Alex Davies

ESG Business Growth Advisor

a.davies@elephants-child.co.uk

Alex Davies has over 20 years’ experience in environmental and social impact. Alongside his Elephants Child work, Alex is currently leading Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) at Cancer Research UK, one of the largest UK charities with 590 shops, 16m supporters and a turnover of over £500m. ‘Sustain’ is one of the charities five strategic pillars and represents the recognition that sustainability is essential for long term mission success, relevance and operational effectiveness.

Previously Alex spent six years leading Responsible Business, including social and environmental impact, at FTSE100 business St. James’s Place Wealth management (SJP). The business works with around 3,500 SMEs and Alex led work to support those businesses to develop their own ESG strategies, implement activities and talk about it to their clients and potential customers.

Alex spent nine years with a national charity supporting 400,000 young people working through over 12,000 delivery organisations. As part of this role he worked with over 500 SMEs to develop product offerings and marketing and three years heading commercial activities supporting businesses to leverage the charity brand and support young people. Alex started his career in a Pharmaceutical research and factory production scale-up of 200 people, managing environmental impact, auditing and quality assurance.

In his spare time Alex is chair of an international grant making charity working in West Africa, volunteers with charities to develop their own ESG strategies and drives his DeLorean as much as possible.

"Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential."

Winston Churchill

"Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans."

Peter F. Drucker

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

Abraham Lincoln

"Mould-breaking strategies grow initially like weeds, they are not cultivated like tomatoes in a hothouse.… (They) can take root in all kinds of places."

Henry Mintzberg

"Strategy is the great work of the organisation. In situations of life and death, it is the Tao of Survival or Extinction. Its study cannot be neglected."