A Message from Julia Fidler, RSB’s New Executive Director
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Today marks my first day as Executive Director of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. It is a true honour to step into this role at such a pivotal time for RSB and for the broader sustainability movement.
In recent years I have had the chance to work with RSB as a partner and advocate. I have seen first-hand the impact this organisation makes, not only through innovative tools like Book and Claim but through its deep commitment to inclusive, transparent and collaborative governance. This is what the Roundtable stands for, and it’s what drew me here.
RSB’s roundtable model brings together diverse actors from across the value chain to design sustainability solutions that are holistic, credible and built to last. It is this systems approach that makes RSB such a powerful force for change and is the kind of organisation I am proud to now lead.
RSB has built something remarkable. Its community spans industry, civil society, academia and innovators, and its impact extends across sectors and geographies. That legacy, shaped by the leadership of Elena Schmidt who continues to serve RSB as Senior Strategic Advisor, provides a strong foundation for what comes next.
After more than 25 years in the private sector, most recently supporting Microsoft’s Scope 3 ambitious environmental sustainability program including leadership of the sustainable fuel strategy, I know that no one organisation can solve the climate crisis alone. It is only through trusted collaboration that we will deliver the scale of change our planet and people need.
As I begin this new chapter, I will be guided by three core values: collaboration, transparency and action. I believe RSB is uniquely placed to bring those principles to life through everything from certification and policy engagement to innovation and investment.
Here are a few of the areas I intend to work on in the coming months:
Aligning supply chains for impact
Sustainable biomaterials must be reliable, traceable and affordable. We’ll convene stakeholders across the value chain to map bottlenecks and co-design practical pathways that bring low carbon materials into the mainstream.
Finance that underwrites transformation
We need capital that rewards long term systems change. We will support the development of investment vehicles that make bold transition plans bankable and attractive to institutional capital.
Policy as an enabler not a barrier
Clear and consistent policy signals unlock markets. We will work with policymakers to translate ambitious climate targets into pragmatic rules, standards and incentives that catalyse real world deployment.
Data and metrics that everyone trusts
Good decisions require shared truths. We will prioritise open and interoperable metrics for lifecycle impacts so that businesses, governments and civil society can measure progress and hold one another accountable.
Community-centred innovation
Solutions must reflect local realities. I will champion partnerships that ensure communities and smallholders are recognised as partners in sustainable value chains and benefit from the transition.
Pilots that scale with integrity
Speed matters, but so does credibility. We will continue to run purposeful pilots that demonstrate scalable pathways and share learnings openly so that the entire sector can advance more quickly and fairly.
Above all, in the coming months I will be listening to, and learning from this community. Our plans must reflect the needs of our community, and society and our planet at large. I look forward to meeting many of you soon, especially at the RSB Annual Conference in Geneva next month, and to walking forward together into this next phase of impact.
Julia Fidler
Executive Director, RSB
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