To learn more about The Climate Story, , please contact us by email: gib@hedstromassociates.com.
To learn about Gib's book, "Navigating Sustainable Growth: A Roadmap for Boards and Corporate Leaders," please visit https://gibhedstrom.com/books/.
Lucy Carmody has over two decades of experience in research and strategic communication, with a focus on sustainability, ESG and climate change, alongside responsible and impact investment. A graduate of St John’s College, Cambridge University, Lucy began her career in as a financial analyst, working in London, Hong Kong, and New York. By the age of 28, she had become a partner in an emerging markets investment bank.
In 2006, Lucy founded Responsible Research, a pioneering ESG research firm based in Singapore. Under her leadership, the company provided in-depth analysis to investors, emphasizing the importance of sustainable investment strategies in emerging markets. Responsible Research’s work with global partners solidified its reputation as a trusted resource for integrating ESG considerations into financial analysis. The company was later acquired by Sustainalytics, which was subsequently purchased by Morningstar in 2012.
Beyond research, Lucy is a skilled strategic communicator with a talent for distilling complex ESG concepts into actionable insights. She has advised numerous stakeholders, bridging the gap between technical analysis and practical implementation. Her subject knowledge in climate risks and opportunities was strengthened with her master’s degree in Climate Change Management and Finance from Imperial Business School, where she was granted the Dean’s Award. Shortly afterwards she co-authored a paper for COP27 called Risk and Resilience, a review of incorporating climate risk into physical asset valuations.
In 2022, her leadership in sustainable finance was further strengthened when she joined Climate Impact Partners, leading its investor engagement efforts to deploy capital in the carbon markets. There, she spent two years connecting institutional investors with project opportunities that deliver measurable climate impact, facilitating funding for carbon reduction and removal initiatives.
Lucy continues to serve as a strategic consultant for Accenture, helping organizations navigate transition periods by simplifying and articulating their narratives for greater impact. She is also a Trustee of a successful Community Solar project with a unique community funding component. Through her writing, consulting and speaking engagements, she remains committed to driving positive change within the financial sector and promoting responsible business practices that prioritize long-term environmental and social value.
Gilbert (Gib) Hedstrom is widely recognized as a trusted advisor to business leaders on sustainability issues that increasingly dominate the global agenda. He has 30 years’ experience advising boards of directors and CEOs, working across industry sectors. He has reported to full boards or board committees of Fortune 500 (or equivalent) corporations on over 70 occasions, often meeting with outside directors in executive session.
Gib’s deep experience with Fortune 500 boards led to his creation of ESG Navigator™ – developed at the request of board members in 1997. Today, ESG Navigator is the leading global ESG benchmarking and strategic planning platform – endorsed and licensed by The Conference Board in 2020 and available to its 1,000+ members globally.
The cover story of NACD’s Fall 2022 issue of Directorship featured an article authored by Gib (with a client) titled Transforming Board ESG Oversight. The article draws heavily on data and insights from the 150+ global companies using the ESG Navigator platform.
Gib joined Arthur D. Little (ADL) where he developed and launched the discipline of environmental, health, and safety auditing – the standard methodology used throughout the corporate world. He was elected a corporate officer of ADL (1989); ran the company’s environmental strategy work in Europe and Asia (1991-1996); and co-led the firm’s sustainability work globally (1996-2001). Gib authored many of the first third-party certifications of external sustainability reports. He was a founding author of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 1997-1999. During the late 1990s, Gib advised Shell’s CEO and leadership team on the long-term value of sustainability and helped a petrochemical company launch a billion dollar “sustainable” business.
In 2004, Gib founded Hedstrom Associates. The firm specializes in advising boards and C-Suite executives on ESG. His clients have included Alcoa, Ashland, Autodesk, Baxter, Boeing, BP, Coca-Cola, Dell, Ford, GE, HP, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pemex, Shell, Trane Technologies, UTC, and U.S. Steel, among many others.
Gib Hedstrom is frequently called upon to speak on corporate governance and strategy in addressing business opportunities (and risks) associated with global ESG trends. Examples of recent activity include:
Gib earned his MBA (Corporate Strategy) and MS (Natural Resource Management) from the University of Michigan and a BA in Economics and Geology from Hamilton College. For many years, he served on the board of Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, at the University of Michigan. Gib is on the faculty of NACD, available to advise independent board members on ESG.