New appointments to sustainable development panel

Greenenergy’s Donna Clarke and Jyoti Munsiff from Shell Transport have been appointed to the Sustainable Development Education Panel.

Donna Clarke is Greenenergy’s Business Development Manager. She was previously group environmental manager at London Electricity, moving from the post of environmental analyst to the City of Westminster. Greenenergy supplies low emission fuels and provides management services to businesses. The company recently launched an electricity package designed to help businesses meet their carbon reduction requirements by buying electricity generated from both conventional and environmentally-friendly sources (see related story).

Jyoti Munsiff has worked for the Shell Transport Trading Company for 30 years, since qualifying as a solicitor. In 1993 she was appointed company secretary. She is also a Governor of the College of Law, a Council Member of Surrey University-Roehampton, and served as a member of the DTI committee for company law reform.

Established in 1998, and reporting to the DETR and the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), the Panel provides independent advice to Government on educating society about the need for sustainable development. It has a remit to identify gaps, opportunities, priorities and partnerships for action in providing sustainable development, as well as highlighting good practice.

The Panel’s work includes commissioning studies and producing responses to a range of government consultations, and its remit includes education for sustainable development in further and higher education; life long learning, professions, schools, the workplace and youth work. It draws its members from a wide range of organisations, many with strong educational or environmental connections – the two new appointments will provide a much stronger business orientation to the panel.

Announcing the new members, Environment Minister Michael Meacher said: “The business community has a crucial role to play in promoting sustainable development. To ensure a better quality of life – now and for future generations – we need economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection, and we all need to play a part. I am delighted that these two prominent business people will help take forward the Panel’s valuable work.”

DfEE Minister, Jacqui Smith, said: “Education about the importance of sustainable development is essential to give people the skills they need to protect the environment and to ensure long-term social and economic viability. The Panel plays a vital role in advising us on how to get the message across in schools, colleges, workplaces and the community. Its work will be boosted by the knowledge and experience which these new appointees can contribute.”