Cromwell hires award-winning expert Lara Young as Head of ESG
12/12/2022
Real estate investor and fund manager, Cromwell Property Group (Cromwell), has announced the appointment of one of the United Kingdom’s leading sustainability experts, Lara Young, as its Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
Lara was most recently named Young Person of the Year by the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and Energy and Carbon Leader of the Year at the 2021 edie Awards – the United Kingdom’s industry leading sustainability awards – and she is currently the Chair of the Carbon Champion Review Panel, which is convened by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
Cromwell’s Managing Director for Europe, Pertti Vanhanen, said: “We’re delighted to have secured someone of Lara’s calibre for this role, and we’re excited to be able to draw on her extensive knowledge and invaluable experience.”
“We look forward to working with Lara on further developing the Group’s existing ESG framework and aligning the ESG strategy with the business’s overall strategic objectives. Taking these steps is a natural progression to reduce risk, improve business resilience, and continue to develop a culture of innovation and thought leadership within our teams across the globe.”
“Our current ESG strategy is driven by industry best practice, and we are striving to achieve a globally recognised sustainability and corporate social responsibility platform in the next few years.”
“We welcome Lara to the team and look forward to her contribution towards reaching our goals.”
As the Climate Change Director at Costain, Lara was the driving force behind establishing and implementing their Climate Change Action Plan, which set out a detailed 15-year plan to transition to a net-zero organisation by 2035.
It is those kinds of strategic outcomes that Lara is seeking to help replicate at Cromwell.
“I’ve always been someone who’s strived to make a difference in the world, and I’ve constantly advocated for taking action today on factors influencing climate change,” said Lara.
“I’m delighted to join Cromwell Property Group – a company I know has already set itself ambitious ESG targets – and I’m proud to be able to help steer and bring to life Cromwell’s ESG strategy in a way that will positively impact the business, its tenants and investors, and the planet.”