Governance
Gold Standard is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Gold Standard is an associate member of ISEAL, the first climate-centric standard to reach the associate member status, joining a growing number of initiatives that are driving positive social and environmental change across multiple sectors.
Gold Standard is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Gold Standard is ISEAL Code Compliant - the first climate-centric standard to do so, joining a growing number of initiatives that are driving positive social and environmental change across multiple sectors.
Board of Directors
The Gold Standard Board of Directors supports our vision and mission by providing financial oversight and strategic governance.
-
Thomas VellacottCEO of WWF SwitzerlandThomas VellacottCEO of WWF Switzerland
Thomas Vellacott is CEO of conservation organisation WWF Switzerland as well as Advisory Group Chair for the Impact Hub Network, and a member of the Board for sanu future learning ag sa.
With a passion for wildlife and conservation, Thomas has been a member of WWF since he was 8 years old. Prior to taking on the role of CEO in 2012, Thomas spent nine years heading up WWF Switzerland’s Programme division and was responsible for the organisation’s national and international conservation projects.
Before joining WWF Switzerland, Thomas worked in private banking for Citibank and as an engagement manager for McKinsey & Co.
Thomas holds a degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the University of Durham (UK), a Masters in International Relations from Cambridge University (UK) and a Masters of Business Administration from IMD (Switzerland).Ana ToniExecutive Director at Instituto Clima e SociedadeAna ToniExecutive Director at Instituto Clima e Sociedade
Ana Toni is an economist and a PhD in Political Science, currently the Executive Director of Instituto Clima e Sociedade (iCS) and Co-Founder of GIP (Public Interest Management).
From 2003 until May 2011, Ana was the Representative for the Ford Foundation in Brazil, during which time she oversaw the Foundation’s work in the areas of human rights, sustainable development, racial and ethical discrimination, sexuality and reproductive health, media democratisation and land rights. She was also responsible for coordinating the regional Latin America funding on Economics and Globalisation, the IBSA initiative (a collaboration between Brazil, South Africa and India) and the International Initiative on Intellectual Property Rights.
From 1998 to 2002, Ana was the Executive Director of ActionAid Brazil, working for the eradication of poverty and inequality through community development projects and leading public policy, advocacy and campaigning work at national and international levels. Ana also worked for ActionAid UK as Policy Advisor (1990 – 1993), representing the organisation at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.
She worked for Greenpeace from 1993 to 1997; first, as the International Head of the Political Unit based at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam, and subsequently as Senior Advisor for Greenpeace Germany. Ana was Board Chair of Greenpeace Brazil from 2000 to 2003 and Board Chair of Greenpeace International from 2010 to 2017.
Ana has previously served as Board member of GIFE (the Brazilian Private Social Investment Association), WINGS, ITS and Wikimedia Foundation. Currently, she is member of the Brazilian Women Leaders for Sustainability Network and Board member of Agência Pública, Gold Standard Foundation, ClimaInfo, Instituto República, International Transparency and IPAM.Ana holds a degree in Economic and Social Studies from Swansea University, a Masters degree in Politics of the World Economy from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), and a PhD in Political Science from the Rio de Janeiro State University (Brazil).
Peter WhiteAmbassador for Biodiversity and CBD COP-15, WBCSDPeter WhiteAmbassador for Biodiversity and CBD COP-15, WBCSD
Peter White is Ambassador for Biodiversity and CBD COP-15 at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Previously he was Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all work programs, Global Policy Affairs and the Global Network. Peter has been with WBCSD since 2013, joining after 22 years developing the sustainability program at Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest consumer goods company. From 2006 – 2013 Peter was P&G’s Director for Global Sustainability, creator and Chair of the Sustainability Leadership Council and a key architect of the company’s long term sustainability vision and 2020 goals.
Peter is also a Visiting Professor at the Newcastle University Institute for Sustainability. He has held teaching and research positions at the Universities of Oxford, California (Berkeley) and Arizona, and taught in Nigeria with the UK development charity Voluntary Service Overseas.
Peter holds a doctorate in Chemical Ecology from Oxford University, and Masters degrees in Zoology (Oxford) and Applied Hydrobiology (London).
Yvo de BoerPresident of Gold StandardYvo de BoerPresident of Gold Standard
Yvo de Boer works with development agencies to ensure that their strategy and organizational structure are aligned with the challenges of the day.
Prior to joining Gold Standard as President, Yvo de Boer served as Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), significantly expanding its operational partnerships and bringing financial stability to the Institute. He also worked as KPMG’s Global Chairman of Climate Change & Sustainability Services, helping companies to develop a broad definition of value which recognizes social, human, environmental, intellectual capitals in addition to financial capital.
Yvo led the international process to respond to climate change in the role of Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2006 to 2010. Throughout his career, he has focused on the economics of sustainability to help policymakers and the business community understand the consequences of acting, or failing to act, in economic, social and environmental terms.
Yvo received a knighthood from her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands in 2009 and the Dutch Climate Award in 2010. In 2018, Yvo received the European Practitioner Achievement Award in Applying Environmental Economics.
Eric SoubeiranGlobal Nature, Human Rights & Water Cycle Director at DanoneEric SoubeiranGlobal Nature, Human Rights & Water Cycle Director at Danone
Eric Soubeiran is Danone’s Global Nature, Human Rights & Water Cycle Director, and member of its Cycles & Procurement Board. In this role, he is responsible for coordinating the company’s approach and actions on climate change, water resource protection, regenerative agriculture, circular economy and human rights. Eric also serves as administrator of the Livelihoods Carbon Fund. Previously, he served as Danone’s Global Nature & Senior Climate Director.
