

Sue Garrard is one of the world’s leading experts on sustainable business. As Unilever’s former EVP of Sustainable Business, she was instrumental in embedding purpose into strategy. Today she advises global organisations on how to align sustainability with performance and growth.


Sue Garrard is a globally respected thought leader on sustainable business strategy. Best known for her role as Executive Vice President of Sustainable Business and Communications at Unilever, she helped to embed purpose and sustainability at the heart of one of the world’s most influential companies. Today, she works with some of the most recognised organisations worldwide, advising on how to harness sustainability as a driver of growth and resilience.
Personally selected by Paul Polman, then CEO of Unilever, Sue spent eight years shaping and delivering the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP). She oversaw its 70-plus time-bound targets and established sustainability as a key factor in brand performance, with Unilever’s “sustainable living brands” growing significantly faster than the rest of the portfolio. She was also part of the four-person executive team that successfully rebuffed the hostile Kraft Heinz takeover bid.
Sue’s career spans senior leadership roles across public and private sectors. Before Unilever, she was Director General for Customer Strategy and Communications at the Department for Work and Pensions, leading initiatives during the global recession to minimise long-term unemployment and address pensioner poverty. She also held board-level roles in marketing, communications and public affairs, including at AMV and Fishburn Hedges.
Her current consultancy clients include Mars, Danone, Primark, O2, Lloyds Bank, Natura and the Royal Horticultural Society. Both Primark and the RHS launched sustainability plans based on her work.
Sue is a clear, authoritative and engaging speaker who draws on practical experience and hard-won lessons from both government and business. She speaks with conviction about how organisations can embed purpose into their DNA, build cultures that embrace sustainability, and turn ambitious targets into tangible outcomes. Audiences appreciate her ability to balance strategic vision with pragmatic, actionable insights.
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Sue Garrard is a globally respected thought leader on sustainable business strategy. Best known for her role as Executive Vice President of Sustainable Business and Communications at Unilever, she helped to embed purpose and sustainability at the heart of one of the world’s most influential companies. Today, she works with some of the most recognised organisations worldwide, advising on how to harness sustainability as a driver of growth and resilience.
Personally selected by Paul Polman, then CEO of Unilever, Sue spent eight years shaping and delivering the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP). She oversaw its 70-plus time-bound targets and established sustainability as a key factor in brand performance, with Unilever’s “sustainable living brands” growing significantly faster than the rest of the portfolio. She was also part of the four-person executive team that successfully rebuffed the hostile Kraft Heinz takeover bid.
Sue’s career spans senior leadership roles across public and private sectors. Before Unilever, she was Director General for Customer Strategy and Communications at the Department for Work and Pensions, leading initiatives during the global recession to minimise long-term unemployment and address pensioner poverty. She also held board-level roles in marketing, communications and public affairs, including at AMV and Fishburn Hedges.
Her current consultancy clients include Mars, Danone, Primark, O2, Lloyds Bank, Natura and the Royal Horticultural Society. Both Primark and the RHS launched sustainability plans based on her work.
Sue is a clear, authoritative and engaging speaker who draws on practical experience and hard-won lessons from both government and business. She speaks with conviction about how organisations can embed purpose into their DNA, build cultures that embrace sustainability, and turn ambitious targets into tangible outcomes. Audiences appreciate her ability to balance strategic vision with pragmatic, actionable insights.
Sue has contributed widely to expert panels and industry reports, including advising the UK Ministry of Defence on its Net Zero Carbon strategy. She frequently lectures on sustainability leadership and has been a regular contributor to senior executive education programmes.
Contact us now for more information on how Sue can help your organisation embed purpose, harness sustainability, and drive long-term growth and impact.

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