Several big sustainability jobs in retail have changed hands or become available in recent weeks – Green Retail World rounds up some of the big moves and departures.
Sara Brennan, previously positive business director at Pentland Brands, has taken the chief sustainability & innovation officer role at art supplies business Colart.
Brennan has been leading sustainability strategy at the Berghaus and Ellesse parent company for five and a half years, but now returns to a key sustainability role at her old business, which is part of Lindéngruppen.
At Pentland, Brennan oversaw the introduction of the ‘100-1-0’ sustainability strategy which has set a net zero carbon target for the group’s centenary year in 2032. She also led the charge for Berghaus and sister brand Endura to achieve B Corp status.
Commenting on LinkedIn, Brennan said: “I’m chuffed to bits about diving back into the world of creativity and art, where our mission is to inspire and empower people to express themselves through artistic endeavours.
“It’s a bit like coming home, really – returning to a company and industry I know and love, but with fresh challenges and opportunities. Here’s to new beginnings, sustainable innovation, and the joy of creation.”
You can read about some of Brennan’s work at Pentland in our Seeds of Change interview from January.
Meanwhile, Boohoo Group has promoted Sophie Rycroft to responsible sourcing director – she has replaced Andrew Reaney. It’s part of a wider reshuffle in the sustainability team at Boohoo, which has seen Rycroft – who started at the company in 2013 as a buyer before becoming group head of sourcing in 2020 – step up from the position of head of sourcing & ethical trade she assumed last year.
Former Boohoo head of sustainability Lianne Pemberton left in June too, taking on the UK sustainability lead role at packaging company Smurfit Kappa after three years at the retailer.
At River Island, sustainability lead Rachel Franklin has now departed for pastures new, and we await to see where she pops up next.
She said on LinkedIn: “The last four years have been so much fun, I have had the pleasure of working with the best team, and together we have done amazing things for the business that I am so proud of.
“We have come along way as a business and I look forward to reading about the next achievements.”
And Steve Burgess started as group senior sustainability manager at Selfridges, following nearly four years at the department store retailer as a senior sustainability manager.
[image credit: Pentland Creative Agency]
