Carolyn Ball is Director for Delivery of Net Zero across Compass Group’s 7 sectors in the UK & Ireland and sits on the Sustainability Leadership Team for its FTSE 30 parent, Compass Group PLC; the largest contract foodservice company in the world, serving 5.5bn meals a year in 55,000 locations across 45 countries. 20 years’ experience in the food and drink industry spans news reporting, trade journalism, 15th Century manuscript transcription (recipes) and commercial roles in a start-up, SME and two PLCs. She sees her role as a vocational mission and the existential task ahead of us as the greatest commercial opportunity and moral responsibility of our lifetime: tackling the twin crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss through hospitality and service.

Carolyn lives in Peterborough, is a wild swimming enthusiast, proud wife of a serving soldier and mum of three; two children and one giant St Bernard.