The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has revealed the nominated, new members of the SBP Board who will take up their positions in January 2019. "The vision of a balanced Board representing multi-stakeholder views will become a reality in January 2019. Much work has gone into devising the right organisational structure that will completely transform SBP and align it with best practice as demonstrated by leading sustainability standards," said Francis Sullivan, SBP Chair.
The new multi-stakeholder governing Board will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of SBP’s objective to promote and maintain internationally, an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable biomass supply chain through the development and operation of an independent, third-party certification system.
During 2018, procedures for nominations and appointments to the Board were agreed and the search and selection process began. Nine seats were to be filled with an equal split between the interests of civil society, biomass producers and those of biomass end-users. Now, all nine of the nominated, new Board members have been selected, commented Francis Sullivan.
Nominated to represent civil society are:
- Arnie Bercov, retired President of a Canadian pulp and forestry union
- Martin Porter, Executive Chair of CISL
- Kathy Willis, Professor of Biodiversity at the University of Oxford
Nominated to represent biomass producers are:
- Vaughan Bassett, Senior Vice President, Sales and Logistics, Pinnacle Renewable Energy
- Arnold Dale, Vice President Bioenergy, Ekman & Co
- John Keppler, President and CEO, Enviva
Nominated to represent biomass end-users are:
- Thomas Lyse, Director and Head of the Fuel and Logistics teams in Ørsted Bioenergy
- Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, Head of Environment, New Energy, Regulatory Affairs and Stakeholder Management at RWE
- Will Gardiner, Chief Executive Officer of Drax Group
Once formally appointed the new Board members will serve, from January 1, 2019, in a personal capacity to represent their particular stakeholder interest group, and not their affiliated organisations. According to SBP, each member has been chosen for his or her knowledge, integrity, expertise and support for SBP’s objective
In addition the new multi-stakeholder board will be charged with setting the overall strategy, direction and budget for the organisation. Decisions on standard-setting are to be delegated to the SBP Standards Committee, and decisions on certifications remain with the independent, accredited Certification Bodies.
I am confident that we will have achieved a good balance of interests across the Board and I very much look forward to a positive and fruitful working relationship as, together, we embark on a new chapter in SBP’s development, ended Francis Sullivan.
