Dr Chris Tuppen
BT Head of Sustainable Development and Corporate Accountability

Chris Tuppen joined BT laboratories in 1979 after completion of his BSc and PhD in chemistry at Bristol University. He spent 12 years in semiconductor research before becoming BT's first environment manager in 1991. In that role his responsibilities included the co-ordination of environmental policy for the BT group, communicating progress to internal and external audiences and managing an environmental site auditing programme.

He was directly responsible for BT's Environmental Performance Reports, winning the 1992, 1993 and 1997 Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) awards for corporate environmental reporting, receiving a commendation in 1994, and also winning the European Reporting Award in 1997. In 1999 he was also closely involved in producing BT's first Social Report and in 2001 led the team that produced the company's first full sustainability report which won the first ACCA sustainability reporting award. In 2002 and 2003 the ACCA awards included a commendation in the sustainability category and best internet based report.

He has authored over 50 published papers, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Institute of Physics. He is chair of the Global e- Sustainability Initiative in association with UNEP and ITU, sits on the Council of the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability, the Boards of CSR Europe and the US based Business for Social Responsibility, and the Social and Environmental Committee of the ACCA. He was co-chair of the Global Reporting Initiative measurement working group, has been a member of the UK ESRC Global Environmental Change Committee, sat on the executive board of ICER (Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling), the Steering Group of the London City Sustainable City Forum, was a member of the Environment Committee of the London Chamber of Commerce, chaired the ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators Association) working group on the environment and was project manager of a EURESCOM (European Institute for Research and Strategic Studies in Telecommunications) major international programme investigating sustainable development and the telecommunications industry. He has also been an invited expert advisor to ACBE (Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment), the European Commission and OECD on the links between telecommunications and sustainable development. In 2004/5 he was a member of Nike's report Review Committee.

In November 1998 he was presented with the first Recognition for Achievement given by ETNO, the European Telecommunication Network Operators Association, for  "his outstanding and innovative contribution towards the creation and shaping of the Association's environmental activities."

He is currently Head of Sustainable Development and Corporate Accountability within BT's Group Communications Division where he is responsible for co-ordinating development of the company's global policy and strategy on these and associated issues.