Laura Hardman

An experienced leader with proven expertise in sustainability, ethical trade and circular economy, looking for her next challenge and the opportunity to progress her career. A dynamic changemaker, skilled in strategy development, partnership building, program management and impact measurement, who would relish the opportunity to contribute to the success of your team.

Ocean Wise Conservation Association  June 2020 – August 2023

A global conservation organisation on a mission to build communities that take meaningful action to protect and restore our ocean by tackling the three major threats, climate change, pollution and overfishing.

Director, Plastic Free Oceans Initiative 

Charged with tackling the threat of plastic pollution, I built and led a team of 15 people who delivered original research, citizen science & a circular economy consultancy program, and secured a budget of over $3million. Key achievements and responsibilities included: 

• Developing 2030 strategy and theory of change, that delivers impact at a scale that matters for the Ocean, and securing the necessary funding from sponsorship, fee-for-service, foundation and government grants. 
• Transforming the initiative from loss making to a profit centre by designing impactful new programs and activations to achieve the strategic ambition, including:
  • Research partnerships with Samsung & Patagonia to design smart wash cycles and microfiber filters
  • Launching the plastic reduction program, utilising a model where members benefit from circular economy consultancy, training, recommendations, and support in science based trials to achieve their goals and targets. 
  • Designing three shoreline cleanup activations targeted at corporate partners, universities and local government partners, to act as both revenue and lead generation
• Scaling our plastics programs into new markets, particularly the US
• Managing complex projects, with multiple stakeholders and differing reporting requirements, ensuring they are delivered to the highest quality, on time and on budget. 
• Growing long term relationships with key strategic partners, with whom we can deliver meaningful change, by collaboratively identifying opportunities for value add, developing proposals and securing buy-in from internal stakeholders. 
• Establishing and directing the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, standards/frameworks and ways of  working, both internally and as part of external programs.
• Building and mentoring an empowered and effective team to deliver the ambitious strategy set. 
• Representing Ocean Wise, locally, nationally and internationally, most recently at the Global Environment Facility Assembly in Vancouver
• Engage with wider system actors, from policy makers to businesses to community groups to drive real change, such as the global plastics treaty. 
• Ensuring the strategy and initiatives deliver effectively against Ocean Wise’s overall mission. 

Apetito  July 2017 – November 2019 

Sustainability & Ethical Trade Manager 

apetito is the UK’s leading creator and supplier of meals for the health and social care sector. As a unique business with  both a commercial and social purpose, in this role key achievements included: 

•  Receiving the Queen’s award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development
• Developing the 2025 vision and an impact focused sustainability strategy 
• Executing the strategy and lead key strategic programs and initiatives, including;  
  • Setting science based targets for our scope 1 & 2 emissions  
  • Leading and implementing our sustainable packaging solution based on an independent life cycle analysis and circular economy model, returning CPET trays to our supplier for regrind
  • Developing a consultancy package to reduce food waste, as a value add to increase customer retention
  • Advancing our ethical trade program, working with suppliers, and the Ethical Trading Initiative to  protect and respect Human Rights and Labour Standards through ‘beyond audit’ engagement
  • Coaching and mentoring buyers and suppliers to building understanding of sustainable sourcing and to safeguard  animal welfare and promote restorative agricultural principles
• Monitor, report and evaluate our performance against targets internally and externally
• Leading the Food Policy Group to ensure the proactive development of pertinent policies and process to  maintain best practice 
• Partner with Marketing and Public Relations teams to ensure we are transparently sharing our progress and  engaging our customers on the issues that matter most 
• Represent apetito at external events and conferences
• Engage with the wider industry to understand new and emerging concepts and best practice  

Diageo  May 2015 – July 2017 

Global Sustainability & Responsibility Policy and Reporting  

As a leading global alcohol beverage company, I fulfilled a global reporting role with my achievements and responsibilities including: 

• Designing, implementing and managing a performance management system for Sustainability & Responsibility  targets, for both environmental and social impact metrics, across multiple global functions and markets
• Creating a materiality assessment toolkit for individual markets to take greater ownership of program design, which both contributes to our global sustainability goals and creates a positive impact for local communities
• Writing the Sustainability & Responsibility sections of the Annual Report and producing the Sustainability &  Responsibility Performance Addendum to meet the Global Reporting Initiative, UN Global Compact and  Integrated Reporting Council requirements  
• Managing the annual submission for the Social Responsibility indices (DJSI, FTSE4Good)
• Conducting peer & trend analysis through both desk research and stakeholder engagement, presenting using a  variety of tools and techniques including system maps & 3 horizons, to inform our strategic decision making
• Representing Diageo at events and on speaking platforms, including at CDP’s awards event on a panel  addressing the challenges of science based targets. 

Lonrho  Oct 2011 – May 2015 Group Corporate Responsibility Coordinator 

Lonrho, an African focused investment company which operates three strategic divisions; Agribusiness, Infrastructure and Support Services. My key responsibilities included: 

• Devising future strategy and sustainability goals and targets, and monitoring progress against commitments  
• Developed, implemented and maintained Group reporting systems in line with integrated reporting guidelines  set out by the UN Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative. 
• Preparation and presentation of CR reports for the Board, Annual Report and UN Global Compact.
• Drafting policy and procedures for review by the Board and Corporate Responsibility Committee and overseeing CR officers in subsidiary businesses, advising how best to implement Group policy
• Monitoring progress against Lonrho’s core commitments and sustainability goals.  
• Data management and compliance preparation, including a quarterly review of energy, waste and  environmental factors affecting Lonrho.  
• Maintaining ISO14001 standards at Head Office and assisting subsidiary CR teams with audit preparation.

Birkbeck University of London 

Post-Graduate Diploma: Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability 

2014 - 2015 

Modules include: Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Governance, International Business Ethics, Trust, Social Norms  and Development, Environmental Science for Environmental Management and Public Relations.  

Coventry University 

LLB Law Hons 

2007 – 2011  

Modules included: Equity and Trusts, Company, Sale of Goods and Public International.