Martin Barrow, director of footprinting at the Carbon Trust, and Professor Robert D. Klassen, of Western University, in Canada, are regarded as world leading authorities in their field.
Martin has been appointed Visiting Professor of Footprinting and Sustainability while Prof Klassen will take on the role of Visiting Professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management.
Prof Klassen’s research explores the multi-faceted linkages between the natural environment, social issues and operations performance, termed the triple bottom line, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of supply chains.
He is Professor of Operations Management and holds the Magna International Inc. Chair in Business Administration at the Ivey Business School.
Speaking about his new role at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, Prof Klassen said: “My experience is that research is truly a collaborative endeavour involving the insights, investments and efforts of many scholars and partners.
“As a Visiting Professor, I hope that I can contribute to further expanding the collaboration and influence that º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has on research in sustainability and business.”
Co-appointee Martin is a º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ alumnus and is one of the world’s leading authorities on value chain, product and organisational carbon footprinting.
Since 2007, he has overseen a very wide range of projects to help companies derive business benefit from understanding and optimising their value-chains at corporate and product level in readiness for a transition to a low carbon economy.
He has been key in the development of footprinting tools, guidance and training to assist companies in footprinting; and in building a range of advisory services to support companies in footprinting projects to support target setting, communications/labelling, reductions in costs and GHG emissions, risk mitigation and opportunity exploitation.
Martin said: “It is an honour to be appointed Visiting Professor, both for myself, and to note that in awarding this from the School of Business and Economics, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ how this clearly demonstrated the importance sustainability now holds within the business and academic worlds.
“The business imperative for companies to understand the environmental impact of their company and its products is driving huge demand for Carbon Trust’s world-leading services, and the number of sustainability-related projects within º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ alike.
“I look forward to the opportunity to further expand upon our last seven years, to see how we best further work together on data-driven business analysis in the area of footprinting-driven decision-making by companies and governments as well as the dissemination of educational information and advice to the university itself.
“Combining the expertise of both organisations to help support what is potentially the most important issue facing the world today.”
Professor Stewart Robinson, Dean of the School, said: “I am delighted that Martin Barrow and Robert Klassen are joining the School as visiting professors.
“This cements our relationship with these outstanding leaders in the field of sustainability and enables us to continue to develop our collaboration with the Carbon Trust and Ivey Business School.
“Sustainable practices and research into sustainability are high on the School’s agenda.”
ENDS