Stephen Farrant

Associate, England, UK

stephen farrant

Experience

Stephen is an independent consultant, non-executive director and strategic advisor. Having spent the first half of his career in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, he is now a specialist in the world of sustainability and responsible business. Through his own sustainability consultancy, he helps organisations from across multiple sectors to re-think and re-purpose their strategy for the 2020s.

With some 15 years of experience enabling businesses to work on climate, sustainability and innovation, he started his career in the early 1990s at British Airways. Most recently he was Director of Sustainability and Innovation at Business in the Community (one of the Prince of Wales’ leading charities) where among other things he established the Circular Economy Taskforce, the Purpose Toolkit, the Responsible Business Tracker, and BITC’s work on responsible innovation in the digital age.

From 2009-2015, he led the International Tourism Partnership (recently re-branded as the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance), on whose Board he now serves.

Between 1997 and 2006, Stephen held a number of senior roles at VisitBritain, including General Manager Quality, and Head of Partnerships and Planning.

Core skills and qualifications

Stephen is a senior sustainability professional, with extensive leadership experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. A customer-focused problem solver and communicator, he has a proven ability to identify practical solutions to complex challenges, and has co-authored the following publications at Business in the Community: the Toolkit for Purpose-Driven Brands, and responsible business in the digital age.

With a strong corporate network and international outlook, he is highly skilled in engaging stakeholders and developing coalitions.

He is a qualified Executive Coach, has a degree in Modern Languages (French and Spanish), and holds both British and French citizenship.

Specialisms

Stephen specialises in stakeholder engagement, strategy development, action planning and industry collaboration. He has detailed knowledge and leadership experience in the following:

  • corporate purpose and innovation
  • circular economy
  • natural capital
  • decarbonisation programmes
  • new product development
  • responsible business practices
  • strategy and planning
  • workshop delivery
  • stakeholder dialogues
  • sector-based collaboration
  • social and environmental responsibility
  • corporate sustainability
  • partnership development (in particular across sectors)
  • Executive Coaching.