Having worked at Shell UK and BAA, Shaun has more than 20 years experience in commercial business and has spent the past 10 years specialising in sustainable purchasing and construction and assessing the impact of major infrastructure business on climate change. Shaun is an honorary commissioner at the London Sustainable Development Commission and was a member of the Government-sponsored Sustainable Procurement Task Force. He recently founded an innovative social enterprise which provides training and policy advice to government and businesses.

What is unique about the goals of the Commission?

"The uniqueness comes from the size and complexity of the programme and the pioneering nature of the work. The work to develop a carbon footprint for an Olympics and its legacy has never been attempted before and breaks new ground in considering issues such as embodied energy in construction, as well as setting challenging standards such as BREEAM Excellent and Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4. The Commission is unique, this is a world first."

Tell us about what are you working on right now.

"The Commission's report 'On track for a sustainable legacy,' launched last week, independently reviews the organisation, resources, processes and capacity to deliver on its promises.

"The London 2012 sustainability plan joins up the sustainability objectives of five organisations delivering the games: the Olympic Delivery Authority; London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games; the Greater London Authority, the Department Culture Media and Sport and the British Olympic Association. These are related to five key themes of sustainability: Waste, Climate Change, Biodiversity, Inclusion and Healthy Living, across the three phases of the programme: construction, Games time, legacy."

What are your proudest 'green' achievements?

"The influence the Commission has had to date has been exceptional. In the past 12 months we have lobbied successfully for the development of the plan which was launched last week and influenced the Key Olympic Stakeholders to consider carbon as a strategic issue. This has led to a groundbreaking piece of work to define the carbon footprint of the games and to develop a holistic carbon strategy.

"We have also raised concerns about the lack of activity to develop waste infrastructure in East London, resulting in CEO of the London Development Agency taking responsibility for this issue. And our concerns about a lack of executive leadership in the Olympic team has resulted in the appointment of the Mayor's advisor for the Olympics to lead the agenda.

What do you most enjoy about your work at the Commission?

"The most enjoyable thing is the pioneering spirit. Nobody in the world has ever provided this level of assurance over sustainability for a major project of any kind. When I was with BAA, the Heathrow Terminal Five project had the Environmental Advisory Group (EAG) to independently review and challenge targets. This group was disbanded after the targets were set and there was nobody to hold the company to account. This is like 'EAG with teeth,' we will exist until 2013 to drive exemplary standards in sustainability. The notion that this could be the way forward for other major projects, such as Crossrail, excites and inspires me."

Could you name the key ingredients for a successful low carbon initiative in any sector?

"My top three ingredients are: Definition, Definition, Definition. Expressions like 'carbon neutral' and 'zero carbon' mean very little. Each organisation needs to understand what sustainability impacts it is responsible for and where its priorities lie. The Olympics is a part time role for me and the rest of my time is spent running a small social enterprise, Action Sustainability (www.actionsustainability.com) - much of my work is involved in helping them to understand this."

What are the biggest challenges you face in your role and how do you deal with them?

"- Overcoming apprehension from our colleagues delivering the Games. The role of the commission is very powerful, I report directly to the Olympic Board, two Lords, a Mayor and a Minister of State. The Commission is able to control our own output to the public.

"There was also apprehension about our role and how intrusive the process will be; there were concerns about "people with clip boards" checking everything they do. The reality is quite different, we have two permanent assurance staff and up to 12 honorary commissioners, so the level of assurance is strategic and not a traditional audit approach at all.

"The second challenge is complexity. Delivery of the infrastructure necessary to enable the Games to happen is like building two Heathrow Terminal Fives in half the time. The Olympics are the biggest sporting event worldwide, akin to staging six FA cup finals every day for six weeks. The Games and infrastructure is only a part of the story.

"The third challenge is expectation. Everybody wants a slice of the Olympics - politicians, the public, global businesses, local charities and the people of East London. There is an expectation that the Games will act as a catalyst for regenerating one of the poorest areas in Europe, inspire new waste management facilities, set new standards for the construction industry, contribute to enlightened thinking about climate change, deliver exemplary standards in procurement, support healthy and sustainable food and much more. To provide a credible point of reference to all stakeholders is a tough call."

Are current UK Government climate change targets realistic in your view?

"We seem to lack the market conditions to make it happen and the political will to make potentially unpopular decisions about lifestyles. The world needs a proper emissions trading system where the price of carbon can be built into everything. The UK could lead the way."

Have you found any successful or innovative ways to encourage your staff to become 'greener'?

"My staff on the Commission are pretty "Deep Green", my Team Leader Jane is a real expert, recently winning an award in her community for being the 'greenest neighbour.' Assuming that not all staff are like Jane, I would be inclined to ask managers some questions:

- Did you ask your new staff about their commitment to and understanding of sustainability when you hired them?

- Is there anything in their job description or personal objectives about sustainability?

- Are they recognised or rewarded for sustainable behaviour?

"If the answer to any of these questions is "No", how do you expect them to become greener?"

Further into the future, what carbon reduction initiatives does the Commission plan?

"Our role is to provide independent assurance. In this role we expect to review and challenge the 2012 carbon strategy every step of the way and to be there to ensure every tonne is accounted for."

What advice would you give to someone starting out in your role?

"The big learning point for me was the sheer breadth of organisations and people you have to deal with. The Olympics involves every sort of government body and very commercial businesses and its partners. I am from a commercial background so I found the politics and the different drivers in government at different levels very hard to understand. There is a need for a huge amount of flexibility to be successful in this role, it is necessary to empathise with a wide variety of people while not taking any c**p from them."