AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced the appointment of Robert Spencer as Global Head of ESG Advisory Services. In his new role, Mr. Spencer will support the advancement of the firm’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, Sustainable Legacies, by continuing to develop and advance AECOM’s industry-leading ESG services and offerings to clients. The Company’s Sustainable Legacies strategy is focused on embedding sustainable development and resilience across AECOM’s work, improving social outcomes for communities, achieving net-zero carbon emissions, and enhancing the Company’s governance.

“As ESG leaders in our industry, we are excited for Robert to take on this new role and lead the growth phase of our ESG Advisory Services business,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM’s president. “Our clients are advancing increasingly ambitious, multi-decade initiatives focused on sustainability, resilience and delivering positive social impact through their projects and services. In collaboration with our global network of sustainability experts, Robert will play a key role in helping our clients and communities achieve their ESG goals.”

Mr. Spencer has been an integral member in devising and embedding corporate ESG strategies in a post-COVID-19 environment, providing ESG-focused business planning and green recovery. He has driven climate change and carbon performance change management programs in-house and for client organizations; aligning climate action and sustainable development with strategic planning.

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Additionally, Mr. Spencer is a co-founder and executive director of the Natural Capital Laboratory (NCL). The NCL, established in 2019 by AECOM, the Lifescape Project, landowners Emilia and Roger Leese, and the University of Cumbria, is a unique five-year research collaboration for understanding and measuring natural capital in a live environment, which also identifies, quantifies, and values the impacts of re-wilding and biodiversity.

“Over my more than twenty-year career in sustainable development at AECOM, there has never been a more critical time to advance ESG priorities across all client sectors,” said Mr. Spencer. “Our clients are ambitious and have sophisticated net zero, natural environment and social value goals, and I am excited to take on a role that will see AECOM bring the full scale of its ESG expertise and knowledge.”

Mr. Spencer also works in a pro bono ESG advisory capacity for the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC) as an Advisory Board member and chair of the EIC Natural Capital Taskforce. He is Vice Chair of the Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils (FIDIC) Sustainable Development committee and sits on the Environment Analyst Sustainability Advisory Board. Recently, he established the Science working group of Sustainable Markets Initiative – Nature-based Solutions taskforce.

For more information on AECOM’s ESG Advisory Services, please visit https://publications.aecom.com/sustainable-legacies/esg-advisory

Source: AECOM