Dr Rory Sullivan, CEO and Co-Founder of Chronos Sustainability, is an internationally recognised expert on climate change, human rights and sustainable finance. He has over thirty years’ experience in the public and private sectors on these issues, including over fifteen years in investment management.
His recent projects include supporting the World Bank and policymakers and regulators in Peru, Colombia, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa and Zambia on the design and implementation of sustainable finance policy, supporting UNEP FI with the development of the Principles for Responsible Banking, supporting the international investor climate change networks (IIGCC, INCR, IGCC, AIGCC), Ceres, PRI and UNEP FI with their international policy work including on The Investor Agenda, and advising the PRI on its public policy, sustainable financial system and fiduciary duty programmes.
He has worked with organisations such as Aegon, Brunel Pensions Partnership, BNP Paribas Investment Management, CCLA, Church of England Pensions Board, Franklin Templeton, Storebrand and USS on the development and implementation of their sustainable finance and responsible investment strategies. Rory has also played a key role in the design and delivery of many major collaborative investor initiatives including Climate Action 100+ and the Transition Pathway Initiative.
Rory’s other positions include Senior Associate, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (University of Cambridge); General Editor of the Routledge Responsible Investment book series; and Member of the Editorial Boards for CSR and Environmental Management and Business Strategy and Development. He was previously Head of ESG Research and Standards for FTSE Russell, and Head of Responsible Investment at Insight Investment.
Rory is the author/editor of eleven books, over 40 peer reviewed journal articles, over 50 book chapters and many reports and articles on climate change and investment issues.
Selected Publications
Kendall, J, and Sullivan R. (eds.) (2023), Responsible Investment in Fixed Income Markets (Routledge, London, UK).
Woods, I., Sullivan, R., Harvey, E., Goon, R., Buentjen, C., Hoad, A, and Koshy, A. (2023), Climate Data and Net Zero: Closing the Gap on Investor Data Needs (Principles for Responsible Investment, London).
Pirovska, M., Ransome, H. and Sullivan, R. (2022), A Sustainable Finance Policy Engagement Handbook (Principles for Responsible Investment, London)
Sullivan, R., Black, R., Perkins, R. and Richards, C. (2022), Policy Brief. Company Lobbying and Climate Change: Good Governance for Paris-aligned Outcomes (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London).
Sullivan, R & Gouldson, A. (2021), Climate Change and the Governance of Corporations: Lessons from the Retail Sector (Routledge, London, UK).
Sullivan, R. & Stewart, F. (2020), Sustainable Investment: Best Practice Disclosure Framework for Pension Funds (The World Bank Group, Washington DC).
Sullivan, R., Martindale, W., Feller, E., Pirovska, M. & Elliott, R. (2019), Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century: Final Report (The Generation Foundation, PRI and UNEP FI, London).
Dietz, S., Fruitiere, C., Garcia-Manas, C., Irwin, W., Rauis, B. & Sullivan, R. (2018), ‘An Assessment of Climate Action by High-carbon Global Corporations’, Nature Climate Change, Vol. 8, No. 12, pp. 1072-1075.
Sullivan, R. & Gouldson, A. (2017), ‘The Governance of Corporate Responses to Climate Change: An International Comparison’, Business Strategy and the Environment, Volume 26, pp. 413-425.
Sudamant, A., Gouldson, A., Colenbrander, S., Sullivan, F., McAnulla, F. & Kerr, N. (2017), ‘Understanding the Case for Low-carbon City Investment through Bottom-up Assessments of City-scale Opportunities’, Climate Policy, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 299-313.
Doda, B., Gennaioli, C., Gouldson, A., Grover, D. & Sullivan, R. (2016), ‘Are Corporate Carbon Management Practices Reducing Corporate Carbon Emissions?’, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, Vol. 23, pp. 257-270.
Gouldson, A., Kerr, N., Millward-Hopkins, J., Freeman, M., Topi, C. & Sullivan, R. (2015), ‘Innovative Financing Models for Low Carbon Transitions: Exploring the Case for Revolving Funds for Domestic Energy Efficiency Programmes’, Energy Policy, No. 86, pp. 739-748.
Gouldson, A. & Sullivan, R. (2014), ‘Understanding the Governance of Corporations: An Examination of the Factors Shaping UK Supermarket Strategies on Climate Change’, Environment and Planning A, Vol. 46, No. 12, pp. 2972-2990.
Sullivan, R. (2011), Valuing Corporate Responsibility: How Do Investors Really Use Corporate Responsibility Information? (Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield, UK).
Sullivan, R. (ed.) (2008), Corporate Responses to Climate Change (Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield, UK).
Sullivan, R. & Mackenzie, C. (eds.) (2006), Responsible Investment (Greenleaf Publishing, Sheffield, UK).
Sullivan, R. (2005), Rethinking Voluntary Approaches in Environmental Policy (Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK).