Zoom in on Net Zero - with Schroders' sustainability head Madeleine Cobb

BusinessGreen staff
clock • 1 min read

VIDEO: Asset managers' head of corporate sustainability joins BusinessGreen's James Murray for a chat about all things net zero

Madeleine Cobb is head of corporate sustainability at global investment company Schroders, which manages over £700bn* of assets worldwide.

While the overwhelming majority of Schroders' carbon footprint is derived from its financed emissions - i.e. the impact of the investments it manages - a significant chunk of Cobb's role is to tackle the remaining emissions directly produced by the company itself, where she has far more directly control.

As Cobb explains, that chunk of Schroders' own emissions - covering its energy use, buildings, and travel etc - is hugely imporant, not least because "we want to practice what we preach - if we're asking other companies to look at their efficiencies, to make reduction targets, to show us their progress, then they want to look at us and see that we're doing exactly that too".

In a fascinating chat with BusinessGreen's editor in chief James Murray recently, Cobb explained the challenges of her role, including her work developing and driving Schroders' sustainability strategy, how the pandemic has affected corporate sustainability, and the stewardship role of asset managers in pushing other companies to step up their climate efforts. The conversation can be watched in full above.

Schroders is a partner of the Net Zero Festival.

*As of the 30th September 2021

More on Investment

Frugalpac plans to pour £5m funding round into roll out of 'world first' paper wine and spirits bottle

Frugalpac plans to pour £5m funding round into roll out of 'world first' paper wine and spirits bottle

British clean tech firm launches latest fundraising round to support next phase of global growth, including the development of new paper-based paint pots

Stuart Stone
clock 12 August 2025 • 2 min read
Research: Majority of UK investors progressing ESG policies despite US 'backlash'

Research: Majority of UK investors progressing ESG policies despite US 'backlash'

Isio research finds 77 per cent of UK asset managers are using scorecards to integrate ESG policies into their investment processes

Martin Richmond
clock 11 August 2025 • 4 min read
UBS becomes latest major European bank to quit Net Zero Banking Alliance

UBS becomes latest major European bank to quit Net Zero Banking Alliance

Swiss bank joins HSBC and Barclays in exiting UN-backed group following annual review of sustainability and climate-related memberships

Stuart Stone
clock 07 August 2025 • 5 min read