John McCalla-Leacy is KPMG’s Global and UK Head of Environment, Social & Governance (ESG). He is responsible for leading the delivery of ESG solutions, products and services to KPMG’s clients.
He has held a number of senior UK, ASPAC Region and Global leaderships positions in KPMG over the last 21 years including:
Former elected KPMG UK Board Member – oversees the stewardship, accountability and leadership of the KPMG UK Firm providing clear sighted counsel on the strategic direction of KPMG and alignment to its Vision, Values, and Purpose. During 2021 KPMG UK launched Our Impact Plan, for the first time, bringing all its ESG commitments together in one place, on an external website - making this transparent to all. This includes measuring KPMGs impact on the environment, how KPMG is driving prosperity for its people, communities and clients, and setting best-practise governance.
Member of the KPMG UK People Committee – provides oversight of the KPMG firmwide people strategy including monitoring culture, performance management and considering policies designed to enable the recruitment, wellbeing, motivation, and retention of all colleagues. In 2021, the People Committee oversaw, approved, and the firm published, KPMG UK’s Black heritage pay gap for the first time in its 150-year history. This significant achievement was in addition to publishing KPMG UK’s sexual orientation, disability and social economic background pay gap reports and setting targets for social mobility for the first time, and on a voluntary basis.
Board Member: KPMG Foundation – working to improve the lives of the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK, including those in care or on the edge of care.
John has led, co-led and supported a number of ESG client initiatives and webinars including on topics such as, Just Transition, ESG Governance and Leadership Accountably, ESG Technology and Innovation.
In addition to John’s leadership roles within the firm, his is a strong external advocate for ESG and a leading supporter for the ‘S’ in driving inclusion, diversity and social equality outside of the firm. Current initiatives include:
Princess Trust – sponsors and supports a number of initiatives with the Princess Trust, including a volunteering programme which is focused on tackling regional inequality in the UK, the ‘Terra Carta’ (which is part of the Sustainable Markets Initiative) development of green skills – the knowledge, abilities and values needed to create a sustainable society
Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG) – KPMG senior BLG representative, which works with government and senior business leaders to develop and implement policies focused on increasing the number of disabled people in work.
International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (IBDE) – Vice Chair of Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group
John is very experienced in leading rapid, complex change. He is a former senior leader within KPMG’s Global Centre of Excellence Mergers & Acquisitions team. To-date, he has led both the overall and technology aspects of some of the largest multi-billion-dollar client mergers, acquisitions, and divestments that KPMG has ever supported across multiple sectors and geographies. Now John’s sole focus is on inspiring and driving rapid ESG related change for KPMG and its clients.
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