Deloitte boosts sustainability credentials with senior hires

The British wing of Deloitte has confirmed two senior appointments, as it moves to improve its sustainability offering. Anne-Marie Malley will lead the firm’s sustainability and climate team, while Smruti Naik-Jones becomes Chief Sustainability Officer of the wider UK group.

Anne-Marie Malley, UK sustainability and climate leader, commented, “I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead and drive Deloitte’s sustainability and climate offering for our clients - an area that’s absolutely vital to the success and growth of all businesses going forward, including our own. We all have a responsibility to take action, both as individuals and within organisations. Deloitte is committed to helping clients transition to more sustainable practices and transform their businesses, as well as taking measurable, decisive action internally to deliver our own targets.

Big Four accounting and consulting firm Deloitte has been rapidly ramping up its climate commitments in recent years. Having set the goal of making its operations become net zero by 2030, it went further at the start of 2023, with UK CEO Richard Houston stating the firm would add a special clause into its agreements with clients for later in the year, to ensure sustainable delivery on all engagements.

There are currently more than 500 people at Deloitte in the UK focussed on delivering sustainability projects for clients. Malley previously helmed Deloitte’s consulting practice in the UK, and will now use her experience and expertise to lead the sustainability and climate team across that sizeable team, working with organisations to help them set and achieve their sustainability goals.

She added, “Whether it’s climate scientists, specialists in creating decarbonisation strategies or experts designing ways to achieve sustainability targets, we are recruiting the best people and investing in innovative solutions and services, to continue to help businesses around the UK work towards a more sustainable future.”

Smruti Naik-Jones meanwhile joins Deloitte as the firm’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. Having joined the firm in 2006, she was most recently leader for Deloitte’s Enabling Functions Ethnicity efforts. Naik-Jones will now lead the firm’s WorldClimate strategy, to drive Deloitte’s own net zero and sustainability agenda.

The new UK Chief Sustainability Officer commented, “Climate change is arguably the biggest challenge businesses face, and as well as supporting clients to make changes, it’s key we prioritise sustainability within our own firm. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help continue to transform our business, embed sustainability into our strategy and empower our people to create a better future.”