Main Summit

Dr Walker J Ross is a lecturer in sport management at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the Sport Ecology Group. His research focuses on sport ecology and sustainability with emphasis on the impact of climate change on sport, governance, institutional behaviours, and stakeholders. Efforts like the UNEP’s Sports for Nature Handbook and Protect Our Winters’ reports on both the Winter Olympics and cycling have been aided by his expertise. Peer-reviewed research of his has been featured in top academic journals as well as popular press from BBC, Sky, ESPN, Associated Press, and Reuters. He is an active member of both the European Association for Sport Management and the North American Society for Sport Management.

Innes Fitzgerald is is a British track and field athlete and cross country runner from Devon, England. FitzGerald set a new under-17 record for 3,000 metres, and in December 2022 finished fourth in the under-20s European Cross Country Championships in Turin, to avoid flying to the competition FitzGerald took a 20-hour coach and train journey from Exeter to Italy.

In January 2023, FitzGerald turned down the opportunity to compete at the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia because of concerns she holds about contributing to climate change. In a letter to UK Athletics she wrote that “The reality of the travel fills me with deep concern”, adding that “I was just nine when the COP21 Paris Climate agreement was signed. Now, eight years on, and global emissions have been steadily increasing, sending us on a path to climate catastrophe. Turning this around is only possible through transformational change from collective and personal action.” In it’s coverage of this, The Times called Innes “The Greta Thunberg of Sport.”

Steinar Hoen is a retired Norwegian high jumper, his indoor and outdoor bests are both 2.36 m – these are also the Norwegian records for the event. He has been the meeting director for the Oslo Bislett Games since 2007.

With a background in aerospace engineering, three world records in cycling, and a triathlon championship title, Kate is currently doing Climate Cycle – a 3,000 mile, 90 day cycle on a hand-made bamboo bike across the length and breadth of mainland Britain, visiting sustainability projects, to raise awareness of the climate crisis. Find out more and support here: https://katestrong.global/climatecycle/

Gemma is the Category Director for Beverages at Danone UK & Ireland. She leads Danone’s portfolio of beverage brands in the UK, which includes evian, volvic and Harrogate. She joined Danone Waters UK&I in 2017 to head up the evian marketing team. She began her marketing career in Danone’s Dairy Division in the UK working on the Activia and Actimel brands. She later moved to Canada leading the Naya brand relaunch for Danone Naya Waters, then returned to UK to lead communications on Activia. In 2010 she moved to Johnson and Johnson, where as Global Senior Marketing Manager she led strategy, communications and innovation for the Cough Cold franchise. She returned to Danone in 2017 and took up her current position in 2021.

Jana joined the newly established Sports for Nature team at IUCN in mid-2023. As Engagement Officer, she is responsible for building and managing relations with and between the wider sports and nature conservation communities and helping develop sports’ capacity to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration.

Jana came into the role with a rich sustainability-and-sports expertise and capacity building and training experience having worked on sustainability, public affairs and international relations in the Olympic movement (Czech Olympic Committee and the European Olympic Committees EU Office) for the last decade.

In her career, Jana has had the privilege to lead or co-manage several exiting projects and initiatives, including the “As Sustainable As Possible” project, which helped three National Olympic Committees develop and implement sustainability strategies, and the Czech Olympic Committee’s Master of Public Administration programme on Sport Diplomacy. She is also a member of the European Olympic Committees Sustainability and Active Society Commission.

With over 20 years’ experience as a sustainability consultant, mainly within the sports and major events sector, and a parallel career developing purpose, leadership, culture and values in business, Kate knows what actually works when it comes to developing and implementing sustainability strategies, and how to embed them within an organisation.

Kate has worked in sport sustainability for the Royal Yachting Association, The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and for the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals). She has been working with London Marathon Events since 2013 – at first as an external Sustainability Advisor to the RideLondon cycling event and from 2018 helping LME to develop and implement its sustainability strategy. Kate has recently joined LME permanently as Head of Sustainability, working across LME’s portfolio of running, cycling and swimming events to help deliver on an ambitious sustainability strategy. She also plays a key role in the MSO (Mass Participation Sports Organisers) group – driving collaboration on environmental sustainability throughout the mass participation industry.

Alongside her work with sport, Kate has supported over 100 companies across a wide range of sectors with B Corp certification. B Corps are companies that demonstrate the highest levels of positive social and environmental impact.

And yes – she has run the London Marathon – slowly!