Between 2020 and 2022, an elected steering group oversaw and supported the development and coordination of SDG Network Scotland to engage individuals and organisations in implementing the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals in Scotland and globally. It gave strategic direction and supported the delivery of network activities.
The 10 steering group members, elected by fellow members of the network in November 2020, was made up of a broad mix of figures from the voluntary and private sectors, academia, a professional body, and an independent public body. We had members representing organisations, as well as others sitting on the group in a personal capacity.
Steering group members (between 2020 and 2022)
Anne Adrain (Vice Chair)
ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
Anne is Head of Sustainability and Reporting at ICAS, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. She is responsible for informing and educating our members on sustainability and reporting matters and for influencing standard-setters, regulators and governments on the importance of sustainability and its relevance to accountants. This is a crucial time as standards setters seek to embed non-financial reporting in corporate reports and ICAS must ensure our members have the skills and expertise to tackle these emerging issues. ICAS already began its SDG reporting journey in their 2019 annual review and this will continue and evolve during 2020/21.
Olasoji Fagbola
Personal capacity
Olasoji Fagbola, is a Sustainable Development Practitioner and peace advocate with several years of experience. He has advanced skills in peace building, social development interventions, conflict management, stakeholder engagement, advocacy and youth development. Currently, he’s the Government Relations, Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator with Asharami Energy; the upstream arm of Sahara Group, where he facilitates ways to empower and build strong relationships with the local communities and create a platform for economic prosperity in the communities and peaceful environment for business to thrive whilst engaging local communities in order to determine needs and develop strategies to meet them. He holds a degree in international Development from University of East Anglia, Norwich and a Certificate in Sustainability Leadership from Harvard University.
Catherine Gee (Vice Chair)
Keep Scotland Beautiful
Catherine is Deputy Chief Executive for Keep Scotland Beautiful an environmental charity that seeks to combat climate change, tackle litter and waste and protect and enhance the places we care for. In her role she leads on the integration of the SDGs into the charity’s strategy and ambition and she has been an active member of the SDG Scotland Network since its inception. Catherine has worked in the environment sector for over 15 years, has always had an interest in the environment and nature and in her own time has undertaken studies in environmental science and sustainable development. Catherine believes that everyone can make a connection with and respect our environment and in doing so can reap positive benefits such as improved quality of life, health and well-being.
Alison Hosie
Scottish Human Rights Commission
Alison has been the research officer at the Scottish Human Rights Commission for 12 years, prior to which she was a researcher of social and health policy for ten years, with a particular focus on inequality and rights. Her focus on the SDG agenda originated when developing a monitoring framework for Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights in 2015 which incorporated an explicit focus on the SDGs. Alison has been a member of the SDG Network for about three years and maintains an active interest in the SDG Agenda inside and outside of their day job.
Jessica Lobo
UN Global Compact Network UK
Jessica has broad experience in engaging stakeholders and developing SDG-themed events. As the Global Goals Programme Manager at the UN Global Compact Network UK, Jessica delivers a number of initiatives to engage business, government and stakeholders across the UK on the SDGs; this year alone, Jessica’s team has organised 26 SDG-themed activities to inspire business ambition to deliver the Goals, enable practical action, and share knowledge across sectors. Jessica previously worked in sustainability roles in the Higher Education sector at LSE and City, University of London, leading on engagement and campaigns, and has a LLM in Environmental Law.
Mhairi McCann
Personal capacity
As the Founder & CEO of Youth STEM 2030, Mhairi takes a proactive role in advancing the SDGs at a global level. With the beliefs that STEM is vital to achieving the SDGs, and that youth can be at the forefront, Mhairi works with youth in 25+ countries to support young people to be leaders of the SDGs. She was recognised in 2020 amongst the UK’s Top 50 Women in Sustainability and through volunteering, Mhairi has advocated for more inclusive and meaningful youth involvement in decision making nationally. She has a particular interest in inclusion, and policy coherence for sustainable development.
Rebecca Petford
EAUC-Scotland
With an academic background in sustainable development, Rebecca has a particular interest in learning and engagement around sustainability issues. As a student she helped launch the University of St Andrews’ Transition Initiative and re-use scheme, and following sustainability roles at two universities she now co-manages the EAUC-Scotland programme, which supports all Scottish Universities and Colleges to become more environmentally and socially sustainable. She has spent a little time outside the tertiary education sector too, working with a youth theatre company and a project finding creative uses for empty spaces on a local high street.
Lewis Ryder-Jones (Chair)
Scotland’s International Development Alliance
Lewis has worked for Scotland’s International Development Alliance since 2017 and during that time has been a strong advocate for the SDGs in Scotland. He has a particular interest in the interlinkages between domestic and international dimensions of sustainable development, and has spent much of the past few years pushing for a more joined up approach to policy making in Scotland, with a specific focus on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development. Earlier in his career he worked in policy and campaigning for a prominent HIV charity in Scotland, and has also worked extensively in other countries in West Africa, South America and the Middle East with large and small iNGOs.
Lindsay Wake
Personal capacity
Lindsay influences enterprise and investors to act for positive impact. All her career choices have been driven by achieving social change. Lindsay is Head of Impact for Social Investment Scotland, developing and implementing impact strategies for one of the UKs largest social investors. She brings significant experience in economic and social regeneration, social and affordable housing, community development, social value creation, impact management practice and communications. Lindsay was part of the founding group of the HACT social value framework, early adopter of Inspiring Impact principles and is experienced in applying various impact frameworks in real life enterprise scenarios.
Rehema White
Personal capacity
Rehema holds a PhD, MSc and BSc and has worked in academia for over 30 years, in Scottish and international contexts. She inaugurated the University of St Andrews sustainable development programmes and is Chair of Learning for Sustainability Scotland (LfS Scotland). Rehema’s research focuses on knowledge and sustainable development and sustainability governance. Much of her recent work involves gathering together academics, practitioners and policy makers in innovative ways to co-design collaborative solutions to specific sustainability challenges. Rehema has researched, taught and led various practical workshops on the SDGs and has been active in the SDG Network since its inception.
