Sustainability Consulting

Achieve business growth without costing the planet

Expert ESG consulting for start-ups and SMEs — at a fraction of the cost of larger consultancies. Every project delivered personally, with the communication skills to make it land.

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Elderflowers

Why Elder Environmental? The elder tree is a native British species long associated with healing, regeneration and the cycle of life. For centuries it was planted as a protective presence. That spirit sits at the heart of this business: helping organisations heal their relationship with the natural world, so that both can thrive.

Why Elder Environmental

Two things most sustainability consultancies can't offer you

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Communication that actually lands

Four years as a medical writer trained me to take highly technical information and make it clear, accurate and engaging for any audience — specialist or not. Most sustainability consultants don't have this background. I do. It's the difference between a strategy that sits in a drawer and one that changes behaviour.

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Senior expertise, accessible pricing

Working independently means no large overheads, no layers of account management and no inflated day rates. You get direct access to senior-level ESG expertise at a fraction of what larger consultancies charge — with every piece of work done by me personally.

About

Rooted in science, driven by nature

James Beiny — Elder Environmental

Hi, I'm James, an environmentalist based in East Sussex.

My passion for the natural world goes back to childhood. My father owned and operated a small-animal veterinary clinic, so I grew up surrounded by animals and an ethic of care and healing that has shaped everything I've done since.

That upbringing led me to study MSci Natural Sciences at UCL, specialising in neuroscience and organic chemistry. My desire to learn more about sustainability brought me to the University of Exeter, where I completed an MSc in Sustainable Development with Distinction. Importantly, this experience fuelled my desire to pursue a career pathway focused on nature protection.

Before entering sustainability, I spent over four years as a medical writer — translating dense clinical data into clear, engaging content for specialist and non-specialist audiences alike. That experience made me precise, meticulous and proficient at communicating complex information in a simple way. I believe these traits, coupled with my sustainability expertise, set me apart from other sustainability professionals.

I also write about pressing wildlife conservation issues for Voices for Biodiversity, an award-winning, biodiversity-focused charity based in the US. Outside of work you'll find me swimming or exploring the natural beauty of Sussex — the landscapes that remind me every day why this work matters.

Services

What I can
do for you

All services are tailored to your business and delivered personally by me. Whether you need a carbon footprint, an ESG strategy, help telling your sustainability story or guidance on communicating it effectively — get in touch to discuss your needs and pricing.

01

Carbon Footprinting

Comprehensive carbon footprints covering scopes 1, 2 and 3 — helping your business understand and address its emissions impact.

  • Scope 1, 2 & 3 calculation
  • Emission hotspot analysis
  • GHG Protocol & sector-specific methodologies (incl. PCAF)
  • Net zero strategy
02

ESG Strategy

An ESG strategy grounded in what actually matters to your business — with quantifiable targets, KPIs and action plans that are pragmatic.

  • Materiality assessment (incl. CSRD)
  • Focus areas & KPI framework
  • ESG governance support
  • Board-ready documentation
03

Sustainability Reporting

Your sustainability story told clearly and credibly — aligned to the frameworks your investors, suppliers and other key stakeholders expect.

  • Impact reports (incl. GRI & SASB)
  • B Corp
  • CDP questionnaires
  • ESG rating support (incl. EcoVadis)
04

Sustainability Communications

Showcase your sustainability efforts with content that engages employees, customers and partners across every channel.

  • Website sustainability content
  • LinkedIn articles & blog posts
  • Infographics & visual content
  • Internal communications
05

Environmental Management

Measure, manage and monitor your environmental performance to drive continual improvements.

  • ISO 14001 EMS support
  • SECR & ESOS compliance
  • Environmental policy development
  • Supplier ESG assessment

Experience

A track record across consulting & in-house roles

Four years of sustainability experience across consulting and in-house environments — working with start-ups, SMEs and multinational organisations. Before that, four years as a medical writer, which sharpened the communication skills that now define how I work.

Head of Sustainability Pro bono
Meaningful Planet
Jul 2025 – Present

Building the sustainability function for a purpose-driven telecoms start-up — leading their first GHG Protocol-aligned carbon footprint, authoring the inaugural 2025 Impact Report and guiding B Corp certification.

Head of ESG
Ward Security
Aug 2025 – Dec 2025

Owned the full ESG agenda for one of the UK's leading private security providers (~1,500 employees). Defined ESG strategy following a CSRD-aligned double materiality assessment; produced ESG submissions contributing to over £5m in contracts won; published the 2024 ESG Report. Made redundant when Ward was acquired.

ESG Manager
Ward Security
Apr 2024 – Aug 2025

Built Ward's ESG programme from the ground up. Conducted a CSRD-aligned double materiality assessment; elevated EcoVadis rating from the 57th to the 74th percentile; delivered the company's first comprehensive scope 3 carbon footprint; designed and rolled out an ESG training programme — 882 of 1,511 employees enrolled in year one with a 100% completion rate.

Sustainability Consultant
Simply Sustainable
Jul 2022 – Nov 2023

Delivered carbon footprints, TCFD disclosures, GRI/SASB sustainability reports and bespoke ESG strategies for SMEs and corporates across multiple sectors.

Sustainability Consultant
Sustainable Advantage
Mar 2022 – Jul 2022

Early-career role delivering ESG baseline assessments and contributing to sustainability impact reports across a range of clients.

Medical Writer
OPEN Health
Sep 2020 – Mar 2022

Developed multimedia educational materials across neurology, immunology and oncology for pharmaceutical clients. Acted as primary scientific contact and formally mentored five junior medical writers.

Medical Writer
Publicis Health
Jul 2017 – May 2019

Wrote and adapted scientific content for pharmaceutical clients across medical education and PR, distilling complex clinical data for specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Testimonials

What clients say

"During James's time at Simply Sustainable, he worked on and supported us with his ESG expertise across several programmes and initiatives for Freshwave. In particular, he led on the baselining and subsequent carbon footprint, report and reduction plan, as well as providing expert knowledge and input in the creation of our ESG Strategy. James has a delightful and professional manner — whilst clearly very knowledgeable in this field, he also has a natural ability to break down what can be a complicated topic into plain English, even for me. He led on the data collection for the 2022 carbon footprinting, supported the internal Freshwave team to make the process simple and straightforward, and demonstrated patience, confidence and assurance throughout."

Tania Young

ESG Programme Lead, Freshwave (now Corporate Social Responsibility, Warner Bros. Discovery)

Testimonial coming soon from Nick Falkowski, CEO of Meaningful Planet — the purpose-driven telecoms start-up James is currently supporting on a pro bono basis with their sustainability programme and B Corp certification journey.

Nick Falkowski

CEO, Meaningful Planet

Contact

Let's talk about
your sustainability needs

Whether you have a specific project in mind or just want to explore what's possible, I'd love to hear from you. I work with businesses across the UK and internationally.

Your message will be sent directly to James.

Or book a free 30-minute consultation

Not sure where to start? Book a free meeting to discuss your sustainability needs and how I might be able to help.

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