UN Sustainable Development Chairman makes an impact at Northumbria

Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact Foundation – regarded as the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative - has delivered a public lecture at Northumbria University, Newcastle, on how to make a global impact through sustainable development.

The former Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell also met with students from Northumbria’s Enactus Society and heard how they use entrepreneurial action to transform lives. His visit and lecture formed part of a series of sustainable development initiatives at Northumbria as part of the University’s Go Green Week.

During his lecture, Sir Mark Moody-Stuart detailed the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and how its 17 goals provide a framework to address social and economic development issues, including poverty inequality and social injustice, and tackling climate change. Exploring opportunities for businesses, the higher education sector, government and wider society, he focused on the need for sustainability strategies that not only meet the needs of consumers but also have a lasting change on a global scale. He also discussed the development and role of the United Nations in meeting global sustainability goals.

The lecture attracted guests from the region’s educational, business and cultural sectors. It was delivered at Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School, which recently became a United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) Champion School – one of just 38 globally and chosen from more than 700—higher education institutions

Dr Alex Hope, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching for Business and Law at Northumbria, and Vice-Chair UK & Ireland United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (UN PRME) Chapter, said: “Sustainable development is a familiar term, but understanding what this actually means and how to make a real impact is not so clear. We were delighted therefore to welcome someone of Sir Mark Moody Stuart’s stature to Northumbria and to benefit from his insight and clarity.

“It was also a valuable opportunity and learning experience for our students to meet and question an internationally recognised authority in sustainable development. Northumbria supports the UN’s sustainable development goals through our research, education, operations, campuses and partnerships. We have also committed to the higher education sector’s Sustainable Development Goals Accord – and a key motivator behind this is increasingly high expectations of students that sustainability is a core part of the University’s strategy.”

Sir Mark Moody-Stuart began his career at Shell as an exploration geologist, working in Holland, Spain, Oman, Brunei, Australia, Nigeria, Turkey and Malaysia, and UK. He became Managing Director of Shell Transport and Trading Company plc in 1991.

Sir Mark was a Member of the International Council for Integrated Reporting: Chairman of the of the Global Business Coalition for HIV/AIDS 2002-2011; board member of Global Reporting Initiative 2002-7 and the International Institute for Sustainable Development 2002-2011.

He is the Author of “Responsible Leadership – Lessons from the Front Line of Sustainability and Ethics”. He became a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St George in June 2000