Benet Northcote has worked on sustainability for businesses, governments and NGOs since 2000, particularly on strategy and communications. Today he is the Chairman of Dialogue Earth and the Conservative Environment Network, as well as a Trustee of Green Alliance and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
He started his career as a BBC journalist before moving to various corporate communications roles, where his clients included FTSE 100 firms, top consumer brands, NGOs, and governments. He was chief policy advisor to Greenpeace UK, where he led engagement with politicians and businesses on campaigns ranging from coal to food and transport. After that, he spent five years as deputy private secretary to the king, when he was Prince of Wales, leading on responsible business, the natural environment, food and farming.
Until 2020, he was director of sustainability for the John Lewis Partnership. For seven years, he delivered major change to embed best-practice sustainability programmes at Waitrose and John Lewis, coinciding with a period of growth across both brands. Today, professionally, he continues to advise businesses on environmental and social engagement strategies.