Eric began his career in strategy consulting and mergers and acquisitions, then joined Rexam Plc to lead strategic planning of its beauty and medical devices division. In 2006, he relocated to India to take on the role of Managing Director of the newly acquired business of Rexam.
In 2010, he joined Danone to head the group’s operations in the sub-continent. During this period, he launched a range of nutritional products designed for the ‘bottom of pyramid’ customers, with an innovative route to market approach. In 2013, Eric joined Danone’s marketing team, in charge of Activia and Vitalinea brands for the French market. In 2014, Eric was appointed director of milk sourcing for Danone in Europe, managing a network of 4,000 dedicated farmers across six European countries during a period of deep transformation in the milk market
Matthew SpannagleIndependent ConsultantMatthew SpannagleIndependent Consultant
Matt has worked in more than 50 countries on 6 continents and published a textbook on climate change: The Complete Guide to Climate Change (Routledge). He has developed and prepared projects and programmes with key private, public and multilateral partners across a range of technologies and types: reforestation, avoided deforestation, agroforestry, wind, geothermal, hydro, biogas/biomass, solar PV, lighting and SHW systems, household and building energy efficiency, methane capture and use, industrial energy efficiency (cement, power stations, transmission) and behaviour change. He has also undertaken several adaptation projects, primarily related to water management/IWRM and assessing and improving the resilience of infrastructure.
Matt has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, and completed his Masters of Environmental Engineering Science by research on climate risks to large infrastructure (particularly dams). Matt has worked in a parastatal in NSW, Australia; with the federal governments of Australia and Canada; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the donor agency AusAID a medium sized private sector company focused on central Africa, and as an independent consultant providing strategic advisory services to governments and multinational companies.
Matt has been actively involved with the Gold Standard Foundation almost since it’s outset, and is Chair of the Gold Standard Technical Advisory Committee.
Preety M. BhandariDirector for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division of SDCCPreety M. BhandariDirector for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division of SDCC
Ms. Bhandari is the Director for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Division of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC) at ADB and also serves as Chief of Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management thematic group. She is responsible for providing policy and strategic direction to ADB’s initiatives on climate change and disaster risk management, including mobilizing concessional financing from multilateral funds such as the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). She also has an oversight on climate financing from ADB’s own resources including through investments in private sector.
Prior to joining ADB, she was heading the Finance, Technology and Capacity Building Program of the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. She led the support to the international negotiations on climate finance, which culminated in the launch of GCF and the Standing Committee on Finance. Ms Bhandari coordinated the establishment of the Technology Mechanism under the Convention, which includes the Climate Technology Centre and Network. She has also worked as the Director of the Policy Analysis Division at TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) in India.
She has over 30 years of experience in environment, climate change and sustainable development, having worked on projects across Asia, and in multicultural and diverse organizations. She is on the editorial board of Climate Policy and has in the past served as a member of the core group on climate change, established by the Government of India to assess India’s strategy for the UN climate change negotiations. She has also helped adjudicate for the Climate CoLab at MIT, which mobilizes and harnesses innovative ideas to address the challenge of climate change. She is currently advising initiatives led by the 2050 Pathways Platform. She is also a member of the Advisory Committee to the project on Mobilizing Development Finance being coordinated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Senior Advisors
- David ShelmerdineDeputy Chairman, ClimateWorks AustraliaMelbourne, Australia
- Timothy KingHead of Research, Australian Equities Core, Colonial First StateSydney, Australia
- Daniel WienerFounder and President, ecos and Global Infrastructure BaselBasel, Switzerland
- Silke KarcherEuropean Climate and Energy Policy and New Market Mechanisms, BMUBBerlin, Germany
- Scott HarderWater Sub-Committee ChairEnvironmental Finance Group, USA
Technical Governance Committee
Our Technical Governance Committee is responsible for ensuring the rigor and integrity in all our work. It's an independent body composed of market specialists that provide expertise, guidance and decisions on methodology approval, rule changes and appeals. Read our Technical Governance Guiding Principles and terms of references (TORs)>>
- Matt SpannagleEnergy Sub-Committee Chair & TGC MemberIndependent Consultant, Belgium
- Dr. Jacqueline Gehrig-FaselLUF Sub-Committee Chair & TGC MemberTREES, Switzerland
- Kerry ConstabileEnergy Sub-Committee MemberUSA
- Sue Ellen JohnsonTAC LUFUSA
- Anu ChaudharyEnergy Sub-CommitteeSustainPLUS, India
- Steve ThorneEnergy Sub-CommitteeSouthSouthNorth, South Africa
- Tom OwinoEnergy Sub-CommitteeClimateCare, Kenya
- Dr. Neil BirdLUF Sub-CommitteeWood Rising Consulting, Austria
- Shigueo WatanabeEnergy Sub-CommitteeCO2 Consulting, Brazil
- Sudha PadmanabhaEnergy and LUF Sub-CommitteesFair Climate Network, India
- Dr. Tony KnowlesLUF Sub-CommitteeThe Cirrus Group, South Africa
- Dean ThomsonWater Sub-CommitteeWorld Vision, Australia
- Jessica Wade-Murphy de JimenezEnergy Sub-Committee, Atmosphere AlternativeColombia
- K. KartickEnergy Sub-committee, South PoleIndia
- Liza MurphyTGC MemberGermany
- Lawson HendersonLUF Sub-CommitteeRainforest Alliance