FBC would like to remember and thank Maria Sillanpää, a long-standing board member and active member of the FBC. Maria was a globally respected pioneer on environmental and corporate sustainability issues before the general public understood the importance of the issue. She contributed to the global development of methodologies in this field such as environmental reporting, including at KPMG and the Body Shop.
For the last 15 years, she was based in the UAE working for countless public and private organisations as Founding Director at Sustainability Advisory. FBC and members had the pleasure of enjoying Maria's expertise and insight in various ways. Her pioneering consumer research on environmental issues was presented at various FBC platforms and her views were pivotal as a key expert for FBC on the COP28 topics, i.e. how consumer choices, government regulation and business activities will shape our future and which of these we, as individuals and FBC member companies, can influence and contribute to. However, the rapidly progressing disease stopped her too early. We want to maintain the legacy that Maria started as a champion and flag-bearer for environmental issues. On a personal level, we miss and appreciate her bright, helpful and humorous company. Change happens one thing at a time, one person at a time. Godspeed, Maria