The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) has appointed Aviva Plc group chief executive Amanda Blanc (pictured) to its 25-member Council of Ambassadors.
Blanc is now part of the roster of influential people who share WWF’s aims and values and are committed to helping people and nature thrive. The other WWF ambassadors are Sir David Attenborough, Patrick Aryee, Sir Ian Cheshire, Jeremy Darroch, Will Day, Professor Jonathan Drori CBE, John Elkington, Princess Esméralda of Belgium, Alastair Fothergill, Anna Friel, Nicola Howson, Sir Richard Kleinwort Bt., Conor McDonnell, Steve Morris, Guilda Navidi-Walker, Poppy Okotcha, Stephen Poliakoff CBE, Lord David Puttnam CBE, Simon Reeve, Miranda Richardson, Keith Scholey, Cel Spellman, Guy Singh-Watson, and Lord Turner.
“Amanda will be a powerful ambassador for WWF in this critical decade for climate action,” said WWF CEO Tanya Steele. “While many companies are committed to tackling climate change, we need more to step up – as Aviva is doing – and play their part to protect our planet from irreversible damage.
“Amanda’s experience and drive, coupled with her passion for the environment, will help the UK’s finance and business sectors lead the race to become the world’s first green finance centre. We’re excited to have her joining our Council of Ambassadors.”
Aviva – WWF’s lead strategic partner in the insurance and pensions sector not only in the UK but also in Canada – is described as the first major insurer to target net zero by 2040.
“The financial sector has a huge job to unlock the trillions of investment needed to speed up the transition to net zero,” commented Blanc, whose long list of credentials include being HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter Champion and chair of the Women in Climate Action Group.
“Aviva joined forces with WWF to help tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, pushing the financial sector to get its act together in helping to create a greener future. I’m honoured to join the WWF-UK Council of ambassadors and look forward to working with this distinguished group in the crucial fight against climate change and nature loss.”
