John Elkington

John Elkington is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. He is a writer, thought-leader, serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker and, at heart, a committed environmentalist. Described as the “Godfather of Sustainability,” he has now written or co-authored 21 books, including the million-selling Green Consumer Guide series. Otter books include Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of the 21st Century Business. In 1997, this book brought his term ‘triple bottom line’ to a wider audience. In 2020, John published Green Swans: The Coming Boom in Regenerative Capitalism. The book draws on John’s experience working with some of the world’s largest companies. He optimistically argues that our species does its best work when backed into a corner. The book was shortlisted for the FT & McKinsey Book of the Year Award 2020. In 2024, his book Tickling Sharks: How We Sold Business On Sustainability surveyed the evolution of the global sustainability movement and industry. John is the co-founder of Environmental Data Services (ENDS, 1978), Countercurrent (1983), SustainAbility (1987) and Volans (2008), where he is Founder & Global Ambassador. Volans is a think-tank and advisory firm working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship, and innovation movements. In 2008, The Evening Standard named John as one of the ‘1000 Most Influential People’ in London, describing him as a ‘true green business guru’ and an ‘evangelist for corporate social and environmental responsibility long before it was fashionable’. In 2009, a CSR international survey of the Top 100 CSR global leaders placed John fourth behind Al Gore, Barack Obama, and the late Anita Roddick of the Body Shop. He has won many awards, including the World Sustainability Award. Over the years, John has also served on over 80 boards and advisory boards, advising companies, non-profits and policy-making organizations. He is a visiting professor at the Cranfield School of Management, as well as at Imperial College London and University College London (UCL).