Janet Ranganathan

Janet Ranganathan is the Vice President for Science and Research at the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization that works at the intersection of environment and development in more than 50 countries. She ensures WRI’s research is robust and its influence strategies evidence-based. She leads WRI’s “Data into Action” strategy, which combines open data platforms, information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, and human networks to drive more transparent and accountable management of the planet’s resources. This includes overseeing WRI’s growing family of data-driven “Watches,” and making sure WRI is a trusted source of actionable information.

Janet works closely with the Managing Director to strengthen the impact of research and data across WRI’s six global programs: Food, Forest, Water, Climate, Energy, and Cities. She plays a lead role supporting WRI Brazil and WRI’s sustainable investment project. During her tenure, Janet has held diverse positions across WRI’s programs and rolled out numerous initiatives, including Resource Watch, Better Buying Lab, and Creating a Sustainable Food Future. Janet also founded the  Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative, an international multi-stakeholder partnership convened by WRI and the  World Business Council for Sustainable Development  to develop international greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard is now the international accounting and reporting standard for business.

Janet has written extensively on a broad range of sustainable development topics, including food sustainability, plant-based diets, business and markets, environmental performance measurement, environmental accounting, climate change, greenhouse gas measurement and reporting, ecosystem services, forests and global environmental governance.

Janet is Vice-Chair of the Ceres Board of Directors and a member of the board of WRI Europe, WRI Africa and WRI Brazil. She is a member of Mars’s Science Advisory Committee. She serves on the advisory boards of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre, and World Economic Council on Future of Food Security and Agriculture.