Loughborough welcomes two world-leading figures in sustainability

Loughborough University’s School of Business and Economics has appointed two new Honorary Visiting Professors to strengthen both its research and practice in sustainability.

Martin Barrow (left) and Professor Robert D. Klassen (right)

Martin Barrow, director of footprinting at the Carbon Trust, and Professor Robert D. Klassen, of Western University, in Canada, are regarded as world leading authorities in their field.

Martin has been appointed Visiting Professor of Footprinting and Sustainability while Prof Klassen will take on the role of Visiting Professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management. 

Prof Klassen’s research explores the multi-faceted linkages between the natural environment, social issues and operations performance, termed the triple bottom line, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of supply chains.

He is Professor of Operations Management and holds the Magna International Inc. Chair in Business Administration at the Ivey Business School.

Speaking about his new role at Loughborough, Prof Klassen said: “My experience is that research is truly a collaborative endeavour involving the insights, investments and efforts of many scholars and partners.

“As a Visiting Professor, I hope that I can contribute to further expanding the collaboration and influence that Loughborough has on research in sustainability and business.”

Co-appointee Martin is a Loughborough alumnus and is one of the world’s leading authorities on value chain, product and organisational carbon footprinting.

Since 2007, he has overseen a very wide range of projects to help companies derive business benefit from understanding and optimising their value-chains at corporate and product level in readiness for a transition to a low carbon economy.

He has been key in the development of footprinting tools, guidance and training to assist companies in footprinting; and in building a range of advisory services to support companies in footprinting projects to support target setting, communications/labelling, reductions in costs and GHG emissions, risk mitigation and opportunity exploitation.

Martin said: “It is an honour to be appointed Visiting Professor, both for myself, and to note that in awarding this from the School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University how this clearly demonstrated the importance sustainability now holds within the business and academic worlds.

“The business imperative for companies to understand the environmental impact of their company and its products is driving huge demand for Carbon Trust’s world-leading services, and the number of sustainability-related projects within Loughborough University alike.

“I look forward to the opportunity to further expand upon our last seven years, to see how we best further work together on data-driven business analysis in the area of footprinting-driven decision-making by companies and governments as well as the dissemination of educational information and advice to the university itself.

“Combining the expertise of both organisations to help support what is potentially the most important issue facing the world today.”

Professor Stewart Robinson, Dean of the School, said: “I am delighted that Martin Barrow and Robert Klassen are joining the School as visiting professors.

“This cements our relationship with these outstanding leaders in the field of sustainability and enables us to continue to develop our collaboration with the Carbon Trust and Ivey Business School.

“Sustainable practices and research into sustainability are high on the School’s agenda.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 21/69

Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019.

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in the Guardian University League Table 2021, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2021.

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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