Lydia Parnell

I lead the corporate responsibility (CR) strategy for Turner & Townsend, bringing together our people to define and create meaningful impact in our business, society and the environment. 

The CR team facilitates and supports the hard work of our CR Champions across the globe - to take practical action and convene at an office level. It is a privilege to have a role working with our diverse talent, spanning geographies and specialisms to create positive and lasting change.

Q. Which project are you most proud of being involved in at Turner & Townsend?

A. There are so many! I am proud that in my first year of leading the CR agenda, we exceeded our target of reaching 5000 children and young people through our education and employment programmes.

I am proud of the increased focus the business is placing on sustainability and how this is becoming a key element in our offer to clients. It is incredibly satisfying to see so much green innovation across the business.

I am also proud of our business for embracing responsible practices in a big way, aligning our strategy to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and driving significant impact on causes that are of important both to our communities, our people and our industry. I am excited about the years to come, as we find more and more solutions to the world’s biggest challenges.

Q. How do you contribute to Turner & Townsend making a difference?

A. In my role, I work across global teams.  Together, we unlock the greatest amount of value from our work for our clients, our current and future talent, our environment and our communities.

I am a facilitator, connecting the dots and people to ensure they drive responsible practices forward and participate in our various corporate responsibility programmes.

Q Describe your typical day

A My day starts with a strong coffee, as I begin looking through emails. I am always working on the next internal campaign or programme, so a day doesn’t go by where I won’t have a strategy meeting or catch-up with our regional CR teams across the globe. A big part of my role, is making sure that I stay on top of and contribute to the latest thinking in responsible business, so I often represent Turner & Townsend at conferences and roundtables or webinars.

Q What do you most enjoy most about working at Turner & Townsend?

A Turner & Townsend is growing and ambitious which means the opportunities for development and to make real impact are huge. Tackling the challenges head on is easy, when you are surrounded by people who you can trust and rely upon for support and advice.