In the Outstanding Individual Contribution category, the nomination for David Postlethwaite, Associate Director and highly regarded ESG expert, is a testament to his remarkable achievements and leadership in sustainable finance. It highlights his role in helping to transform the finance sector in Jersey and catalysing industry action ESG matters.

Over the years, David has played a key role in developing Jersey’s policy and enabling an environment for sustainable finance. He led Jersey Finance’s strategic initiative to establish an industry-level vision for Jersey role as a sustainable finance, working with key stakeholders in industry, the Government, and the Jersey Financial Services Commission. He has been engaged with industry working groups, trade associations and led on a range of educational initiatives, projects, and sustainable finance events.

Some of his achievements include developing Jersey’s global profile as a platform for sustainable capital deployment and representing the Island as part of its membership of the UNDP FC4S network of sustainable finance centres (FC4S). Leveraging that network, he helped to establish Jersey’s first sustainable finance stock-take to monitor and improve data collection for sustainable capital flows in Jersey.

He also played an important part in developing the range of upskilling opportunities available to Jersey professionals, thereby helping to overcome some of the main barriers to the mainstreaming of sustainable finance.

His extensive expertise as a finance lawyer gave David the knowledge to support efforts to develop a pragmatic yet effective sustainable finance regulatory framework in Jersey. This included the roll-out of Jersey’s forward-thinking anti-greenwashing regime.

In his current role as ESG Associate Director, David is helping to expand the range of services specifically tailored to Jersey’s client base, which will help embed sustainable finance and contribute to scaling up flows of sustainable capital. These range from advisory and transactional services such ESG Due Diligence, to sustainability-related risk, reporting and supporting our audit teams with the growth of our assurance services. He also advises policymakers on their legal and regulatory approaches to sustainable finance.

To help generate a positive impact from the event, we contributed on behalf of all guests to Durrell’s work in supporting the recovery of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. By doing so, we have helped to restore this precious ecosystem by planting and nurturing over 150 native-species trees, which will absorb carbon as they grow and provide a home to threatened species.

The Sustainable Finance Awards provide a valuable platform to showcase our commitment to sustainability. Winning the award holds immense significance for our business. For David, it affirms his status as a recognised expert in supporting the sustainable deployment of capital and developing assurance solutions for our clients. For Jersey as a whole, it helps to demonstrate our credentials as a sustainable international finance centre, allowing us to continue to play an important role as a responsible steward of global investments.

Winning awards in two categories acknowledges our team members’ efforts and enhances our profile in the sustainable finance landscape.