HSBC Names Sustainability Chief to Advance Net Zero Goals

HSBC has announced that Dr. Celine Herweijer has joined the financial institution as its Group Chief Sustainability Officer. Herweijer, who begins her new role in July 2021, will report directly to HSBC Group CEO Noel Quinn.

At HSBC, Dr. Herweijer will work to further establish the bank’s global leadership on climate change. She will lead the development of HSBC’s sustainability strategy and climate innovation agenda, with a focus on the bank’s commitment to the global transition to net zero.

In the company’s press release, Dr. Herweijer said, “The challenge and the opportunity for HSBC is immense. Achieving net zero means we need to see a fundamental reshaping of industries and therefore of the global economy.”

She added, “Getting there requires bold action, new partnerships and ways of engaging with customers and stakeholders to accelerate the new solutions the world requires. As one of the world’s largest banks, HSBC - has a vital role to play in financing the transition to support businesses and economies to thrive in a net zero future, and an ambitious plan to make this happen. I am looking forward to working with my new colleagues across the bank to realise this opportunity.”

Dr. Herweijer is a climate scientist by training. She holds a PhD in Climate Modelling and Policy from Columbia University and spent time as a NASA Fellow. Before joining HSBC, she worked at PwC, where she led the consultancy’s Global Innovation and Sustainability capability and acted as PwC’s Global Climate Change Leader.

She has also held numerous international advisory board and committee roles for the United Nations, World Economic Forum, G20, World Bank, European Union, and a number of governments.

Quinn stated that Dr. Herweijer’s “depth of expertise on sustainability and climate change, and her experience working at the highest levels of business, NGOs, and government, make her the ideal candidate to accelerate our progress as we work to deliver our ambitious net zero strategy.”

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