We are thrilled to welcome Akpezi Ogbuigwe as the new Chair of ECI Council. Akpezi has been involved in the Earth Charter movement for over 10 years and brings an outstanding experience working in the field of education for sustainable development, climate change education and environmental education among others. She is a respected and high-profile expert in transformational change in higher education in Africa. We look forward to working together with Akpezi in her new leadership role.
At the same time, Ricardo Young assumes the role of Vice-Chair, bringing decades of experience as a businessperson, entrepreneur, and governance expert in civil society organizations in Brazil. He was one of the founders of Ethos Institute for Business and Social Responsibility and former president of the Brazilian Association of Franchising. Co-Founder and Council Member of several organizations such as Sustainable São Paulo Movement; Sustainable Amazon Forum; World Business Academy in Brazil, Member, Sustainability Council, Real Bank and Santander Bank. Council Member, Global Reporting Initiative and Corporate Sustainability Index. He was also a member of congress of the city of Sao Paulo (2013-2017). In the late 90s, when Ricardo was Chairman of Yazigi (a language school located all over Brazil through franchising), he incorporated the Earth Charter as an educational instrument in this school system. Since then, he has incorporated the Earth Charter in many of his activities and talks. Ricardo has a postgraduate degree in General Management, PDG-EXEC; fellow ELIAS programme, MIT. 2002-06.
We are also happy to welcome Olivia Tyler as ECI Council member and look forward to working closely with her. Olivia Tyler is Founder and Managing Director of Good & Should, an organisation dedicated to making sustainability real, business do good and the world around us better.
Olivia, based in Sydney, Australia, started Good & Should following a 20+ year career working in senior sustainability and risk positions with some of the Australia’s most recognised brands across the consumer goods, retail, financial and professional services sectors. She is a recipient of the 2022 Australian Chief Executive Women’s ANZ Sustainability Scholarship, a TED Speaker, has degrees in Marine Science and Environmental Engineering, an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Said Business School Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme, Oxford Impact Measurement Programme and Harvard Online Sustainable Finance.
Olivia now advises organisations across industry, academia and the start-up community, using her insights, experience and foundation of “how” to materially shift organisations towards better ways of doing business, where taking action to drive impact is front and centre.
The ECI Council expresses its excitement in welcoming these leaders and looks forward to a collaborative journey towards a more sustainable and equitable future under their guidance and support.