Environmental accreditation organisation, Planet Positive, today announced that former IBM and Cable & Wireless executive and government advisor, Martin Goodman, has joined the business as UK Executive Chairman and board member of Planet Positive International. Planet Positive provides an environmental certification and sustainability programmes to businesses and products worldwide and signifies active reduction in carbon emissions.
Prior to this appointment, Martin was the managing director of the public sector business at Cable & Wireless and is a former IBM director. He currently is a prominent member of a number of government and industry groups where he advises on topics such as IT and security.
Martin brings in-depth corporate and public sector experience to Planet Positive. This includes high-level sustainability and practical carbon reduction strategies for the IT sector that include utilising technology, such as fixed-mobile convergence and cloud computing.
Martin will take a hands-on role in the UK to expand the business including the roll-out of an online certification process targeted at small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This IT-based environmental management system, built on Force.com the leading cloud platform for business apps from salesforce.com, makes sustainability easy-to-access, fast and affordable for SMEs, who are under increasing pressure to report on their environmental impacts.
Planet Positive's online certification is ideal for large organisations looking to measure carbon in their supply chain enabling them to apply a level of environmental assurance to their suppliers. It goes beyond compliance by delivering monthly energy efficiency advice and behaviour change materials to reduce carbon and environmental impacts.
Commenting on his appointment, Martin Goodman said: "I have always believed that good environmental practice is a prerequisite for a thriving business; I don't understand why any businessman would deliberately waste precious resources or pollute the planet. The trouble for businesses is that worthy environmental policies are seldom grounded in commercial reality, there are many great CSR documents collecting dust on shelves.
"Planet Positive provides a true bridge between commercial needs of an enterprise and its and community responsibility, it is positive in every facet of a business from finance to HR. I am delighted to be part of this exciting venture," he said.
Martin will also become a Trustee of the Planet Positive Foundation, a UK registered charity created to develop, promote and fund sustainability projects locally and internationally. The Foundation is funded through contributions from Planet Positive certifications and supports the Planet Positive Education Programme, Cool Earth Avoided Deforestation, Link Development solar panels to schools in Africa and Excellent Developments sand dams in Africa.