Paul Holland

I'm a Chartered Accountant and Senior Statutory Auditor with over 30 years' of audit and assurance experience and a passion and expertise in all things related to ESG and Sustainability reporting and assurance.

My Sustainability life began over 15 years ago when I spent two years seconded to HRH, The Prince of Wales leading corporate engagement for The Prince's Rainforests Project (PRP), working with sustainability and communication leaders in UK large businesses.

I have significant experience in providing sustainability services including the identification, measurement, reporting and assurance of key ESG aspects for many of the largest companies in the UK, including having provided external ESG assurance and related services to over 20% of the FTSE 100.

Before joining the firm, I was the UK head of sustainability services for a leading accountancy firm. I have a range of international experience, leading projects in Germany, South Africa, Japan, the USA, Canada, and much of Europe.

I served for nine years as a member of the Marine Stewardship Council Audit and Risk Committee, providing support and constructive challenge to the board. I was an original steering group member of the Forest Footprint Disclosure Project – an initiative helping investors identify how an organisation's activities and supply chains contribute to deforestation and link this 'forest footprint' to their value. Further, I was a Global Impact Investing Network member and assisted clients worldwide for the Global Green Bond group.

I am a member of the European Contact Group, which engages with sustainability reporting and assurance standard setters on emerging sustainability reporting and assurance topics. I have previously served for six years on the ICAEW's Sustainability Committee, and am a member of Grant Thornton International's Sustainability Services Steering Group and Sustainability Assurance Working Group.

Outside of work, I'm a qualified FA football coach and have held an FA coaching license for over five years. I have been an active vice-chair of a youth football club with over 250 members. I enjoy being active and play Eton Fives as part of the Newbury Eton Fives club and try to run at least 20km every week. I'm married with two children, both at university, and both are better than me at Fives but I think I can possibly run faster for longer!