Lord Barker takes sustainability role at advertising agency

Barker, who stepped down as an MP following last year’s general election, will help to “build and grow Gyro’s sustainability efforts”, which encompasses 14 offices worldwide.

“Gyro is an impressive group of entrepreneurial talent and I’m genuinely excited to be working with Kate and her team,” said Barker.

“We are living through a period of extraordinary change, and gyro has a set of unique skills which can add real value to senior decision makers as they respond to business risks and opportunities that sustainability and climate change present.”

Translating sustainability

Gyro London managing director Kate Howe added: “We’re observing a surge of shareholder activism focused on sustainability – even the Governor of Bank of England, Mark Carney, is talking about climate change as the ‘tragedy of the horizon.’

“I know from my conversations with business leaders that genuine engagement at every level of an organisation – from the boardroom to the supply chain and from staff to customers – can be one of the biggest hurdles a company can face in meeting its sustainability goals.

“Gyro focuses on how organisations can translate sustainability into stories that mean something to customers and other stakeholders – stories that can stir up passion and translate into an enhanced reputation and positive behaviours.

“I am deeply honoured that Lord Barker has joined our efforts to help businesses that are looking to shift the world to a sustainable economy.”

Barker’s breakthroughs

Barker was Minister of State for Energy & Climate Change in the last coalition Government; overseeing a big expansion of decentralised energy along with the development of some world-firsts, including the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and the Green Investment Bank. More recently, Barker served as David Cameron’s personal ‘Climate Change Envoy’ in the run-up to the General Election. 

Barker also oversaw the launch of the Green Deal energy efficiency scheme in 2011 – one of many green schemes that have since been scrapped under the new regime.

Late last year, edie reported that Barker had formed an unlikely alliance with actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio; as inaugural advisory board members for microgrid solutions provider Powerhive, which supplies affordable, reliable, and productive solar electricity to rural communities in the developing world.

Luke Nicholls