Melanie Leech to join British Property Federation

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), a trade association representing the food and drink industry, has announced that its Director General, Melanie Leech, will be leaving January 2015 to head up the British Property Federation.

Leech (pictured, right), who has held the post of Director General since August 2005, said: “I have been privileged to lead FDF for the last nine years and am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in that time. With the support of five great Presidents and many individuals from member companies, plus a dedicated, expert and hard-working executive team we have made a real difference for food and drink manufacturing and driven the agenda through initiatives such as our Five-fold Environmental Ambition, our 2020 Growth Vision and our Ingredients for Success.

“The time is now right for me to move on to a new challenge and I am excited about the opportunity to represent another major economic powerhouse sector for the UK economy.’

Richard Evans, FDF President, commended Leech for her “significant contribution to furthering the industry’s interests”, adding: “She is highly regarded both by members and our stakeholders and has been a huge support to me and my predecessors in the role of President. We wish her well for her new role.”

FDF has now commenced the search for a new Director General.

Find out more about the Food and Drink Federation.

Veolia signs waste contract with Siemens

Veolia, through its subsidiary Veolia Environmental Services, has signed a three-year recycling and waste treatment contract with technology firm Siemens Plc.

Worth approximately £6 million, the contract covers multiple waste streams (including commercial, industrial, and hazardous waste) and is split over four contracted lots, covering up to 90 Siemens manufacturing sites and office locations across the UK. This includes providing recycling and waste collections to Siemens’ on and offshore wind power sites in Scotland.

Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia Senior Executive Vice President, UK and Ireland, said: “This far-sighted contract utilises our fully integrated environmental services offering and will enable Siemens to take a holistic approach to its varied waste streams and treat them in a sustainable way, particularly by reusing more of the materials they produce.”

Read more about Veolia.

Peter MacKellar become Executive Director at SLR

Former Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) EMEA Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of SKM Enviros, Peter MacKellar, has joined environmental consultancy SLR as an Executive Director.

MacKellar (pictured, right) left SKM in June, following the takeover of the Australian group by Jacobs. He held a variety of roles at SKM in Australasia and Europe over the last 20 years and in 2009 led SKM’s acquisition of Enviros.

Speaking of his new role at SLR, MacKellar said: “I have followed SLR’s progress over the years and have been excited by its approach.

“SLR’s international growth has been particularly impressive, as has its disciplined focus on providing purely environmental services, which has contributed to the firm’s on-going success. I believe SLR has a very strong platform from which we continue to build one of the world’s leading environmental consultancies.”

Neil Penhall, Chief Executive of the SLR Group (with whom MacKellar worked at Rust Consulting in the 1990s) commented: “We’re delighted that Peter has joined us. He has a wealth of water and environmental consultancy expertise and his extensive international experience, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Africa, are also well aligned with our aspirations for further international growth.”

Read more about SLR.