Former BBC Wales chief appointed to help green business grow

A Cardiff-based consultancy that works with businesses to achieve their carbon reduction goals and ESG targets has made a key appointment that will help take it to the next level.

Green Ibex was founded by experienced project and programme manager Jonathan Jones with a mission to help companies shape and deliver their sustainability strategies and move towards net zero.

Now it has appointed former BBC Cymru Wales Chief Operating Officer Gareth Powell as a non-executive director as it aims to take advantage of the growing demand from businesses for sustainability solutions.

Gareth Powell,  a Chartered Accountant, has held roles in the private, public and voluntary sectors. He was recently announced as a non-executive director of the Port of Milford Haven.

Gareth and Jonathan worked together on several major transformation projects at the BBC, including the delivery of the new BBC Wales HQ in Cardiff’s Central Square, a project that achieved the highest accreditation for sustainability.

Gareth Powell said: “I’m excited to be joining Green Ibex as a non-executive director. I’ve worked closely with Jonathan and I know he has the experience and expertise to help businesses succeed with their green ambitions.

“Carbon reduction and net zero are constantly in the news, and I think this area will evolve quicky over the next few years, driven by customer and employee expectations. Establishing credible carbon reduction plans and delivering early will give businesses a real competitive edge.”

The UK Government has set a binding target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and research suggests that so far, four in five FTSE100 companies and 40% of SMEs are committed to achieving net zero.

However, only 5% of large companies have credible net zero plans in place, and only 26% of SMEs have measured their emissions.*

Green Ibex works with businesses to develop and action plans and implement solutions to achieve net zero.

Jonathan Jones, Founder and CEO of Green Ibex, said: “Moving to net zero presents commercial and economic opportunities to businesses of all sizes.

“Often businesses have good intentions, but they don’t know how to achieve their goals, especially when a large percentage of their emissions are out of their control.

“That’s where Green Ibex comes in. We can help businesses evaluate the challenges they face and give them the knowledge and the tools they need to make the changes they aspire to.

“With Gareth’s guidance and experience, we’re looking forward to supporting more businesses to succeed.”