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Section head
Dame Julia Cleverdon
Recently awarded the DCVO, Dame Julia Cleverdon is Vice President of Business in the Community, a unique movement of 750 companies across the UK committed to improving continually their positive impact on society.
Dame Julia Cleverdon was appointed as Chief Executive of Business in the Community in 1992. During this period Julia has established a formidable reputation as a renowned leader and speaker on corporate social responsibility and has personally been responsible for introducing new thinking and action from within the UK’s top boardrooms.
Her energies in promoting responsible business practice and the significant impact of the campaigns of Business in the Community led to her being listed by The Times as one of the 50 most influential women in Britain. She was appointed CBE in 1996 and CVO in the New Year’s Honours’ list 2002.
Under Julia’s leadership the collective activities of Business in the Community have expanded to impact across local communities, support positive environmental activity, promote diversity and best practice in the workplace and encourage ethical operations in the wider marketplace.
Prior to her work at Business in the Community, Julia served as Director of The Industrial Society’s Education and Inner City Division from 1981 – 1988, during which time The Industrial Society became the leading provider of management training for education and voluntary organisations. She started her career working in industrial relations for British Leyland.
Julia was married to the late John Garnett, director of the Industrial Society, and has two daughters aged 18 and 21. In her voluntary roles, Julia serves as chair of Teach First, whose mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. She is also a director of ‘In Kind Direct’, Governor of Henley Management College, Trustee of Timebank, patron of the Helena Kennedy Bursary Scheme, patron of Volunteer Reading Help and an Ambassador for the World Wildlife Fund.