A question I, like you I am sure, get asked commonly is… ‘and what is it you do?’. With a smile, I get to respond, “I am the Trusts & Foundations Manager for David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation”.

After leaving school, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do next. One thing I did know, categorically, was that I had a profound interest in the natural world and adventure. With that, I began my BSc Wildlife Conservation at University West of England, where I then went on to complete an MSc in Advanced Wildlife Conservation, as if it was not already obvious what I was interested in(!). Through these studies, I realised there is more than one way to become a conservationist.

One such lesson in the variety of roles a conservationist can play, took place in Kafue National Park, Zambia, where I was researching a troop of vervet monkey. The troop, made up of individuals from across Zambia rescued from the illegal pet trade, roam the National Park, and are monitored daily by the dedicated team from the Zambia Primate Project. Through this work, I met some incredible people. One of those was Sport Beattie, CEO of Game Rangers International.

Sport, seeing I was young and enthusiastic, advised that when back in the UK, I look out for David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF). ‘They’re good people, I think you’ll get on well with them’, he advised. So, that was that. I began volunteering, fundraising, running marathons, and generally supporting the brilliant work DSWF do.

Over the years, I have progressed my knowledge of conservation and the roles a conservationist can play, and it is now, as Trusts & Foundations Manager, that I am pursuing an alternate role in conservation; swapping Kafue National Park for London, business meetings, and relationship building.

I recently had the opportunity to host our inaugural Ecological Loop business networking reception at the Mall Galleries, London. Here, we welcomed professionals from a range of sectors to meet, share insights, and learn from two leading voices in the world of philanthropic giving and charity to business partnerships: Clare Woodcraft and Steve Wickham.

One takeaway from the evening many of our guests realised was, you don’t have to be up close to the wildlife you want to protect to be a conservationist. It is just as impactful to make initiative-taking, supportive decisions from your office as it is to implement conservation goals on the ground. It is a symbiotic relationship you, the in-country teams, and the wildlife have. One cannot work without the others.

Over the coming weeks, I will be taking us on a journey through the avenues you can explore to not only conserve endangered species but also how I and DSWF work to complement your business model. I’ll talk about the changing world and how, depending on your actions, business and conservation can capitalise on advancements in technology and understanding. We will hear from those at the forefront of charity-business partnerships, the values they receive, and the lessons they want you to learn. I’ll speak to existing DSWF partners such as Christopher Ward, the watch makers, and Fauna Brewing, providing insight into what drove them to work with us and the benefits they are seeing.

I’ll also be tackling some of the pricklier topics too.

So, become a conservationist from your desk and join me on this venture.

Until next week…