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Role
Sustainable Business & Finance Programme Manager
Specialisms
Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)
Corporate sustainability
Contact details

+44 (0) 7832 693 016 

 

Oliver Cupit joined ZSL in 2019 and manages ZSL's engagement with the business and finance sectors.

He specialises in corporate sustainability and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) risk in soft-commodity sectors, especially timber, pulp, natural rubber and palm oil.

Oliver has experience in regulatory compliance with the EU Timber Regulation and EU Deforestation Regulation, as well as FSC certification and he represents ZSL as part of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).

He has experience of responsible sourcing in Solomon Islands, China, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as across Europe. He holds an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Sustainable Tropical Forestry from Copenhagen and Padova Universities.

Rubber tapping

Professional Accreditations 

Qualifications:
  • 2011- 2013, MSc in Sustainable Tropical Forestry, Copenhagen University & University of Padova 
  • 2006- 2009, BA Hons Biological Sciences, Oxford University
Major projects

SPOTT

SPOTT is a free, online platform assessing commodity producers, processors and traders on their public disclosure regarding their organisation, policies, and practices related to ESG issues. SPOTT scores palm oil, tropical forestry, and natural rubber companies annually against over 170 sector-agnostic and sector-specific ESG indicators to benchmark their progress over time. By tracking transparency, SPOTT incentivises the implementation of corporate best practice. Investors, buyers and other key influencers can use SPOTT assessments to inform stakeholder engagement, manage ESG risk, and increase transparency across multiple industries.

For more information see: https://www.spott.org/ 

Aligned Accountability

In partnership with Global Canopy, the Aligned Accountability project aims to provide market-leading data to help financial institutions identify risks and opportunities for sustainable investments to meet the growing demand for responsible financial products in light of the biodiversity and climate crises. In conjunction with finance sector advisors ZSL will help shape the development of this database, ensuring it is relevant, practicable, readily accessible and able to be integrated into existing platforms and processes. Working Group members include Allianz, AXA, Blackrock, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, Fama Investimentos, Federated Hermes, HSBC, Lombard Odier, Santander and Storebrand.

For more information see: https://www.spott.org/news/new-open-access-platform-brings-greater-oversight-of-deforestation-risks/

Sustainable Business & Finance Advisory

 Our team of responsible sourcing specialists are experts in their field – providing tailored and practical support on how your businesses in supply chains and the finance sector can implement robust ESG management systems which protect and enhance natural ecosystems and their wildlife. To date, our team has supported asset managers on ESG due diligence as part of creating green funds, support to companies in the rubber sector on compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation, and field support to monitor tigers in an ecosystem restoration concession Indonesia. We leverage ZSL's depth and breadth of expertise in biodiversity monitoring and management to support private sector sustainability efforts. 

For more information see: https://www.zsl.org/sustainable-business-finance/services

Publications
  • Oppenheimer et al., 2021. The SPOTT index: A proof-of-concept measure for tracking public disclosure in the palm oil industry. Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Volume 3. 
  • Brotto, L. et al., 2018. Forest Management Auditing: Certification of Forest Products & Services. Routledge. 
  • Cupit, O., 2016. Supply Chain Mapping of Malaysian Timber and Wood-based Industries. Conducted on behalf of NEPCon, for WWF-Malaysia. 
  • Brotto, L., Cupit, O., 2014. Responsible Plantations. Sustainable and responsible investments in forest plantations
  • Andrighetto, N., Cupit, O., Leonardi, A., 2014. Behind Biomass. How to ensure responsible wood biomass investments. 
  • Cupit, O., 2013. Conservation, Corruption & Corporate Responsibility: A Case Study Analysis of Land Acquisitions in Ugandan Central Forest Reserves.’ Field research; Uganda 
  • Cupit, O. et al., 2012 'Striving for Personal, Community and Environmental benefits: A comparative analysis of Allanblackia seed collection and Butterfly farming in the East Usambara Mountains' Field research; Tanzania
  • Cupit, O., 2012. 'To bee, or not to bee? The role of apiculture in poverty alleviation for rural Tanzanian communities.' 
  • •    Cupit, O. et al., 2012. 'Winds of Change: Livelihoods of an Iban Community in Transition' Field research; Malaysia
  • 'Investigating Minima Hitchhiking Behaviour in the Leaf-Cutter Ant, Atta Cephalotes L.' Field research; Belize (2009)